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Places to Camp near Vail, AZ

727 Reviews

Looking for the best campgrounds near Vail, AZ? Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Vail campgrounds just for you. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Best Camping Sites Near Vail, AZ (181)

  1. Camper-submitted photo from Tucson - Lazydays KOA

    1.

    Tucson - Lazydays KOA

    48 Reviews
    140 Photos
    86 Saves
    Tucson, Arizona

    Tucson/Lazydays KOA Resort is your desert oasis, featuring beautiful fruit trees abundant throughout the park, with plenty of good times to be had. The campground offers Pull-thru RV Sites with full 30/50-amp hookups, grassy luxury sites and NEW RV Sites with a Patio and a fireplace! No RV? No problem. Stay in one of the NEW two-bedroom Deluxe Cabins with queen beds. Whether you want to relax by one of the two pools, soak in the hot tubs, play a round on our nine hole putting green, or join in the fun activities, this KOA has something for everyone to enjoy. The completed installation of the two PowerParasols® solar shade structures now allows guest to camp, gather and even barbeque under a patented structure that produces clean solar energy. The structures shade more than two acres of the campground, giving visitors room to park RVs on 30 covered RV sites. Check out our NEW resort style activity park! Providing ample shade and sport courts to bring recreation, relaxation, family and friends together. Lazydays, a full-service RV dealership with a service department, is located next door. Other campground amenities include a bar& grill, meeting rooms, fitness center, three off-leash dog parks and complimentary Wi-Fi. Camping in Arizona is a breeze at the Tucson/Lazydays KOA. Pool: Open all year. Max pull thru: 73 feet.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Electric Hookups
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
  2. Camper-submitted photo from Gilbert Ray Campground

    2.

    Gilbert Ray Campground

    66 Reviews
    233 Photos
    420 Saves
    Cortaro, Arizona

    Next time you need a break in your busy life consider cool weather camping at Tucson Mountain Park's beautiful Gilbert Ray Campground, located on the west side of the Tucson Mountains, a convenient 13 miles from Tucson. RV campers should access the park by way of Ajo Highway to Kinney Road and follow the signs to the campground.

    The campground has 130 RV sites with individual 30-amp electrical hook-ups. The campground has 5 sites that are designated tent only, however tenters are welcome to camp in an RV site but are asked not to use the electrical hook-ups. It has centrally located water, picnic tables, modern restrooms, and an RV dumping station. Shower facilities are not available. There are handicap bathrooms.

    There is a seven-day length of stay limit. The park's peak season is January 1st through March 31st. Camping fees are $10.00 per night for tents and $20.00 per night for trailers and RVs. Senior Pass/Golden Age Pass NOT valid. Due to limited tent sites you can tent in a RV site, however, during peak season the RV campsite fee applies. Wood fires are prohibited.

    • Pets
    • Electric Hookups
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
    • RVs

    $10 - $75 / night

  3. Camper-submitted photo from Catalina State Park Campground

    3.

    Catalina State Park Campground

    60 Reviews
    244 Photos
    449 Saves
    Oro Valley, Arizona

    Catalina State Park camping is available in 120 electric and water sites. Each campsite has a picnic table and BBQ grill. Roads and parking slips are paved. Campgrounds have modern flush restrooms with hot showers, and RV dump stations are available in the park. There is no limit on the length of RVs at this park, but reservations are limited to 14 consecutive nights. Campgrounds are open all year.

    Catalina State Park sits at the base of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains. The park is a haven for desert plants and wildlife and nearly 5,000 saguaros. The 5,500 acres of foothills, canyons and streams invites camping, picnicking and bird watching — more than 150 species of birds call the park home. The park provides miles of equestrian, birding, hiking, and biking trails which wind through the park and into the Coronado National Forest at elevations near 3,000 feet. The park is located within minutes of the Tucson metropolitan area. This scenic desert park also offers equestrian trails and an equestrian center provides a staging area for trail riders with plenty of trailer parking. Bring along your curiosity and your sense of adventure as you take in the beautiful mountain backdrop, desert wildflowers, cacti and wildlife.

    • Pets
    • Electric Hookups
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
    • RVs

    $25 - $35 / night

  4. Camper-submitted photo from Kartchner Caverns State Park Camping — Kartchner Caverns State Park

    4.

    Kartchner Caverns State Park Camping — Kartchner Caverns State Park

    42 Reviews
    123 Photos
    157 Saves
    Benson, Arizona

    All campsites at Kartchner feature electric hookups and water. Your camping fee includes use of the shower/restroom, water, electrical and dump station facilities.

    All campsites have a table, hose bib and power post. Each back-in site power post is 110 volt AC with a 30 amp RV connection and a 20 amp receptacle. Each pull-through site power post has a 220 volt 50 amp AC & an 110 volt 30 amp AC RV connection and a 20 AMP GFI receptacle. Sites vary in length from 35’ for the shortest back in sites to 60’ in the pull through sites; all sites are single width. Sites have ample room on the side areas for pull out units.

    There are three handicapped designated sites (one is a pull through site), 12 pull-through sites and 43 other sites of varying sizes. Handicapped designated sites have paved access to the site and adjacent restroom, a paved pad, and wheelchair accessible table.

    Waste bins and shower/restroom facilities are located on the upper west end of each campground. Restroom buildings have bottled water vending machines and dishwashing sinks located on the rear east side.

    Important Note: At this park, the entrance gate is closed nightly at 10 p.m. The two-loop campground is located off of the main road past the Discovery Center on the southwest end of the park. Camping fees are payable with cash, Visa or Mastercard at the Contact Station the day of arrival, or at the Discovery Center the following day. Fees must be paid daily or in advance and there is a 14-day stay limit.

