Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Winslow? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Winslow campgrounds for you and your tent. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Winslow, Arizona's most popular destinations.
The campground is a fishing area with a picnic ground situated in a mixture of ponderosa pine, juniper and pinyon pine. Chevelon Canyon offers spectacular views and opportunities for hiking and fishing. NO trash collection available. This is a Pack-it-in / Pack-it-out area. Take your trash with you when you leave.
Camping is permitted on both sides of FR 9716R and FR 9724D. Camping is also permitted on both sides of FR 82 between FR 9716R and FR 9719P. (See Motor Vehicle Map)
While much of the Forest is open to dispersed camping, there are several sites set aside as designated dispersed camping sites, listed below. Pick up or download a free Motor Vehicle Use Map to know where it is legal to drive. See Guidelines for information and policies, and Specific Sites for more details and contact information.
Know before you go! Be aware extreme winter weather or flooding risks can necessitate the closure of forest roads at different times of the year. Many forest roads that lead to dispersed campsites may be closed during seasonal road closures, so please check the Forest Road Status web page for more information about the status of forest roads in each District.
Fire restrictions may be in place. During fire restrictions, campfires, fires, and charcoal fires are not permitted in dispersed camping areas. This includes both Stage 1 and Stage 2 Fire Restrictions. Gas operated devices with an on/off switch are allowed. Where can I have a campfire during Stage I Fire Restrictions?
Be aware extreme winter weather or flooding risks can necessitate the closure of forest roads at different times of the year. Many forest roads that lead to dispersed campsites may be closed during seasonal road closures, so please check the Forest Road Status web page for more information about the status of forest roads in each District.
Camp Shadow Pines Organization Site
Dispersed Camping Area
Campground is accessible on a first-come, first-serve basis from October through May. Reservations available June - September.
Guide
The Holbrook KOA is conveniently near Petrified national forest, which makes it an easy place to set up camp because of it's proximity. The campsite was somewhat under construction and it looked like they were adding some additional campsites which is exciting. They offer plenty of amenities (running water, electricity, wifi and playgrounds for the kids.
All of the tent campsites are right next to each other, so you will get to know your neighbors pretty well. When I went I was the only person tent camping which made it great for privacy. My only issue with the campsite is the location of where the tent camps are set up, it is really close to the I-40, you will hear truckers and other cars drive by while your sleeping at night which made it difficult to fall asleep. I think it would be better if they moved the tent camping to the other side of the park that way your farther away from all the highway noise.
Legend
Stopped here on my grand Route 66 adventure this summer. I really liked this park for several reasons. 1. It’s convenient to Route 66 (and Hwy 40); 2. It’s close to Petrified Forest National Park, which is pretty cool to explore on its own; 3. Free showers!!; 4. The campground is set back from the main park so you have a bit of privacy from day trippers; 5. Tent sites were level and well maintained (mine was raked!!); 6. All sites seemed to have hook-ups whether you needed them or not (maybe there were tent only sites, but it was all one price so no big deal); 7. The park has some great trails for hiking; 8. There is ancient pottery shards everywhere (don’t take it! Leave it for everyone to enjoy); 9. Free showers!!; 10. Not too far from Winslow, AZ, where you CAN stand on the corner.
Overall I enjoyed my stay here, though I got in at sunset and left shortly after the main park opened at 8am. This might be my only negative about the park. The main park and the best attractions don’t open until 8am (a ranger actually comes and opens the gates), which is much later than I tend to get moving (up with the sun and all). And with the heat of the day starting at 9:30, it’s hard to get to the sites and get in a good hike before it’s too hot.
Legend
In the off season, this sweet little national forest campground is a quiet oasis in one of the beautiful “islands of the sky” which are scattered throughout Arizona. Up at 5000 feet, this place becomes a busy retreat for Tucsonians seeking to escape some of the summertime heat, according to the park ranger we spoke too. It's also a haven for birds!
The campground has designated section for RV’s and tents, though they are same price at just $10 per night. Many pull-through sites are available for larger RV’s, as well as some back in spots. Each site has a HUGE cement picnic table and fire ring and are a nice size with plenty of space between sites. There are trash cans (though no recycling) throughout the campground, and a water spigot near the very clean pit toilets, thanks to the dedicated and very friendly camp hosts. The tent sites overlook the Parker Canyon Lake and are quite spacious. There are few tent sites for groups too.
