Superstition Mountains -- Dispersed Sites along Hwy 88

Busy during the weekend. Get there early to get a good spot.

Great to go on hike or to lake after.

Went a second time and took a 4x4 trail to get a more isolated spot

Beautiful area, but I would only recommend it for high clearance vehicles and people who are NOT tent camping. The ground is very rocky and we couldn't find a great place to get a tent staked down in the windy conditions, so we left. Minimal coverage from wind and sun or for bathroom use. 

Keep in mind that AZ-88 is CLOSED to motor vehicles slightly after Tortilla Trailhead, so you cannot get to Roosevelt Lake easily from here. There are pit toilets at the road closure area and you can turn around easily there.

The Superstition Mountains are stunning, everywhere you look!  Both sunrise and sunset from this area are absolutely incredible.  So, any camping experience is going to be memorable.   Hutch started and ended his "50 Mile Something" for his 5oth birthday from this spot, so it's especially memorable for us.  Check this out:  https://youtu.be/75aOgtrnB44

If you are self-contained, or follow LNT principles, continue up the Apache Trail to the summit between the west side and the east. Just 2 miles before the Fish Creek Overlook, lie several dispersed areas off the dirt road to camp for up to 14 days. The road to the overlook is busy on weekend days, despite the generally poor condition of the dirt road. Hey, let’s not make it any worse, SLOW DOWN to prevent further rutting! 

During 2021, the road to Apache Lake was closed at the overlook as the result of a landslide. Options for reaching that lake include driving back to Apache Junction and following the pavement all the way around through Globe, AZ– a three-hour drive. Camping here was quiet and serene at night when nearly all the day-time traffic had disappeared. Hiking and biking opportunities were within close proximity, as well as paddling on Canyon lake, 10 miles down the valley. 

The closest services for food and ice are in the quaint town of Tortilla Flat, 7 miles down the valley. This is an incredibly popular day-time spot for lunch, even on weekdays. It can be a little crazy, even during the COVID year, so just a heads up. Further down the valley 15 miles or so is the Phoenix suburb of Apache Junction which has all the usual stuff for groceries, gas, and more RV parks than you can shake a stick at. Since it’s one way in and one way out at the time of this review, it makes sense to fill up before you get here.