We needed to be close to Mesa to see family so this was one of our only free options but I would gladly pay $30 a night to never have to go thru this trauma ever again!! The only saving grace for this site is the view of the Superstition Mountains. Dispersed camping and boondocking are allowed throughout the entire refuge, although my favorite campsites are those along Palm Canyon Road. These tall, leaf bearing trees provide a stark contrastespecially in late fallwith the ubiquitous Saguaros and Ocotillos seen on this drive. Not homeless (though they may well have looked it; they played HARD here.) Surrounded by beautiful desert wilderness, there are tons of excellent dispersed campsites near Phoenix that make a great place to pitch your tent or park a trailer. Located within the Tonto National Forest, the Apache Trail is also one of Arizonas most scenic drives and has been designated a USFS Scenic Byway. Tent camping isn't permitted. White Mountains Links . This is my first review on this website and unfortunately it is going to be an extremely negative one because it was an extremely negative experience. Turn right and continue to the site. Call the Tusayan Ranger District for more information: (928) 635-2443, Related Post: Best Free Campsites Near Grand Canyon National Park. Southeastern Utahs Valley of the Gods is a great place to boondock. There were already huge pot holes and ruts in the road which were now filled with water and turned into mush!! Herb Martyr Campground is one of my favorites. She was twitching and freaking out to the point that I called an emergency vet and almost took her in!! Arizona Great hiking. Pulled in and the place was trashed. Lots of horse trailers which is fine for they only stay for a few hours and then gone. You can easily reach this campground near Gurney as it is located about two miles down a well-maintained gravel road off U.S. Highway 169. Tall tales, trip guides, & the world's weird & wonderful. Cell signal is great, which is rare for boondocking. 1 video 6 photos 10 reviews 13 miles Roosevelt Lake Tonto Basin - Tonto Basin, Arizona Although free camping near Sedona is abundant, Schnebly Hill Road is my favorite place to hunker down in Red Rock Country. Many of the dispersed campsites here are located just feet from the rim itself. Call the Lake Havasu Field Office for more information: (928) 505-1200. This is a great place to rest for the night on a road trip, especially since the nearby Walmart doesnt allow overnight RV parking. Ive seen plenty of RVs and trailers here, although its best for passenger vehicles and camper vans. more. We were there to check out the area and bike some of the trails behind the dispersed camping as we had to bike. The middle section of trail closest to the intersection of South Cattle Tank Road accesses an extensive BLM dispersed camping area. The Chiricahua Apache, led by the famous chief Cochise, utilized this area to evade US Cavalry in the mid-19th century. Bumpy road on the way in. Today, Stronghold Canyon offers several hiking trails, a plethora of dispersed . The jeeps and dirt bikes rev their engines at all hours of the night. Hackamore Rd is not maintained and is basically a dirt bike track. Yet another option one that I personally only use in a pinch is stealth camping. Call the Arizona State Land Department for more information: (602) 364-2753, For more information on the Superstition Wilderness, call the Mesa Ranger District of Tonto National Forest: (480) 610-3300. Bring an awning or canopy for shade. 10 LGBTQ+-Friendly Campgrounds Throughout the U.S. Video: 5 Amazing Places to Camp for Free in the Western U.S. Best Campgrounds Near 4 of Baja Californias National Parks, How to Visit Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Where to Camp, 5 Alternatives to Utahs Popular National Parks, How to Visit Prescott National Forest by RV and Where to Camp, How to Visit Coconino National Forest by RV and Where to Camp, Indiana RV Campgrounds: 7 Places to Camp, Hike, and Explore the Hoosier State, 5 Mid-Atlantic State Parks Worthy of a Detour, Reviews of Apache Trail Dispersed Camping, Written by someone with an affiliation to the property, Duplicate review submitted by the same member, Multiple reviews submitted by members of the same household, Reviewer did not actually visit the location. Camp at Saddle Mountain Overlook for the Grand Canyon views. Download from Rather than list them all, Ive narrowed down your options to just 11 of the very best. If you can tough out the crowds for a night or two, then youre in for a real