There is a nice boat dock, as well as small store near the water that sells snacks/drinks, bait, and a few camping necessities. You can rent kayaks, paddle boats, SUPs, sailboats and small motorized fishing boats…or bring your own. There is also a nice and easy trail that follows the lake shore for about 6 miles, accessible to both hikers and mountain bikers. From the lake trail, you can also access the Arizona Scenic Trail (the southern terminus is about 15 miles south of the lake). We also saw quite a few fisherman out enjoying the lake during mid-week.
The closest grocery stores and gas stations are in Sonoita, about 30 miles away. Cell coverage is limited here as you are very close to the Mexican border – none in RV campground, just a bit of coverage in the tent campground.
RangerThis KOA has lot's of space, from private tent sites to RV with full hookups, fully equipped cabins, even a giant Wigwam to stay at. It also has a pool, playground, small libary, and a well stocked store, everyday they cook food that you can buy instead of cooking yourself. This KOA is in the route 66 town of Holbrook, a small quiet town, with gas, groceries, and fast food all with in a mile of the campsite, the Petirfied Forest is a 30 mintue drive away and worth the trip. During this trip we took a big family group, and normally we tent camp, but we decided to stay in their biggest cabin, it was big and beautiful 3 a/c units, full small kitchen, loft full bathroom and lot's of comfy seat's, all you had to do was bring your clothes and food, everything was there for you. From the gas grill to the fully equipped kitchen, it was a super easy stay. This cabin slept 7 and had a eat in porch as well. It was a little on the pricey side at $160 a night but we felt worth it's price.Check out the video for a video tour of the cabin.
Ranger
We read one review on this campground and it stated the campground was dirt. We pulled up and were taken away by the beauty. So many trees and beautiful campsites. With only 16 campsites, you have your own piece of camping paradise. There is 2 vaulted toilets, very well maintain, and new. There is an easy trail that runs along the campground, maybe a mile and half, easy walk. You can use wood from the forrest or buy some from the host. We did tent camp and I wish we would of brought a rake to remove rocks from our tent site. Our tent is 11ft and fit wonderfully! Plenty of space to put up tent,bbq grill, stove, and have your vehicle along side of you. There are Rv sites there as well. In our spot you could of easily placed a pop up and move it in. There is water at the host area, no cost. Before you get to the campsite there is a general store that has many items if you forgot something. We did wonder down to go find the graces of Scott Stott and Wilson, but we were not able to. We followed the GPS and reviews and people stated it was close to the campground. We walked a good 30 minutes and found nothing. We believe it is in a canyon which we did not feel comfortable hiking down. We road out a crazy storm, and the canyons made the thunder sound like a really mad Greek God. If you enjoy some antiques and thrift stores Heber-Overgaard offer some unique and great stores. Black Canyon Lake is just a shirt trip down the road. beautiful to walk around and lots of room to fish. Lake was low when we went. This campground has made it to the list of favorites!
GuideThis place is so peaceful. You can see the mesas in the distance. It's not far from Winslow or Flagstaff. But it's nice and quiet there. It has a wonderful feeling. There are many artifacts so remember to leave no trace and not move or remove anything.
Scout33$ for a primitive tent site
Scout
Sleeping in my car, it was a great spot for an overnight. Not too expensive for tent camping and had both bathrooms and showers
Traveler
The City try’s is best to keep it clean and so do the camps host as we saw both city works and the host walking around picking up trash is a nice little weekend trip for dry camping. The camp host are from Winslow so they are very knowledgeable about the area and very nice and willing to help no matter the circumstances. They do have bathrooms but no showers as they are out of order. Camp sites are right by the water for good fishing or you can park up above if you do not like bugs as they are worse down by the water than on the upper campsites.
ScoutYou are basically on the side of interstate. For tent it is really noisy option as tent sites are closest to the highway. In addition is rather expensive option ($33 per small tent).
RangerI stayed in as deluxe tent site for one night after visiting the nearby national parks. Restaurants within walking distance, pleasant staff. Facilities are ok.
GuideWe will be back to this campground when we we can stay more than one night. There’s a lot to do in the park and the campground itself is very nice. One small, but nice detail are the tiedowns around the tent sites.
