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Best Dispersed Camping near Vernon, AZ

58 Reviews

Several dispersed camping options surround Vernon in eastern Arizona's national forest areas. Concho Lake, about 15 miles northeast of town, offers free camping with concrete pads at some sites, trash receptacles, and portable toilets. The lake itself is often dried up or marshy, with one camper noting "abundant bird life" and another mentioning "lots of cattle free range grazing around the lake."

The forest roads south of Vernon provide more primitive camping experiences. National Forest Road 117C and Carnero Spring Road have drive-in access for dispersed camping, though reviews warn about mud during snowmelt periods. Beehive Spring Camp at 9,200 feet elevation features diverse tree cover but experiences logging truck noise during daytime hours. Timber Mesa Trailhead allows camping with fires and pets permitted, though its proximity to highways creates noise. Most dispersed sites require campers to be self-contained as they lack amenities. Fire restrictions commonly apply during dry summer months, so checking current regulations is essential before planning trips to this region.

Best Dispersed Sites Near Vernon, Arizona (18)

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Dispersed Camping Reviews near Vernon, AZ

58 Reviews of 18 Vernon Campgrounds

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 18, 2025

    Crystal Forest Museum and Gifts

    Outside of Petrified Forest

    Good place to dispersed camp on private property. Concrete pads, some with picnic tables. Safe and quiet.

  • j
    Mar. 30, 2022

    Crystal Forest Museum and Gifts

    Can’t beat the price!

    Right outside the South Gate of the Petrified Forest National Park. They offer free camping with no hookups for self contained rigs. Water is available at city hall if needed. They even have a dumpster so getting rid of trash is easy.

  • NThe Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 21, 2022

    Crystal Forest Museum and Gifts

    Easy spot near the NP

    Dirt lot with about 20 spots for RVs, trailers, campervans, or any other self contained camper. They don't allow tent camping because there are no bathrooms available. Dumpster was in the lot for trash. Reading other reviews they mentioned no electric, at this site, but there are boxes next to each campground with 30amp outlets. My camper doesn't use shore power, so I wasn't able to test the boxes. Attached a photo of what the outlet looks like if anyone wants to give it a try. There are paid sites across the road specifically for anyone who needs an electric hook up.

    Overall was quiet, but we also went on a day in December and there was noone else at the campground.

  • Laura M.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 6, 2022

    Crystal Forest Museum and Gifts

    Love Places Like This!

    This is an old dirt lot with several sites for overnight RV parking, which the gift shop allows for free for a night as long as you are self-contained. No tent camping or sleeping in your car allowed (because there are no restrooms available). 

    Each spot has a picnic table and a few have a shade structure as well.

    The other side of the street has more sites available for $15/night and they include power hookups. No other amenities available here. 

    These lots are just outside the Petrified Forest NP south entrance and it’s so convenient to stay here if you’re going to be visiting the park. We stopped at the gift shop to make sure we were good to park here for the night and also to make an obligatory “thank you” purchase. They have lots of jewelry, petrified wood pieces (ranging from cheap to crazy expensive for the large polished pieces), clothing, gifts, stickers, etc. They also sell beer for $3/can but all they have is Budweiser. 

    Good-ish cell reception here. AT&T had 3G, Verizon had LTE, and T-Mobile was roaming as always.

  • Abby M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 28, 2020

    Concho lake

    Good one night stay

    Stayed one day on my way to Reno. Nice spot along the highway. You can hear vehicles but in a van, barely heard it. There’s prairie dogs and bunnies galore, which was a nice bonus. Clean porti potties and decent AT&T signal. I only checked out one loop but place has as least 10 spots. Some have cement pads and fire rings. No picnic tables that I saw.

  • Bob & Ramona F.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 15, 2021

    Crystal Forest Museum and Gifts

    What do you want for FREE?

    Located just before south entrance. FREE ("Boondock") camping on East side. Electric (no water) for $15 on West side. We picked East as Solar gives us all the A/C we need! Gift shops to explore on both sides. SEVERAL abandoned cars in front of shops to "chum for patrons".... Great place to stage before a day of exploring. Not sure I'd stay more than 2 nites but a night before and nite after visiting the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert is perfect! Just make sure to spend some $ at the gift shop if you stay for free.

  • Irene L.
    Oct. 1, 2017

    Crystal Forest Museum and Gifts

    Touristy but right next to Petrified Forest National Park

    The Petrified Forest National Park does not have its own car camping campground (there are only backcountry backpacking sites, requiring permits, gear, walking, skills, etc). This rather touristy campground is right outside the National Park. It is pretty basic and incredibly it is totally free. It does have electric hookups for a small fee, The sites are large and out in the open with no shade...dismal in the hot AZ sun! There’s a teepee village you can also use, would be a big hit for kids. The gift shop has some snacks and lots of interesting geological trinkets. At night it is beautifully dark.

  • Rene F.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 13, 2025

    Crystal Forest Museum and Gifts

    Lots of spots with slabs to the left looking at building.

    Was going to stay the night before, but needed a real bed. So I stopped this morning. It is tight next to south entrance of Petrified national forest.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    May. 26, 2024

    Mud Spring

    Quiet Area, several lakes not far

    Quiet place not far off a Forest Service Rd.

Guide to Vernon

Several dispersed camping areas dot the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest near Vernon, Arizona. Concho Lake offers approximately 20 free sites with concrete pads, trash cans, and porta-potties. Sites near Forest Road 117C and Carnero Spring Road provide more primitive experiences with drive-in access but no amenities. Timber Mesa Trailhead and Beehive Spring Camp allow fires and permit alcohol, though neither has facilities.

Road conditions vary significantly across sites. National Forest Road 117C becomes muddy and rutted after snow melt, with campers noting "don't try to make it to the shared coordinates soon after a snow melt." Beehive Spring Camp sits at 9,200 feet elevation and experiences cold nights even in September, with "logging trucks noisy during the day." The Crystal Forest area near Petrified Forest National Park provides free overnight camping with covered picnic tables and cement pads, but no water or restroom facilities after the gift shop closes. A camper noted, "You really can't be any closer to Petrified Forest without being in the park."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Vernon, AZ?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Vernon, AZ is Concho lake with a 4.3-star rating from 11 reviews.

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TheDyrt.com has all 18 dispersed camping locations near Vernon, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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