treat. Poll Results: Biggest Boondocking Pet Peeve? There is ample dispersed camping in Coronado National Forest, including throughout the rest of the Chiricahua Mountains area. And, dont forget to climb up the nearby Grandview Lookout Tower (you can also use this tower as a destination on Google Maps to find the dispersed campsites). The Mogollon Rim is part of Coconino National Forest and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Turn left and continue to site. The BLM access road is a bit bumpy, but doable in all vehicles. The gravel road is usually in decent shape, aside from minor washboarding (the campsites themselves can get rutted after a heavy rain). The top things to do on an I-40 road trip, The top things to do on an I-10 road trip, The ultimate guide to Petrified Forest National Park, The ultimate guide to Grand Canyon National Park, A road trip along New York state's Women's Heritage Trail, 9 stops on a Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail road trip, A cross-country road trip to U.S. presidential libraries, A road trip to filming locations featured in 'The Goonies', The top things to do on an Extraterrestrial Highway road trip, Pay Tribute and Reflect at These US Monuments and Memorials. I did learn to double check the rear tie downs before the somewhat steep descent at Fish Creek as a few bumps slid our AF 996 firmly against the front bumpers leaving the rear Fastguns twisting in the wind. Dogs will be dogs! Mogollon Rim is just two hours from Phoenix so it gets very busy. Chase P. recommends March 31, 2022 Apache Park and Trail Great Views, Great Location! It was kind of crowded, but thats to be expected at this time of year in AZ. These are all along the paved access road. 88 are unpaved) to Three Mile Wash Recreation Site. The campsites are all private. First of all, I want to say that the views were PHENOMENAL!! They were nice, but obvs gave us a scare given the time of night. more. You wont even find a fire ring though there was evidence of a recent campfire where we were camped. Mello Mike is an Arizona native, author, and the founder of Truck Camper Adventure. Nearest Gas 3.5 miles away. Just note that its only accessible from late spring to late fall due to its high elevation. Well, later that evening, I realized that my poor dog was totally STONED (and not in a good, mellow kind of way!!). Turn north at the Mogollon Rim Visitor Center to reach these. The steep, copper-colored canyon walls and jutting peaks provide a spectacular backdrop to the creek below. Its located about 45 minutes away from Wilcox in Coronado National Forest. Expect moderate washboarding, although the road is passable to all vehicles. Dispersed Campsite along See Canyon Trail Dispersed Camping is also known as boondocking, dry camping, and wild camping. He currently rolls in a 4WD Ram 3500 outfitted with a SherpTek truck bed with a Bundutec Roadrunner mounted on top. USA, *Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads. Gross, I know!! Three Mile Wash Shoreline Area, located 3 miles south of Roosevelt Dam on the south shoreline of Apache Lake, offers shoreline dispersed camping. Places To Go. As you head NW from Apache Junction, just beyond Lost Dutchman State Park, the turn into this boondocking spot is 0.9 miles past Mile marker 202 on Apache Trail Rd. Not only are these campsites the most level, but theyre also the most spacious with plenty of room for even the biggest rigs (but keep your eyes peeled so you dont get stuck in soft sand). Lots of hiking trails are located nearby (Wave Cave Trail is a short, sweet, and popular option). While traveling along the Apache Trail, you will be able to access different regions that offer various desert experiences. However, we found a spot, and surprisingly, it was level. Apache Trail, or AZ 88 as it is officially known, linksApache Junctionat the edge of the Greater Phoenix area withTheodore Roosevelt Lake, through theSuperstition Mountain Wildernessand theTonto National Forest; 40 miles of steep, winding and mostly unpaved road past magnificent scenery of twisted igneous mountains with dense forests of saguaro and ferocactus, and several deep blue lakes. Camped Sunday night, 2/3/19. There were probably about 15 rigs while we were here and a fair amount of 'turnover'. It appeared that our neighbors were living there more than camping there. The Superstition Mountains are in full display here and it is an amazing sight to see!! Very hilly terrain so having blocks will be helpful but there are flat spots to be found. It only takes a few