Best Campgrounds near Willow Beach, AZ

Camping options around Willow Beach, Arizona include several established campgrounds within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, offering sites for both RVs and tents along the Colorado River. Willow Beach Campground and RV Park provides full hookups with waterfront access, while nearby dispersed camping can be found at locations like Arizona Hot Springs and Emerald Cave. The surrounding desert landscape creates a striking contrast with the river, providing opportunities for boating, fishing, and paddling activities. Several campgrounds in the area feature amenities like showers, restrooms, and picnic tables, while others offer more primitive experiences.

The region experiences extremely hot temperatures, particularly during summer months when highs regularly exceed 100 degrees. As one visitor noted, "We went in June and hit a heat wave and it was 110 degrees. There is no shade in the campground and the lake is down a steep hill." Access to most developed campgrounds requires traversing paved roads, though some dispersed areas may need high-clearance vehicles. Many campgrounds in this area require advance reservations, especially during cooler seasons when demand increases. The National Recreation Area entrance fee applies in addition to camping fees at most locations. Cell service is limited throughout the region, though some developed campgrounds offer WiFi connectivity. Water access points vary in difficulty, with some requiring steep descents to reach the river.

Waterfront access represents the primary draw for most visitors to the Willow Beach area. A camper described the experience as "unexpected beauty," noting they were "blown away by the water oasis hidden in the otherwise barren landscape." The contrast between the desert mountains and clear Colorado River creates distinctive camping experiences. Wildlife sightings, including bighorn sheep and coyotes, are frequently mentioned in reviews. Most developed campgrounds maintain clean facilities, with several reviews specifically mentioning well-maintained bathrooms and showers. Campgrounds near the water often fill quickly, with some requiring reservations months in advance. While daytime temperatures can be extreme, the area offers excellent stargazing opportunities after sunset. River activities like kayaking to Emerald Cove and fishing for trout are popular among visitors staying at the mixed-use campgrounds.

Best Camping Sites Near Willow Beach, Arizona (110)

    1. Boulder Beach Campground — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    67 Reviews
    Temple Bar Marina, AZ
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (702) 293-8906

    $20 / night

    "Took my kids and my mom camping for a little vacation away from the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas. I chose Boulder Beach campground as it was our first time and didn't want to be too far from home."

    "Nice flat RV parking with hook ups and some spots have Wii Fii although with all the beauty around you you should find no need to use it."

    2. Kingman Wash — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    50 Reviews
    Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV
    13 miles

    "Used this as my base camp for exploring other nearby areas such as Arizona Hot Springs and Goldstrike Canyon. I prefer to camp naked and everyone was cool with it.   "

    "One of the many little coves in Lake Mead that has access from the main freeway."

    3. Arizona Hot Springs — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    7 Reviews
    Willow Beach, AZ
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (702) 293-8990

    "Arizona Hot Spring campground is located just below a dramatic slot canyon that joins the river just downstream of Ringbolt Rapids and the Arizona Hot Spring."

    "Arizona Hot Springs is located at Mile Marker 4 US 93 South Of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Boulder City, NV 89005. Those directions will take you to the parking lot trailhead."

    4. Government Wash — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    32 Reviews
    Nellis Air Force Base, NV
    22 miles
    Website

    "There are trash dumpsters at the entrance to the dispersed camping area and we saw BLM folks out patrolling.  Many off road paths around to take your jeep or side by side.  "

    "Big dispersed camping site right on the southwest corner of Lake Mead. Being the nearest to the NRA entrance from Vegas it gets crowded, especially weekends and holidays."

    5. Lake Mead RV Village — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    13 Reviews
    Henderson, NV
    15 miles
    Website

    "These are closest to the lake, but when we visited, lake mead was very low, so the shoreline was about 1/4 mile away. Sites had decent spacing."

    "Store, propane and great views of Lake Mead. If you are able to reserve a rv pad nearest the lake, you will be in for a treat. All spots have full hookup and picnic table."

    6. Willow Beach Campground and RV Park

    3 Reviews
    Willow Beach, AZ
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (928) 767-4747

    $80 / night

    "Came back out to Willow Beach again. As always we had a great time. The staff at the Store / Marina are always friendly and helpful. The campsite and campground facilities are very clean."

    7. Emerald Cave Dispersed — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    4 Reviews
    Willow Beach, AZ
    3 miles
    Website

    "The pin took us off-road to a private BLM spot that went to a dead end in which you can get out of your vehicles and hike .8 miles down to the river."

    "Located 45 minutes outside of Vegas, Emerald Cave is an absolute beauty. If you’re looking to get out of the city, enjoy the nice weather and warm lake water, this is the place for you."

    8. Canyon Trail RV Park

    9 Reviews
    Boulder City, NV
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (702) 293-1200

    "We came in December and even with the cold weather we really enjoyed the MTB trails directly behind the RV park. Short walk to shopping. The park was very clean and the people super nice."

