Best Dispersed Camping near Tonopah, AZ

Not too far from I-10, easy to get to from highway. Used Google Maps. Pilot truck stop right off the exit with a few taco stands/trucks. Many roads to get on the BLM land, some more rocky than others. We had a big rock lodged between our 2 back dually tires, but suspect that doesn’t happen often. Some days it was a little windy and with the winds from the west it brought black flies. We had 8-10 flies hang in the van with us after we opened the door a few times. Other than that, plenty of sites very spaced out and neat walking trail up the mountain.

This is a two track road that leaves Interstate 8 at about MP 124. There are no signs and EXTREME CAUTION is advised trying to access these BLM roads from the freeway without an exit ramp. No TTs or RVs are recommended. Road goes thru a gate out into the flat desert. Dispersed camping areas are scattered around but since this is close to Gila Bend there is evidence of dumping in this area. Cell service is good. No water, toilets, tables, fire rings or trash bins.

This is pretty much like the reviews say, your basic BLM undeveloped dispersed camping area. One difference are the powerlines overhead that emit a cracking and rattling noise constantly. Not sure of the health implications of those powerlines. As one reviewer mentioned there are washers that could hang up many large and even midsize rigs. This is also a popular ATV area which comes with a lot of dust and noise and rude people. Beware of paths that seem fit for a two wheeled vehicle but were created by ATVs which can often climb into and out of these washes with no problem. I drove through one that almost ripped off the tail end of my 17 foot TT. Don't forget to GOAL, get out and look.

This is a relatively small BLM dispersed camping area. There’s maybe 20 sites depending on the the type of vehicle you drive. There are definitely some high clearance vehicle only areas but we were able to find a nice spot in our Winnebago next to the base of the hills. There are no services here, it is strictly dry camping. There is s cemetery right next to the area, a little weird but they didn’t make much noise. There are plenty of hills to hike around on and there are some old mines in the area but be cautious, there are arsenic warning signs in some and it appears some mining is still going on. Great sunsets and star filled nights.

Access road is fresh gravel so better than 2024. Large open flat area in middle close to a livestock water and corral, so cow noise and smell. Free dispersed but need the $15 AZ lands permit. Cell signal is very good. No toilets, no trash, no tables...just rock fire rings. Close to the hwy so some hwy noise. Some Campers look to be folks that work in town. The other dispersed camping area a bit to the north closer to town by the cell tower may be another good spot. Only 4.5 miles to the Safeway in town.

Only 2 stars as the area is no scenic and had beat down vegetation, cow crap smell and general vibe is ick.

Nice open dispersed camping area near the trailhead to Vulture Peak. Lots of random washes and remnants of mines to discover. Grocery store is only a few miles down the road near Wickenburg.

Nice enough place for dispersed camping, but requires a very bumpy drive to get there. Really good cell phone service (Verizon - I got 3-4 bars of 4G, which got me 75+ mb/s download speed)

First time dispersed camping with our 21’ pull-behind and had a great experience. Gravel road leading to the area is well kept and our truck had no issues getting to the area. Awesome views when we setup camp with plenty of space.

Great place to Boondock up to 2 weeks.

Miles of desert and washes to explore with tons of dispersed camping sites. Can get busy on holiday or event weekends but worth it otherwise. Some weekends have horse or Dirtbike events. Nearby washes lead to tons of trails near castle hot springs that can lead to various abounded mine sites (including Anderson Mill). Obviously not ideal camping in the summer but GREAT for the fall/winter/spring months.

That's right, this is AZ, State Trust land, AKA: FREE camping and parking land—72,000 acres of open dispersed, rough, rugged, off-the-grid life. I've parked here in my converted Skoolie of 36 feet for two years. I DO purchase the $ 15-a-year permit and I DO display it. But in 2 years, I've not seen even one "official" vehicle and have never been asked to see my permit or how long I have parked. It is messy, I like to clean it up at times, please help and please remember, this is your land so do not trash it to the point that we will be kicked off. I've watched this happen all over northern AZ and it does not need to happen here. Pack it in and pack it out. Leave no trace. There are garbage cans 1 mile from this land. A new gas station/convenience store has been erected a mile from Maddock Road. Although Maddock Road is no longer an access point to the lands, there are plenty of other access points. The new gas station has diesel, water dispensing, propane dispensing, and all the conveniences anyone would need. It is a paradise in Winter, believe that. In summer, it is hotter than the dickens. I bounce from Flag to this location yearly, it works well for us nomads.

Perfect spot for boondocking. The dirt road is decent, people are spread out, it's peaceful. Bit of a drive to get gasoline...fill up before you get here!

This is one of my favorite areas to boondock in the southwest winter season. The views are phenomenal ! To my surprise I thought it would be crowded here this year, but no. As soon as you turn off of W Salome Hwy on to W Courthouse rd you’ll find at least 9 or more entrances that lead up towards the mountain. Some better than others, meaning they can be very rocky, so be careful of tire damage. Like any time your looking for a site, park in a safe place and search by either foot or in my case ebike. I have found the last couple roads in on the far west to be the smoothest, but they are also more populated. Sites here can accommodate the big rigs, but the smaller you are the more options you have. This BLM, 14 day maximum.

It was a great area to boondock camp, roads are rough but worth the trip. Cellphone service is spotty. Lots of ATV on the weekends. Be prepared to get stuck in the mud if it rains. There's a great lil gem you can hike to called Mudd Spings, it's super small natural spring.