seconds. Sunset and sunrise here is very special. The best campsites are located near a small stream about 5 miles after turning onto Pinery Canyon Road from Highway 181. read pdf salt river canyon tonto national forest ng853. I will preface this by saying that we didnt camp here, and thank goodness for that. Youll notice a bit of traffic (including some ATVs), but this is minimal, especially compared to other popular Arizona dispersed camping locations. Awesome Valley of the Sun weather, mid 70s all 4 days. We were in the area over this past weekend and primitave camped east of Tortilla Flats. Pulled in and the place was trashed. Lots of horse trailers which is fine for they only stay for a few hours and then gone. This is an excellent spot for birding as well as seeing wildflowers in spring. 88. The roads arent in the best shape, but expect nothing worse than moderate washboarding at least until youre about 7 miles in. As per the other reviews, it was crowded, even on a rainy Sunday evening. Let us know. Expect wind while camping here. Safer, but Be prepared to be awoken. Campfires are prohibited from March 1 - May 25 without authorization from the District Forester. One thing very frustrating was the number of trucks and recreation vehicles speeding through the roads at all hours of the day and night. We once camped near Taos, New Mexico, beside an old homestead which was very picturesque. We ended up biking through the dispersed camping area which was super sketchy. Better yet? We highly recommend arriving during daylight so you can see the washes. As per the other reviews, it was crowded, even on a rainy Sunday evening. Unfortunately, the creek is actually a wash and flows only during rain storms, but the amount of rain is enough to water the abundant Arizona Sycamore and Cottonwood trees that line the creek. Craggy Wash is one of the most popular places for BLM camping in Arizona. The road is quite busy with ATV and OHV traffic which means campsites can get dusty. Riding our quad in Bulldog Cany Lone Tree, another BLM dispersed camping area, is located just off Highway 95, about 4 miles north of the turnoff for Craggy Wash. Because its so convenient and can fit RVs of all sizes, it tends to get crowded here as well. The campground has access to recreational opportunities at nearby Bear Canyon Lake, as well as numerous other activities and exploration opportunities along the Mogollon Rim. This is my second time here. Nearly all of the forest service roads off of Highway 67 have dispersed campsites. Last but not least on our list of the best dispersed camping in Arizona is Harshaw Road. RVs and trailers should look for camping within a mile or two of the main highway after this, the road gets rough and turning around is difficult. ), its only open from October 1 to March 31. It costs just $15 per night. Be the first to add a note for Hackamore Road Dispersed Camping! While were were camped we were fortunate to have a full moon which bathed the canyon in an eerie yet spectacular glow during the night. The 23-mile dirt access road is rough and windy. This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com, you dont mind rubbish left everywhere, barking dogs, two generators left running all night and couples fighting all through the night. The Best RV Campgrounds for Stargazing Adventures. All content is copyright of Mello Mike and Truck Camper Adventure 2011-2022. Those nearest Highway 64 fill up quickly in the peak season, but there are always more sites for those willing to venture further in. The mountain views are beautiful and the stars are bright at night. Cellular service is strong. The main road itself is very wide but also very rutted. We have a 34ft class A with a tow dolly and had no issues. Because a permit is required, this area isnt 100% free, but its still very cheap! I cant say anything negative about this dispersed camping area. Very hilly terrain so having blocks will be helpful but there are flat spots to be found. Description; Amenities; Details; The road is usually in decent condition and rangers visit the area often. Be the first to add a video for Apache Trail Dispersed Camping! The high elevation makes for cooler temperatures in summertime (and theres shade trees). Lots of campsites yet plenty of privacy. Rim Road and Old Rim Road are located in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Its one of my all-time favorite places to relax with the truck camper and take photographs. And during Christmas of all times!! more. 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