Looking for the best dispersed camping near Wellton? The Dyrt provides you with a diverse selection of places to camp, from dispersed backcountry camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your Arizona camping adventure.
The Mittry Lake Wildlife Area includes about 600 acres of surface water and 2400 acres of marsh or upland. A wide variety of vegetative and wildlife species can be found here, with a scenic backdrop of three mountain ranges. Numerous serpentine waterways connect to the main lake body and make exploring by boat a unique experience. This area is jointly managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
Overview The Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) was created in 1983 to fulfill the needs of winter visitors and to protect the local desert ecosystem from overuse. The campground is approximately 3,500 acres in size, flat landscape, sparsely vegetated with plants such as creosote bushes, palo verde trees, ironwood trees, mesquite trees and various species of cacti. Imperial Dam LTVA offers solitude in a unique desert landscape and a variety of recreational opportunities such as hiking, swimming, boating, and fishing. Facilities Two restroom facilities with outdoor showers, trash services, grey water dump sites, black water dump site with water, dance floor and ramadas.
$1 - $15 / night
The area in and around Pilot Knob is rich in both human and natural history. At one time, Patton's troops trained here in preparation for desert fighting in World War II. A State of California Historic Marker lies on the site of Patton's camp. The marker is located just north of Interstate 8 on Sidewinder Road. The Fort Yuma Indian Reservation borders public lands near Pilot Knob. Every year, thousands of visitors come and enjoy the natural beauty and recreational opportunities offered at BLM's Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVAs), where visitors can camp for as long as seven months.
$75 - $180 / night
The recreational area is approximately 50 acres in size, flat, open with large gravel beaches providing access to the reservoir. FACILITIES PROVIDED: Two restrooms with flush toilets, outdoor showers and drinking water are available for use. Boat ramp available nearby? small watercraft can be launched from shore. FEATURES: OHV riding opportunities, fishing, camping, watchable wildlife, watercraft recreation, swimming, hiking opportunities, solitude and sightseeing. ADA Access: Restroom facilities are accessible.
Traveler
This an excellent place for a stopover especially if you are heading south through the algodones border crossing. Although you can hear traffic it’s not intrusive. 5 minutes east of the 95 just north of the border patrol check point. It’s dispersed camping, flat, no shade. It has nice views of the surrounding mountains. The one thing to be on the lookout for is the tiny red cactus that is abundant.
Guide
Traveling down Black Mountain road for about 2miles of wash boards before turning down the camping road.
All the sites were empty as it was almost 100degrees outside and nothing for shade of a creature larger than a bird could find. But here we found quiet solitude and a cooler evening, perhaps the winds helped.
If you have furry friends keep a watch for their paws, there’s small cacti/pokeys scattered about.
Lovely sunrise and sunset 360 views.
Good Verizon service!
Scout
Big rig friendly - lots of space to spread out. Nice areas to hike and climb. Can get rather windy and there is some smelly smoke at times from Mexico area. Can drive to Mexico for various doctor/dentist/etc. Easy drive to Yuma as well. Great deal for the winter! Present when the 'scary' situation occurred in March as noted by someone else. Involved 2 parties with dogs loose. We did not and do not feel unsafe at all here.
ScoutI had a very bad scary experience here. The camphost wasn't available at 4 pm to help w a man behaving erratically, threatening my life & others.
TravelerIt's quiet, very few people here and plenty of places to choose from.
Scout
It was lovely. We were lakeside and able to fish daily. Wish we’d had a kayak. Only had 4 days there. Wanted 14! A lot of hiking trails! Sometimes I felt I was on another planet. (That’s why we travel:) The weather just got better and better but we had to cut it short. See you next year!
Scout
No overnight camping allowed
RangerIt state trust land. You need a permit, which is available online and I believe the image of the receipt on your phone or laptop would suffice. Should anyone check, which I have never seen. This is at least my second stay here. Nothing exciting but it is right off of I eight, which is not audible right now over the noise from apparently someone's generator. Haven't heard any yapping dogs or idiot kids running around with a parents bearing their asses off but this is my kind of place.
Scout
There were only a few sites available on Dec 9th which was a Saturday. Location is a little north of VFW. Drive into the VFW driveway, around the back of the VFW building going north. This will take you to the BLM site. Just drive around the flat area until you find a campsite. Dusty. Hwy 95 and railroad are next to camp area.
GuideNorth shore might not be easy to get to, but if you got the cojones you can snag a gem. On the beach, a private nook, a high Vista. Options.
Water levels vary, so don't camp too close to the shore.
TravelerReally nice camping spot. Easy access to Lake for fishing. Dumpster in area. Shopping 20 mins away. Very good fishing for Trout and Cat.