    "Prefect midway stop between Vegas and Lake Mead. The park is extremely clean and has everything you need. The front office staff is very friendly and helpful."

    9. Road Runner Cove — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    2 Reviews
    Willow Beach, AZ
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (702) 293-8990

    "It’s very isolated and secluded and it surrounded by trees. If you can make it you can camp and have A whole lake to yourself. Huge fish everywhere and cliffs to jump from."

    10. Las Vegas Bay Campground — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    20 Reviews
    Nellis Air Force Base, NV
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (702) 293-8906

    "All sites has prefect views of the surrounding mountains. All sites that are situated on the outer rim of the campground, be weary. Most have a good steep decline not to far away from the pavement."

    "Quiet beautifully maintained campground with a dump station, portable water, spigots near restrooms and flush toilets. Firings and picnic tables at each site. Very few sites for rigs over 26’."

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Recent Reviews near Willow Beach, AZ

1051 Reviews of 110 Willow Beach Campgrounds


  • e
    Oct. 15, 2025

    Cottonwood Cove Campground — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    Great for access to lake Mohave

    Beware you also need to pay entry to Lake Meade recreational area. View from campsite itself isn’t great, mostly gravel hills, but the campground is a short walk from the lovely lake Mohave. Campground has clean, flush toilets. Some issues with rusty/dirty drinking water taps and animal faeces in some of the pitches. Overall fairly basic for the cost

  • e
    Oct. 15, 2025

    Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - Red Rock Campground

    Beautiful campground near vegas

    Easy to access from vegas but feels remote to the city! Beautiful scenery. Would recommend for tents to have the walk in site which is 2 min walk from carpark. Drop Toilets were very clean. Plenty of drinking water. Make sure you drive further into red rock because it’s gorgeous!!

  • Alisa P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 9, 2025

    Chloride Western R.V. Park

    5+ stars

    This place is great! It is super clean and the spots are big and level. Mike and Lori the owners are very friendly and really love having guest. They have some full time RVers but everyone here is polite and the park is very quiet. The laundry and bathroom facilities are clean and available 24 hours. The town of Chloride is rich with mining history and the locals are very friendly. We did a lot of ATV riding while here. Lots of rain recently made a couple roads a little scary but we went far enough to see some old mines. This is definitely a great spot to stop for a night or more, and at only $45 for full hook ups and WiFi worth the stop! We didn’t have any cell service but it wasn’t a problem since we didn’t have the WiFi

  • Connie H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 9, 2025

    King's Row RV Park

    Decent Place to Stay for a Good Price

    We stayed here for one night with our pop-up camper while passing thru Vegas. The park was about a 15-20 minute drive to The Strip depending on traffic. The park was quiet and we had no issues at all. We noticed security on the grounds at night. The manager was nice and helpful. We stayed in site 542 which was at the end of a row. The site was a little small but good enough for our stay. The bathhouse was clean and the showers were hot with good pressure. The laundromat was great. The park wi-fi had a good signal at our site.

  • Alisa P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2025

    W Big Wash Road Dispersed

    Not for a big rig

    With all the resent rain the 2nd spot to camp the road has washed out a bit….very uneven ground. We decided to head back toward the highway to see if the spot closer to the road would be better

  • Terrie L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2025

    Hitchin' Post RV Park

    Nice!

    Has nice amenities, including a bathtub in the bath house! Pool, 2 dog areas, full hookups including wifi.

  • Hans V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 5, 2025

    Arizona Charlie's Boulder RV Park

    Vegas...

    Closely spaced pads, backing up to the (open) parking garage. Frequent airplanes. 28 dollars extra for "early check in" (12:40). Bathrooms close at 10pm due to walk-ins and they mentioned they normally didn't take popups (we have a self-contained A-frame but prefer to use bathrooms when the kids are sleeping inside). Bathrooms are nice "family" bathrooms though. Very strict regulations (e.g. sewer hose needs to be supported as in the picture, why!?). Mostly aimed at self-contained big rigs as most places in Vegas. It is that we needed a stopover, and was a nice opportunity to visit Vegas , but wouldn't recommend staying in a smaller RV in Vegas

  • teresa D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 1, 2025

    King's Row RV Park

    Kings row rv camp

    Good spot, the manager is very Nicea and helpuful. Too far from the city main attractions.

  • Angelo V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Kingman Wash — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

    Good views

    Rough road getting in, but I managed it in my 2020 ford transit extended length. Keep it under 10mph and was able to get in. There are a few sections with heavy bumps ripples and potholes on hills that take care navigating. Not likely to come back now that Ive been once. Worth the trip, not the repeat


Guide to Willow Beach

Camping near Willow Beach, Arizona, offers a mix of stunning landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to relax by the water or explore the trails, there's something for everyone.

