Arizona has two camping seasons. In winter, the low desert around Phoenix, Tucson and the Colorado River is at its best. In summer, campers head up to the pine forests around Flagstaff, the White Mountains and the Grand Canyon, at 7,000 feet and higher. Plan for the season, and you can camp in Arizona all year.
Arizona state parks
Arizona State Parks take camping reservations at 15 parks:
- Reservations open up to 365 days ahead and close one day before arrival, online or at 877-MY-PARKS (877-697-2757), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Arizona time.
- Each campsite booking carries a $3.60 reservation fee (cabins $5). Cancelling costs $20.
- The limit is 14 nights in a 30-day period per park, per household.
- If you haven't arrived by noon the day after your first night, the site is released.
| Park | Region | Campsites |
|---|---|---|
| Lost Dutchman | Superstition Mountains, Phoenix | 135 |
| Catalina | Tucson | 120 |
| Patagonia Lake | Southern Arizona | 105 |
| Dead Horse Ranch | Verde Valley | 100+ |
| Fool Hollow Lake | White Mountains | 100+ |
| Buckskin Mountain | Colorado River | 90 |
| Picacho Peak | Between Phoenix and Tucson | 85 |
| Cattail Cove | Lake Havasu | 139 |
| Lyman Lake | White Mountains | 56 (38 with hookups) |
| Kartchner Caverns | Southern Arizona | 55 |
| Homolovi | Northern Arizona | 53+ |
| Lake Havasu | Lake Havasu | 45 |
| River Island | Colorado River | 30+ |
| Alamo Lake | Western Arizona | 5 campgrounds |
| Roper Lake | Southeastern Arizona | — |
Many parks have sites with electric hookups, and some rent camping cabins.
Grand Canyon
| Campground | Rim | Booking | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mather | South (Grand Canyon Village) | 6 months ahead; recommended Mar 1 – Nov 30 | RVs to 30 ft; no hookups; dump and water fill |
| Desert View | South, 23 mi east of the village | 6 months ahead; reservation only Apr–Oct | 50 sites; RVs to 30 ft; 7-day limit; $30 |
| North Rim | North | Recreation.gov | Reopened June 1, 2026; no campfires; no dump station |
| Ten-X (Tusayan-Montane) | Kaibab NF, outside the South Rim | About 160 sites, some reservable | $10–$20; mid-May to September |
- Mather is the big one, in Grand Canyon Village, with potable water throughout, a hiker/biker area at $6 a person, and group sites in Sage Loop. Only five sites (120, 121, 128, 172, 185) fit a 30-foot trailer. Senior and Access passes give a camping discount; annual passes don't.
- Desert View sits at 7,463 feet. Most sites suit tents or small RVs; rigs over 29 feet may not make the turns.
- North Rim Campground is about 210 miles by road from the South Rim, in ponderosa and aspen at 8,200 feet. It suits tents and smaller RVs only.
- Outside the park, you can camp on the Kaibab National Forest near Tusayan at least a quarter mile from Highway 64.
Lake Powell and Page
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, on the Utah line, has full hookups at Wahweap, beach camping at Lone Rock and NPS campgrounds at Lees Ferry. See our Lake Powell camping guide.
Flagstaff and Sedona
- Flagstaff: Forest Service campgrounds around Lake Mary, Mormon Lake and Sunset Crater, and a year-round camping ban on the forest around town. See Flagstaff camping.
- Sedona: free camping close to town only at the designated sites west of Sedona, and three campgrounds in Oak Creek Canyon. See Sedona dispersed camping.
Free camping
BLM land in Arizona allows dispersed camping for 14 days in any 28-day period, then a move to a new site, typically at least 25 miles away (check the field office), and winter Long-Term Visitor Areas let you stay up to seven months. The national forests have their own limits. Our guide to dispersed camping in Arizona covers them all.
RVs
RV parks in Arizona and Sedona RV parks cover full hookups across the state.