Not a lot of sites at this location maybe 15-20 if you crammed them in, but if you don’t have a big rig their is a few before getting here in State Trust land ( Vultures peak) for a small one time annual fee coming from Wickenburg. Only 4 star because your not going to get the seclusion of most dispersed camping and the cell service is spotty. Verizon was 2-3 bars LTE and T Mobile 1-2 which normally is not bad but most of the time it wasn’t usable. Plenty of trails that begin at the Vultures Peak trailhead and a lot of washes to hike. If you plan on making the hike up to Vultures Peak be prepared, the last quarter involves using your hands to crawl up to the peak. And for those wondering why it’s called Box Wash, it’s the name of the wash a hundred feet south of where the sites are located. My favorite site is the last one before the trail head which overlooks Box Wash. Their is plenty of room at the trail head to turn around most big rigs if the trailhead is not too busy which is day use only with a vaulted toilet.

Lots of camping spots before and after this specific location. Camping spots are spread out. You can see about 20 miles of I-10 from this area. Power substation have bright lights on all night but I would camp there again.

This two- track BLM road leaves from the westbound lanes of Interstate 8. EXTREME CAUTION is advised and TTs and RVs are not recommended for these unmarked two tracks along the Interstate.

You go thru a gate and this area is to west of the wilderness area and is not restricted by the wilderness buffer road issues. The road splits in a couple tens and there are several camp spots along the way, but best to get farther away from the freeway truck noise. On the map this #8032 roads goes all the way to hwy 238 between Gila Bend and Maricopa. No facilities, no water. Cell signal was couple weak bars but ok for txt email.

Great spot, lots of camping spots well spaced out, many with established fire pits. Very little road noise at night, and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets. T-mobile , 2 bars 5G service.

Camped for one night on my way from NM to LA.  Arrived at night and it was easy to find. Awoke to a beautiful sunrise at the foot of the mountains. Great rock hunting too! This will be my regular camping spot form now on when traveling the same route.

BLM road #8030 leaves Interstate 8 in westbound lanes. No signage at the freeway, EXTREME CAUTION is advised trying to access these unmarked two track roads from the Interstate hwy. There is a gate to go thru then you pass a couple v- shaped wash dips that would restrict TTs and RVs, hence the recommendation that Overlander truck types would be best here. The road goes past an abandoned corrals/tank and then at the y split you are going to go left and into the wilderness cherry-stem road. This road buffer is only about 50 ft wide so not really good for finding campsites. The road gets rougher and crosses many sandy washes so high clearance 4x4 is a good idea. Cell service was not good here, must be in a hole from the antenna at Freeman road and the cell towers at Gila Bend. Going to the end of the cherry stem #8030 road will likely end at another ranch structure/corral with camping sites (I was not able to get that far in my truck safely).

No water or any other amenities, and with limited cell signal would recommend access with a buddy vehicle for backup.

The road in is a little rough, but ok. Two week stay limit, but that's pretty standard for BLM properties. There's no facilities so be prepared. Good level land and plenty of room. Wild burros wander through occasionally, and coyotes make their presence known as well. Fantastic views and quiet atmosphere, so far. Been here two nights and plan to stay for at least another week.

Numerous campsites available in an area along State Road 74 and New River/Lake Pleasant Roads, at least 2 or 3000 acres with hundreds of establish campsites. A $15 annual permit is required and a maximum stay of 14 days per year is allowed, however the state really has no way of enforcing this. In all my years in Arizona if you're not using an OHV, you will most likely never be asked to present a usage permit. Please purchase the permit, it is a small fee and someone does have to eventually pick up the trash that inconsiderate people leave behind...

Free. Wide open space, an abandoned air strip. Really cool cactus variations all around, you can hear coyotes. And there are wild burros in the area you can def hear them and during the week it's likely you will see them! It is popular for ATVs and such, so it can get a bit noisy, and it apparently gets pretty packed over the weekend. But empty during the week. About 30 minutes away from town. Though there are a few paid campsites in the area. Not sure what the stay limit is, probably 14 days. All the cacti so close is a bit hazardous for pets and small children, my dog already got spines in her paws.

This is a FREE BLM camping area. 

There are multiple places to pull off along Vulture Mine Rd that have dirt roads that you can take further back. We made a couple of attempts in our 26 ft Class C and almost got stuck and had to back out so be aware that some of the roads look good then suddenly become impassable with no turn around. We ended up near the Vulture Peak trailhead with an easy pull off and a view of the peak (33.880550,-112.820176).

There is no water or garbage so pack in and pack out and pack out more than you brought in if you feel inclined. There is a pit toilet bathroom at the trailhead entrance. This is also an ATV area so watch out while hiking because most thought they had the right of way. 

There is good hiking to the peak and across the street there is another access to hike in. There is some road noise but it is not too bad., overall a quiet place. This is a trailhead so there is a lot of day use traffic of vehicles, ATVs and hikers but the nights were quiet and pleasant. Chollas are everywhere and we constantly had to pick them out of our dogs so be aware. We did not see any wildlife except some birds but heard coyotes every night. 

Note: There is a nice spot about 3 spots in that has an old table and a couple of broken chairs sitting in it. No one came into that spot while we were there for 7 days so though it looks like someone is saving a spot, but I think unfortunately someone just left a bunch of junk there. 

Decent Verizon and AT&T coverage.