    Access card keys for camper after-hours entering the park are administered by the four Campground Hosts.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Electric Hookups
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access

    $38 - $99 / night

  5. Camper-submitted photo from Snyder Hill BLM Camping Area

    5.

    Snyder Hill BLM Camping Area

    26 Reviews
    53 Photos
    194 Saves
    Cortaro, Arizona

    Camping on public lands away from developed recreation facilities is referred to as dispersed camping. Most of the remainder of public lands are open to dispersed camping, as long as it does not conflict with other authorized uses or in areas posted "closed to camping," or in some way adversely affects wildlife species or natural resources.

    Dispersed camping is allowed on public land for a period not to exceed 14 days within a 28 consecutive day period. The 28 day period begins when a camper initially occupies a specific location on public lands. The 14 day limit may be reached either through a number of separate visits or through 14 days of continuous overnight occupation during the 28 day period. After the 14th day of occupation, the camper must move outside of a 25 mile radius of the previous location until the 29th day since the initial occupation. The purpose of this special rule is to prevent damage to sensitive resources caused by continual use of any particular areas. In addition, campers must not leave any personal property unattended for more than 10 days (12 months in Alaska).

    Campsite Selection Dispersed camp sites are located along most secondary roads and may not be marked. Popular locations can be recognized by the telltale flat disturbed area that has been used as a camp site before. Not all flat spots are sites. If possible, please use existing sites to avoid creating new disturbances. To further protect your public lands, campers must not dispose of any refuse, hazardous materials, sewage, or in any manner pollute the surrounding area.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Dispersed
  6. Camper-submitted photo from Cieneguita Dispersed Camping Area - Las Cienegas National Conservation Area
  7. Camper-submitted photo from Rose Canyon Campground

    7.

    Rose Canyon Campground

    19 Reviews
    55 Photos
    182 Saves
    Willow Canyon, Arizona

    Overview

    Rose Canyon Campground is just 17 miles northeast of Tucson, Arizona, off the Catalina Highway Scenic Drive near the summit of Mt. Lemmon. This area is popular for day use as well as overnight camping. With a high elevation, forested setting, two group picnic areas and opportunities for hiking, wildlife viewing and fishing, Rose Canyon offers a great summer respite from the city.

    Recreation

    The lake is sheltered by trees and offers a pleasant setting for a walk in the woods, relaxing on the shore or spending an afternoon fishing for stocked trout. A one-mile trail around the lake is convenient for anglers and hikers. The trail is accessible from the lower parking area to a floating dock near a dam. The surrounding national forest boasts a variety of hiking and mountain biking trails, including several that traverse the 9,157-foot Mt. Lemmon.

    Facilities

    The campground offers spacious, single-family campsites, as well as two group day use areas with picnic shelters, which can be reserved for up to 120 guests.__ The campground is equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings with grills and vault toilets.

    Natural Features

    The campground sits high on the slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains, at an elevation of 7,000 feet. Because of its elevation, it can be much cooler than the lower-elevation campgrounds in the area. The campsites are spacious and spread out among stands of large ponderosa pines and clusters of Gambel oak. During the summer rainy season, Rose Creek meanders through the area to the six-acre Rose Canyon Lake at the lower end of the campground. The Coronado National Forest covers 1.78 million acres of southeastern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico. Elevations range from 3,000 to 10,720 feet in 12 widely scattered mountain ranges, or "sky islands," that rise dramatically from the desert floor, supporting biologically diverse plant communities.

    contact_info

    For facility specific information, please call (520) 576-1325.

    Nearby Attractions

    Catalina Highway, also known as General Hitchcock Highway and Sky Island Scenic Byway, is the only paved road that leads to the upper reaches of Mt. Lemmon and the Santa Catalina Range. It is one of the most scenic highways in the southwest and is a popular day trip. Other notable attractions include Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon and Colossal Cave.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • RVs
    • Tents
    • Group

    $97 - $157 / night

  8. Camper-submitted photo from Redington Pass - Dispersed Camping
  9. Camper-submitted photo from Spencer Canyon Campground

    9.

    Spencer Canyon Campground

    17 Reviews
    74 Photos
    219 Saves
    Mount Lemmon, Arizona

    This area of Mt Lemmon camping is located at the head of a shallow, forested canyon a short distance off the Catalina Highway. Spencer Canyon faces the city of Tucson and the Santa Cruz Valley, both of which are visible as a distant panorama through openings in the forest canopy. Spencer Canyon Campground has 66 sites. Each site has a concrete table, firepit, B-B-Q and bear box for food storage. A beautiful night view of Tucson can be seen from several sites. Spencer is rugged, rustic in layout and close to the hamlet of Summerhaven. Each camping area has clean, stocked vault toilets. Campground hosts live on site. Firewood may be purchased from the hosts. The Catalina Highway is paved, but it can be snow covered in winter when chains and/or 4-wheel drive may be required.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access
    • RVs

    $22 - $36 / night

  10. Camper-submitted photo from Patagonia Lake State Park Campground

    10.

    Patagonia Lake State Park Campground

    35 Reviews
    93 Photos
    195 Saves
    Rio Rico, Arizona

    When it comes to activities at Patagonia Lake, camping is a must. The campground features 105 developed campsites with a picnic table, a fire ring/grill, and parking for two vehicles. Select sites also have a ramada. Sites have 20/30 amp and 50 amp voltage. Sites tend to fill up in the evening from May until November. Campsite lengths vary but most can accommodate any size RV. Quiet hours (no generators, music, or loud voices) are from 9 p.m. – 8 a.m. See Park Rules.

    • Pets
    • Fires
    • Electric Hookups
    • Phone Service
    • Reservable
    • ADA Access

Pet-friendly camping near Vail

Recent Reviews In Vail

727 Reviews of 181 Vail Campgrounds