Guide
Nice looking campground, full facilities. Pulled in for the night after a long day on the road only to realize they have no fire pits or grills. I was tent camping in January, so that was fairly important for me. Lol. They were very kind and helpful and I was able to get a refund.
Traveler
Went back in May of 2019 for a family tent camping trip. Friendly Staff, Clean, Well Maintained, and the Lake was great for fishing and kayaking. One of the best features is the large sights, as we had no problem fitting 3 large tents and didn’t have to listen to anyone snoring! Pet and Kid friendly. Looking forward to taking out pop up camper up there later this year.
LegendAfter driving some 3 hours from our last destination and exploring the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert in the harsh wind, we were exhausted upon pulling into our campsite at Holbrook Petrified Forest KOA. Seeing how windburn we were from the journey, we were offered an upgraded "super tent" site upon our arrival for only a $5.00 charge. The appeal was such that we jumped on the opportunity.
To those unfamiliar with KOA campsites, they offer a variety of options for campers from primitive camping to improved campsites for both tents and rv campers. Super tent sites include electricity and runnin water as well as private yard area for campers. At this particular site it offered a wind shield fence and private treed yard which made for a much more camp friendly experience after the long day.
We had neighbors on the other super tent site which were delightful and we greatly enjoyed conversations with them throughout the evening. The campground was filled with friendly faces!
Perhaps one of the most exciting features for us after such a long cold journey from our previous campsite was the amenities throughout the grounds which included a cook station open to the public and heated bathroom and shower facilities. The grounds were well kept and easy to navigate by foot.
In the evenings and mornings there was a cook on duty which offered everything from hot dogs to New York strip in the evening and all you can eat pancakes or other breakfast items.
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All in all we give this site a 5 of 5 Bunnies because of the cleanliness, friendliness and overall amenities. There were no real areas of improvement we could see to make our stay better!
Ranger
Went climbing out at the Pit in Flagstaff for the day, then we came and camped out not too far away! The site had plenty of trees for hammocks, as well as tent sites. It was easy to access for not just 4x4 vehicles and was a nice and quick drive from the main road.
ScoutStopped here on our way out west and stayed in a cabin. The cabin was clean and well maintained. If you’re thinking about tent camping, check the weather for wind because the area is quite windy. Playground was old school and made of metal, so not ideal for kids in the heat. The pool was a nice relief from the heat and the store had lots of camping basics if you need them.
LegendThis state park offers tent sites, RV with electrical/water and pull-through sites. In winter water was turned off at campsites but bathroom and showers were open. Trash and sewage dump also available. Just a couple of miles off I-40 which is both convenient and not very scenic. Great sunset though looking fish at the interstate. Homolovi archeological site to visit if you have time. Great cell reception both Verizon and AT&T
GuideI stayed two nights here to visit the Petrified Forest. The tent sites sit packed together on the perimeter of the park overlooking the highway, which you can here all night long. This was the most expensive campsite I’ve visited on my road trip, yet they were unable to provide me with a charcoal grill and the fire ring was filled with garbage.
The facilities are clean, at least they have got that right.
GuideHigh desert, lots of sky and land, shards of ancient Hopi pottery everywhere, 52 sites some pull through, back in and tent sites, 30/50 amp available,dump station and potable water station, free showers and restrooms. On site Camphost, Homolovi I a d Homolovi ll nearby, rangers available from 8-5 - 7 days a week. Stargazing night at the ranger station with telescpe, 1880s Mormon cemetery within view of San Francisco Peaks and little Colorado River. A gem in the desert.
Guide
Very nice clean rv park with well spaced campsites. Have yet to use the vault toilets or dumpsters so no opinion yet. Reserve and FFS sites there is a dumpsite and water, and some of the sites have electric. There are tent sites as well. Having been here through the afternoon/evening, I have to add that this campground is a bit noisy with hwy traffic and pets. I have to add that the staff here are very nice and helpful.
Guide
I tent camped right near the lake with a larger group of people. While exploring the area, I discovered many camp areas that were perfect for larger groups. The area we were in is all primitive. No water, electric or toilets. This is a pack in and pack out area. Unfortunately, not all abide to this rule as evidenced by the litter shrewn throughout the areas. So, if you go..please be a good environment steward and take all you waste and trash with you..perhaps even clean up some left behind by others.. We did!
