Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is a unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System. Its a quiet, peaceful area with great scenery and lots of wildlife (be careful with food storage as bears frequent the area). See 9 traveler reviews, 23 photos and blog posts Visitor Center/Park Store Monday-Sunday: 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. (starting Nov. 1) (Summer hours may vary) Thanksgiving - 6 a.m. - 2 p.m. Christmas Eve - 6 a.m. - 2 p.m. Christmas Day - closed Park Entrance Fee Per Vehicle (1-4 Adults): $10 Gross, I know!! Theres lots of cholla, so keep an eye on your dogs. About six miles west of I-17 is Schnebly Hill Vista. dispersed camping southwest. During the day horse trailers come in and take up alot of the space, late in the day, they leave and spots open up.The area has maybe a dozen level areas and it may be challenging for bigger rigs. Campfires are prohibited from March 1 - May 25 without authorization from . Around 42% of Arizona is made up of public lands like national forests and BLM land, so its not surprising there are literally hundreds of dispersed camping and boondocking opportunities throughout the state. Stunning views. more. Whether youre taking a day trip, or staying several nights, Three Mile Wash is perfect for any outing you are planning. For Sale: 2020 Rugged Mountain Granite 11RL Truck Camper ($49,900), 5-Star Boondocking: Utahs Valley of the Gods, Kid and Gypsy Enjoy Truck Camper Life Abroad. Schnebly Hill Road is popular so its often busy and noisy. Its a developed campground (no dispersed camping allowed), but its still free! A communications expert and licensed ham radio operator, he retired from the U.S. Navy in 2004 as a CWO3 after 24 years, holds a BS degree, and now runs Truck Camper Adventure full-time. Rim Road and Old Rim Road are located in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Several small, developed national forest campgrounds are also available for a small fee. Smaller RVs may have an easier time leveling or finding a place when the horse trailers are here (hot tip: park at the entrance and scout by foot), but there is absolutely space for any size rig. Contact Information Default. 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. Heres how to find other dispersed campsites in Arizona: Another option for free camping in Arizona is blacktop boondocking in a store parking lot such as Walmart or Cracker Barrel. Its one of my all-time favorite places to relax with the truck camper and take photographs. Although these are the best spots (for views, at least), remember to be alert. Some trash and generator noise but lots of room between sites. Pumphouse Wash is another good spot for free camping near Flagstaff. 15 min to Canyon Lake 2 min away from Lost Dutchman State Park. The road in is very rutted and bumpy. Its VERY easy access, any size rig could fit in here. Continue on US Route 60 just past the small community of Gold Canyon. One thing very frustrating was the number of trucks and recreation vehicles speeding through the roads at all hours of the day and night. These are all along the paved access road. - KK7TCA. We just pulled in for a quick overnight stay and so grateful that was all. We went to sleep to coyotes howling and woke to birds singing. Overall it seems there is a good bit of turnover. 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. In our two weeks we saw a few days when the campground was FULL and just as many when it was less than half capacity. Be the first to add a review to the Apache Trail Dispersed Camping. The weather while we boondocked was darn near perfecta high of 80 degrees during the day and a low of 59 at night, perfect sleeping weather. 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. Saddle Mountain Overlook is part of Kaibab National Forest. Luckily, the state has literally hundreds of others, most located on public lands. Turn here north onto Peralta Road and continue past the small neighborhood area until you pass a sign declaring your entrance onto Arizona State Trust Land. And during Christmas of all times!! Unfortunately, there are just a handful of sites with views of the Grand Canyon itself. The Superstition Wilderness has a ton of additional camping options, including dispersed camping and boondocking as well as backpacking. This campsite is far enough from Sedona and Flagstaff to minimize light pollution for very dark night skies and very bright stars. The beautiful views and quiet forest atmosphere always make me happy I stopped here for a night. I guess sometimes we need to pick and choose. The jeeps and dirt bikes rev their engines at all hours of the night. more. There are also plenty of shade trees to shield you from the hot sun. YMMV. For free camping near Phoenix, dispersed camping near the Superstition Wilderness is likely your best bet. The campsites are decently spaced apart, so youre in for a quiet and peaceful night without many close neighbors. To make matters even worse (which I wasn't sure was even possible!! Countless dispersed campsites are available, most with decent shade. Much of the surrounding area is BLM land. Coronado National Forest has several other dispersed camping opportunities near Patagonia, including along San Rafael Road. The road in is very rutted and bumpy. 