What to do

  • Fishing: The area is great for fishing, especially at Willow Beach RV Park. One visitor mentioned, "I live in Vegas and took a day trip to fish a little and check out the RV sites."
  • Hiking: There are trails nearby that lead to beautiful views. A camper noted, "Some trails for walking and cycling about a mile from the beach and 3 miles from Hoover Dam."
  • Swimming: Enjoy the water at nearby beaches. A review highlighted, "There is a swimming beach, but I did not check it out," indicating that the area has options for water fun.

What campers like

  • Scenic Views: Campers rave about the beautiful landscapes. One reviewer said, "It's beautiful here. Peaceful, roomy, and beautiful landscape," at Boulder Beach Campground.
  • Clean Facilities: Many appreciate the cleanliness of the campgrounds. A visitor at Las Vegas RV Resort mentioned, "Wonderful staff, Full hook ups, Pool, Hot Tub, Laundry, Club house. All Very clean."
  • Quiet Atmosphere: Campers enjoy the peacefulness of the area. One review stated, "Overall, a very quiet campground (despite some generator use)," about Boulder Beach Campground.

What you should know

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds lack certain amenities. A camper at Willow Beach RV Park noted, "No shade, CG is not even on the lake. Total crazy stupid ripoff by a private hospitality company."
  • Crowded on Weekends: Expect more visitors during weekends. One reviewer mentioned, "On a weekend it’s pretty crowded," at Government Wash.
  • Road Conditions: Some roads can be rough. A visitor at Kingman Wash said, "The drive there was a bit choppy especially towards the end, but the view of the lake was worth it."

Tips for camping with families

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for places with amenities for kids. A family at Las Vegas KOA at Sam's Town enjoyed the pool and spa area, saying, "Our children spent hours enjoying these facilities."
  • Plan for Activities: Bring games or plan outings. One camper suggested, "We enjoyed dinner with them and then headed to the campground for the evening," indicating that socializing can enhance the experience.
  • Pack Snacks: Having snacks on hand can make outings easier. A visitor at Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort mentioned, "This resort has everything with a Tropical/Vegas flare," suggesting convenience.

Tips from RVers

  • Check for Space Availability: Popular spots can fill up fast. A camper at Willow Beach RV Park noted, "This place is so popular they didn't have any open weekend spots until March 2024."
  • Be Prepared for Heat: Bring plenty of water and shade. A visitor at Circus Circus RV Park warned, "Make sure you have good AC. It was 112°F and the sun was beating down."
  • Know Your RV's Limits: Some roads may not be suitable for all RVs. A reviewer at Government Wash mentioned, "Road is graded with camping spots or drive further rough road wild spots."

Camping near Willow Beach, Arizona, offers a unique blend of nature and adventure. With the right preparation, you can enjoy everything this beautiful area has to offer!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you camp at Willow Beach in Arizona?

Yes, you can camp at Willow Beach Campground and RV Park in Arizona. This campground is part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and offers developed camping options with scenic views of the Colorado River. There's an entrance fee to access the area, which is waived if you have an America the Beautiful pass. For those seeking more primitive options, Black Canyon of the Colorado Dispersed offers backcountry camping opportunities downstream of Hoover Dam with existing fire rings and beautiful emerald green waters.

What amenities are available at Willow Beach Campground?

Willow Beach offers numerous amenities for campers. The campground features clean bathrooms, WiFi access, and well-maintained facilities with a helpful camp host. The marina area includes a camp store/market for supplies, boat rentals (kayaks and paddleboards), and fishing opportunities for trout, striped bass, and other species. Arizona Hot Springs is accessible nearby, adding natural hot springs as an attraction. The campground provides spacious sites with scenic views, and the entire area is pet-friendly. Picnic areas are available, and the facilities are consistently described as clean and well-maintained.

Is RV camping allowed at Willow Beach?

Yes, RV camping is definitely allowed and well-accommodated at Willow Beach. The Willow Beach Rv Park offers spacious sites suitable for recreational vehicles, with reports of excellent maintenance and beautiful views. Sites are well-maintained with helpful staff to assist with check-in. For those seeking alternative RV options in the Lake Mead area, Emerald Cave Dispersed is accessible from Willow Beach and provides access to scenic areas along the river. Remember that RV camping requires paying both the entrance fee and camping fees unless you have an America the Beautiful pass.

How do I make reservations for Willow Beach Campground?

To make reservations for Willow Beach, check in at the marina/camp store after entering through the main gate. Camping fees start at $50 per night, plus the $25 entrance fee to the recreation area (waived with an America the Beautiful pass). For alternative options in the region, consider Meadview RV Park, which offers reservations when other nearby campgrounds are full. For water-based adventures, Moonscape Canyon Dispersed Camping offers information on guided tours from Hoover Dam to Willow Beach, which can be arranged through NPS-approved outfitters.