LegendThis is a nice, modern campground in a state park that features stone ruins. I visited the Homolovi 1 and 2 sites. They were mostly rubble, but there were some intact walls and a large storage pit.
The campground is large, and sites are nicely distanced from one another. However, there is very little shade or privacy. When I visited in June, there were also high winds. These died down after dark, but made setting up the tent a fun challenge. Each tent site had a paved driveway. This was nice, but made tent stakes placement a little awkward. I had to tie one line to the picnic table.
Bathrooms were clean and modern, with hot and cold water.
TravelerWent tent camping here the last weekend of the actual season. It’s a bit pricey at $20 a night, but it was worth it to be right on the water with the dog rather than make the drive from the disperse campsites. It was completely full at the campgrounds and disperse around it was pretty full, but we didn’t have any issues finding our own spot to hang out on multiple parts of the lake. I’m pretty sure our campsite was still available so late due to its inability to house an RV. Most spots would fit an RV, but ours was much more comfortable with just a tent. Multiple RVs ran their generators but we could only hear them at the water fill up and bathroom. There were trees to hang hammocks. We only had one neighbor, who was a bit close in terms of our tables, but tents and everything else had plenty of distance.
TravelerSolo camping experience, first timer. Went on a Sunday and tent camped one night. Scoped the site out first and found a lot of great options available. There were still plenty of people up there that I wasn't totally alone, but enough sites opened up that there was a good selection. I opted for one right on the rim itself. The hosts were there and there were clean supplied vault toilets within a minute drive. Went for a hike at Woods Canyon Lake. Each site was just far enough away that you couldn't really hear each other but you were sort of in sight of people if needed. But still private and very quiet. You can choose between a rim site or go across the street and opt for a forest site. There is cell service.
LegendSince there are no developed campgrounds inside Petrified Forest National Park, you have two options: choose a private campground outside of the park, or grab a permit and set off into the backcountry. We did both during our visit in August 2015.
We were pleasantly surprised with our campsite at the KOA outside of Petrified Forest. Typically, we prefer campgrounds that are more scenic and rustic, but after a few weeks on the road, we enjoyed the amenities (hot showers, coin laundry, wifi, all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast) and convenience (less than 30 minutes to the park) of this KOA. We chose the “deluxe” tent site, which, for $2 more than the regular tent site, offered a covered picnic table, hot & cold water, and electricity at the site. The campground was nearly empty at this time of the year, so although the sites are close together, we felt alone. The only downsides would be the less-than-inspiring scenic views and the cramped sites during peak season.
The proximity and position of this campground to the national park allows for easy visiting and minimal backtracking. We’d suggest starting your trip along Highway 40 to the northern Painted Desert Visitor Center to get acquainted with the park, then making your way south and exit near the Rainbow Forest Museum. Simply return to the campground via Highway 180.
Inside the park (north to south), here are the must-sees: the Painted Desert National Historic Landmark (try to time it and attend a free ranger guided tour), the Blue Forest, Jasper Forest (below this overlook was our favorite trail of the park!), Crystal Forest, and the Giant Logs area. Don’t forget to stop at both visitor centers for more information about this fascinating geologic anomaly.
You can read much more about our four days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Petrified Forest)
LegendThe KOA in Holbrook, AZ, is conveniently located just west of Petrified Forest National Park. A quick 10-minute drive to the SW entrance will reward you with a quiet, easy entrance to the park. From there, you can drive through the park and end up at the main visitor center on the northern end, near the Painted Desert.
This campground has a nice, yet older, playground, a swimming pool (open seasonally), and offers full hookups (including cable for an extra fee), tent sites, and cabins. The "kamping kitchen" is open for cowboy cookouts, including dinner and breakfast (at extra charge), and we sampled their all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, which was the best one our 5-year-old ate on our entire trip! Right near the kitchen is a sampling of petrified wood to get you in the spirit of exploration. The owners are very friendly, and even in June this campground felt uncrowded. Sites are a bit close together, but with our small 17-foot trailer, we had plenty of room, a picnic table, and fire ring. The owners were also helpful about giving directions and suggestions about all the attractions in the area. There is also a laundry room on site.
Tent camping near Winslow, Arizona offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the region, with various campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Winslow, AZ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Winslow, AZ is Chevelon Canyon Lake Campground with a 3.5-star rating from 6 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Winslow, AZ?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 tent camping locations near Winslow, AZ, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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