88 are unpaved) to Three Mile Wash Recreation Site. Craggy Wash is crowded. If youre looking for free camping in nearby states, our guide to finding free campsites will help you find the best free camping near you anywhere in the United States. East of Phoenix, Arizona, is the historic Apache Trail which travels through the Superstition Mountains region. Overview of Tower Road Designated Dispersed Campsite 64. Camped Sunday night, 2/3/19. 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. There were some others camping like we were, but there were also multiple sites where people were clearly living out of their trailers. 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. This free dispersed camping area isnt very far from Flagstaff (or Sedona) as the crow flies, but its quite a trek to reach in a vehicle. Unbelievable unobstructed views of Lost Dutchman. Continue along the Desert View Drive portion of Highway 64 for about 15 miles until you reach the turnoff for Coconino Rim Road (also called Forest Road 310). We've never boondocked with such close neighbors as the busyness and limited space here requires; I think that plus the bad weather contributed to a community dynamic that we really enjoyed. The Mogollon Rim is part of Coconino National Forest and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads. Few camping experiences are more exhilarating than sleeping under the stars. The BLM access road is a bit bumpy, but doable in all vehicles. 88, and drive past historic Roosevelt Dam (unpaved) for 3 miles to Three Mile Wash Recreation Site. Rental Options Terms of Use, Three Mile Wash Shoreline Area- Apache Trail, Tonto National Forest- Tonto Basin Ranger District. You can almost always find great non-view campsites away from the rim as well as along spur roads on your drive in. Coconino Rim Road has plenty of campsites for everyone. Honestly, theres very little negative to say about dispersed camping here. These dispersed campsites are located about 15 minutes south of Marble Canyon on BLM land just off of Highway 89A. Both are also part of the Coconino National Forest. black river az dispersed campingfast growing firewood trees australia black river az dispersed camping Men university of virginia track and field coaches The popularity of dispersed camping has taken a toll on many of Arizonas most beautiful natural areas. Accesss to the area is via the Apache Trail National Forest Scenic Byway, a scenic mountain road. Its decent for RVs and trailers. The jeeps and dirt bikes rev their engines at all hours of the night. Another favorite of mine (also with views of the Grand Canyon) is the area near Marble Viewpoint. black river az dispersed campingwvu mechanical engineering research. From Apache Junction: Drive north on State Hwy. If you want a quiet, relaxed camping experience soaking in the views of the Superstitions, this is NOT your place! Yet another option one that I personally only use in a pinch is stealth camping. The recreation area is also popular for hiking, mountain biking, birding and wildlife viewing. Apache Lakewas formed in 1927 when the Horse Mesa Dam was completed. Free camping (dispersed) is allowed on most national forest lands except in highly developed areas - such as trailheads, campgrounds and picnic sites - and in some of our most visited places. The road is absolutely horrendous getting in and the camp sites if that's what you want to call them are huge mud holes for local ATVs and pickup trucks!! Nearest Gas 3.5 miles away. Exploring behind the main road also had several areas that had a large amount of trash left behind and people possibly living in their vehicles or tents. Learn more: Boondocking 101, Campendium users haven't asked any questions about Hackamore Road Dispersed Camping, Looked like a really run down trailer park I thought people were only supposed to be there for 14 days not 14 years, This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com, Aside from the views of the Superstition Mountains, this is a terrible spot. 9 tenths of a mile past mile marker 202 on st. rt. I cant say anything negative about this dispersed camping area. Consistently busy area with campers and horse trailers. We'd stay here again, but only if we had to. It doesnt matter if its a slide-in or a chassis-mount, a hard-side or a pop-up, if its a truck camper and its carried on a truck, we cover it. It seemed vehicles would make the same loop over and over again. Avoid camping around the ruins of old homes and buildings, brush piles and other natural features with lots of cracks and crevices that snakes and spiders love to hide in. Each winter, several BLM-managed Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVAs) in Arizona offer long-term boondocking for just $180 for September 15th to April 15th. Youre out relaxing and enjoying your favorite, secluded spot with your family and then it happensTwo trucks pulling toy haulers stop [read more]. Camp and explore the Sonoran desert trails Camping & RV Sites Campsite reservations are available online or by calling our camping experts at the Arizona State Parks Reservation Desk 1-877-MY PARKS. There were already huge pot holes and ruts in the road which were now filled with water and turned into mush!! Place is spotlessly clean. Riding our quad in Bulldog Canyon (Tonto pass required $6 for 6 months per operator) was great, however we were almost run over a few times by side by sides; the hills and bowl area were fun. 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