You can camp here for ten calendar days each year. You’ll be living a true boondocking experience at this stunning lake.Ĭapacity: Dispersed. Three mountain ranges and dozens of hiking trails are located just beyond the lake.Īmenities: Mittry has absolutely no amenities or even designated campsites. This location is very popular with southwestern Arizona’s hunters and anglers. Mittry Lake Wildlife Area What’s something you’d never expect boondocking in Yuma in the desert? A marsh filled with waterfowl! At its heart is the 600 acre Mittry Lake. You’ll need to be self-sufficient and carry plenty of water for this voyage. It does get a fair amount of snow, so the campground is closed from mid-November through mid-April.Īmenities: The campground offers pit toilets, benches, and trash cans, but little else.
However, with an elevation of 9,000 ft, Clark Peak Corrals and the surrounding Sky Islands Forest is an ideal boondocking location in the summer. It's thanks to their remote location three hours from Tucson and four hours from Phoenix. More information: Kofa National Wildlife RangeĬlark Peak Corrals The island mountain ranges of southeastern Arizona don’t get much attention. You can only camp within 100 feet of the road and a quarter-mile away from a water source. You’ll want to fill up your fresh water tanks and empty your black water before arriving.Ĭapacity: Dispersed. If you’re boondocking in Yuma, the refuge is only an hour northeast of the city.Īmenities: There are no amenities on the refuge, meaning no water and no bathrooms. There are massive cacti, craggy mountains erupting from the flat desert floor, and the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Kofa National Wildlife Range The Kofa Wildlife Refuge is exactly what you’d imagine the American Southwest to look like. You’ll want to arrive early and come prepared with any utilities you’ll need. Indian Bread Rocks is a first-come, first-serve area. At the start of the road leading to the area, you can find vault toilets, trash cans, and a small office to purchase water. Experience the stunning sights of canyon terrain as you set up camp.Īmenities: Since this is a dispersed camping site, there are few amenities available. You'll find a variety of wildlife and plenty of hiking opportunities. This camping area is located along the slopes of the mountain. Indian Bread Rocks serves as the access point to the Dos Cabezas Mountains Wilderness. Indian Bread Rocks This BLM-managed area is about three hours from Phoenix. Below are some of Arizona’s most highly rated and accessible boondocking sites. You’re just not sure where to start that journey. You’ve made it this far - it’s obvious that you’re ready for adventure along Arizona’s backroads. Take a look at some of our favorite off-the-grid locations for getting outside in Arizona! With over 12.2 million acres of public land in Arizona, you won’t need to go too far to find an ideal boondocking spot. You’ll find national forests and wilderness areas that charge no camping fees. The areas around Flagstaff and Sedona have much cooler temperatures. There are also some amazing spots for boondocking in Arizona high up in the mountains. Boondocking in Lake Havasu or camping on the shores of Lake Pleasant is also a great way to beat the summer heat. For example, make sure to bring enough water supplies and ample shade.
A little boondocking preparation goes a long way towards having a great experience. You’re less likely to find legal boondocking locations in these more populated parts of the state.Īdditionally, boondocking in a hot desert isn’t as difficult as it might seem. This only applies to a part of the state, particularly the most urban areas around Phoenix and Tucson. That reputation makes many campers think that boondocking in Arizona isn’t possible. The Grand Canyon State has something of a reputation for blazing hot summers and a lack of water through most of the state. Throw in the fifty or so Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wilderness areas, and it’s nearly impossible not to come upon an exciting boondocking site. Arizona is also home to a dozen or so national monuments. There are three of them in the state - Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, and Saguaro. So no matter where you are in the state, there are plenty of great places to do some off-the-beaten-path camping.īoondocking in Arizona is also good for seeing America’s national parks.
#BOONDOCKING IN ARIZONA FULL#
The Grand Canyon State is full of wide-open spaces, from the Sonoran Desert in the south to the San Francisco mountain range up north. But unless you’re driving down Interstate 17 or 10 between Flagstaff, Phoenix, and Tucson, you’d never know it. Arizona has over seven hundred million residents.