LegendThis gravel graded road crosses about 3 miles of BLM before you get to the KOFA NWR boundary. This BLM area is flat and has more room to spread out on the desert pavement fingers, plus a closeby cell tower gives 5 bars signal. Pure free boondocking, no water, no trash cans, no toilets. But the strong cell signal is the main draw here for boondockers. If you go too far into the NWR and get behind a low ridgeline, you will lose the cell tower signal.
LegendNot my choice for a LTVA. Open, harsh, windy and noisy from I8 interstate truck traffic. Only garbage dumpsters , no water, RV dump. Only reason to camp here in my opinion is if you need a staging area to lv camper when going to MX for dental, optical, Rx needs. Nothing else of interest here. One positive if cell signal is very good.
Legend
This is a popular LTVA due to water, RV dump and proximity to a couple lakes to fish or paddle in. The LTVA is large and seems to be mapped into a bunch of user named "neighborhoods". Cell signal depends on your location. No designated sites, no tables, no steel fire rings...just spread out boondocking with 1000 other campers. Lots of solar setups out here.
ScoutGreat location if you plan on visiting Los Algodones, Mexico. Great cell signal. Dry camping. Close to I-8 so somewhat noisy. Large area so no close neighbors. 10 miles to Yuma with all of the shopping needed.
LegendTons of space. Right off Oligby rd. Many pre established sites with rock fire pits. Some close to the road and others a drive in. Even fairly close to the road we had lots of privacy. Didn’t seem to be many folks close by - however we could see many people camping in the area. “Roads” we’re varying depending on how far out you go. There are train tracks close by and we heard the occasional train but wasn’t bothersome. Not a lot of trees/shrubs for privacy but 🤷🏻♀️ this is the desert.
Legend
We drove pretty far out Mittry Lake Road to the “free camping” spot labeled on Google maps. There are lots of other dispersed spots on the way in (but we’re full) and a big dispersed camping lot with parking spots as well. This is a busy area with lots of folks around. Everyone was respectful when we were here but don’t expect too much solitude or privacy. Road in is in great shape, packed gravel. Lots of the camp spots are dirt. Beautiful sunsets and lots of birds chirping. A very lovely spot to be…but with lots of company.
LegendLooked like an awesome camp spot but by late afternoon on a Wednesday in November it was completely jammed! We could have squeezed in and most folks were parked pretty close to one another along the shore, but we were looking for a little more solitude! I didn’t take any photos but it’s a 3.5mile drive in in a bumpy gravel road (but very passable) and then the camping area is mostly sand.
GuideIt is a flat/semi-flat area that is north of the VFW building on BLM land. Drive around the west side of the VFW. VFW has nothing to do with the BLM land. There is a 14 day limit stay with a "camp host" (which was not there). Yuma is about 12 miles away.
GuideGravel, sand, and dirt approach. Great spot found fast. Sand is smooth for laying a tent and pad. I did feel like a wood fire pizza baking on top of the hot sand. The sand never cooled down at night. My tent turned into a solo-sweat lodge. It was not spiritual experience. I can confirm that the pond nearby is in fact water. Cool water. Which, no surprise, is home to several extra spicy mosquitos. I’d definitely visit again to murder all those mosquitos. 10/10 recommend!
TravelerSpacious spots, shady side for cars, tent camping, sunny side north side good for tv solar. Fishing surrounding pond.
GuideCamp around the lake... everyone fits! Large busses to tents. Garbage and a portopotty on site. Some long term residents live in tents, but clean for the most part. Sandy ground... not level everywhere.
Ranger
Drove down Kings road to find a place to camp for one night. Lots of open spaces and really far apart from one another. Fire pits and markings are clear so you can see which area is actually a site. I didn’t go too far back with my teardrop trailer. Beautiful sunset and very quiet. A couple of coyotes came right through my camp. Pretty cool!
TravelerThis is a great spot to spend multiple days. We got here on a Sunday and it was a little busy. Lots of atv's so it was a little dusty. We found a spot a little off the road and up a little higher. Much more quiet and less dusty. On Monday, it was far less traffic. We took our 37' fifth wheel here with not much problem. The road does have some "wash boarding" in some places.
GuideYou can be by people or in your own nook. The lake is beautiful and the rangers are helpful.
TravelerMany of the campers here were fishing from the shores around this small lake. Others simply enjoyed the view of lake, ducks and other birds. There was a large container for garbage and also a chemical toilet.
GuideGetting here is not for the faint of heart. There are 2 ways in, both require you to drive along irrigation roads... many camping opportunities along the lake, or find a nook to get a private experience.
Trash collection offered and there is a port o'potty available.
Beautiful spot! Feels like a summer in the Midwest, but its the middle of winter!
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Wellton, Arizona, where you can immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. This area offers a variety of spots for those looking to enjoy the great outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Wellton, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Wellton, AZ is Mittry Lake Wildlife Area with a 4.4-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Wellton, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 dispersed camping locations near Wellton, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
