Last updated on September 22nd, 2023 at 08:21 pm
No matter what time of year you visit, there is beautiful weather to be found in Arizona. With a state-wide elevation difference of 12,563 feet, Arizona has remarkably high ecological diversity. That also means you can always chase 70-degree weather simply by changing elevation.
This list of the best campgrounds in Arizona represents some of the best national park campgrounds, state parks, and privately owned resorts for any type of camper from large RVs to tent campers and everything in between. Our hope is that it will include something for everyone to put on their camping bucket list.
Best Campgrounds to Visit the Grand Canyon
No trip to Arizona would be complete without a visit to the Grand Canyon. You’ll have several camping options on your road trip to the iconic destination. The first two we’ll share here are within the Grand Canyon National Park and the last is a private RV resort outside it.
When visiting the Grand Canyon, the South Rim is most frequently chosen by first-time visitors to the area. This is where you can find beautiful views, as well as numerous visitor services and family-oriented activities. The South Rim is open year-round, and at 7,000′ above sea level, it has four distinct seasons.
Mather Campground in Grand Canyon National Park
This campground has lots of space between its 327 sites, but no hook-ups. Each site has a campfire ring with a cooking grate and picnic table. The campground has a bathhouse, free potable water fills, and a dump station. You can also run your generator during the day except in the Pine Loop (sites 265-319). The free park shuttle also stops just outside the campground and will take you to the visitor’s center, the Grand Canyon Village, and trails along the south rim of the canyon. There is also easy access to the Greenway, a paved walking and biking trail that leads to scenic overlooks and the Visitor Center. The campground is open March 1 – November 30 each year and individual sites are released on a 6-month rolling basis. Make reservations on Recreation.gov.
Trailer Village in Grand Canyon National Park
The allure of this campground is the location and full hook-up sites. You’ll pay more than at Mather Campground but are adjacent to the Grand Canyon Village with a deli and grocery store. The sites are very close and much of the campground is showing its age, but you often see elk strolling through in the morning and more stars than you can imagine at night. The shuttle bus also serves this campground as well. The campground is managed by a concessionaire and reservations can be made on their website.
Grand Canyon Railway RV Park in Williams
Another option for visiting the Grand Canyon is to stay at the Grand Canyon Railway RV Park located off the iconic Route 66 and downtown Williams. Then you can take their historic train to the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park without having to deal with traffic or the long lines into the national park. The trip is 65 miles and takes 2 hours and 15 minutes each way.
This full hookup campground offers 124 (Pull-thru, back-in, and buddy) sites. It is paved with minimal landscaping but offers a multitude of amenities. RV travelers are able to take advantage of the indoor swimming pool, hot tub, fitness room, and dining at the adjacent Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. They even have a dog kennel for long days away from the RV sightseeing.
Lost Dutchman State Park Campground in Apache Junction
When we visited Phoenix we preferred to stay outside the hustle and bustle of the city at our state park in Apache Junction / Mesa. Lost Dutchman State Park was a fabulous location to both stay and play within the park itself as well as serving as a base of operations for our exploration around the Apache Trail and within Phoenix itself. The only real drawback to this campground is that you can only stay two weeks! Several trails (ranging from an easy ¼ mile to a challenging 5.8 miles) lead from the park into the Superstition Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest. Around the outer edge of the park is a 4-mile single-track mountain bike loop. Half of the 134 sites provide electricity and water hookups, and as you can imagine they are in high demand.
Rancho Sedona RV Park in Sedona
Rancho Sedona RV Park is located within walking distance of downtown Sedona, restaurants, and shops. Local tourist activities like the Pink Jeep Tour will pick you up right at the park. Beautifully landscaped with trees, you can even book a Creekside site for a larger green space. So many of our friends said this was the best park in the Sedona area. Unfortunately, that means it is hard to get in…..it fills up quickly. Book early if you want to go during the beautiful spring season!
Lazy Days KOA in Tucson
The Tucson Lazy Days KOA is one of our favorite RV resorts of all time. We loved it so much we stayed there twice last year – in the winter and in the summer! This large RV resort has sites for any size of RV, as well as tent sites and cabins. It also has two pool areas, a fitness room, and a restaurant on site. Our favorite part of staying here was the access to The Loop, a network of 100 miles of paved bike paths that go around and through metropolitan Tucson. See more of what this RV resort has to offer in the video below.
Lakefront Campgrounds in Arizona
Many people think of the desert or the Grand Canyon when dreaming of a trip to Arizona, but don’t miss out on some of the state’s fabulous lakes while you’re there. Here are a few suggestions with terrific campgrounds lakefront or within walking distance.
Aspen Campground in Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
The Aspen campground is one of the most popular national forest campgrounds in Arizona and for good reason. The campground is nestled in a dense pine and aspen area forest near the shore of Woods Canyon Lake. It is one of 7 national forest campgrounds offering 148 RV and tent campsites with lots of space, but no hook-ups. It does have access to potable water and a dump station, but the nearest bathhouse is 10 miles away at Canyon Point Campground. Canyon Point also has 32 sites with hook-ups if you’d rather camp there. The marina has a full-service store with groceries, boat rentals, and firewood. You can make reservations for any of the campgrounds in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest on Recreation.gov.
Islander RV Resort in Lake Havasu
If you’re looking for a full hook-up RV resort with all the amenities on the shores of a fabulous lake, look no further than the Islander RV Resort in Lake Havasu. It is situated on an island across the London Bridge and you can put your boat, kayak, or paddleboard in the water right at the campground.
There is also a terrific walking and bike trail (about 3 miles in length) across from the park that goes one way all around the island making it very easy to visit the famous London Bridge and the surrounding shops and restaurants. Many RVers visit each winter for the entire season, so be sure to make reservations to join in the fun.
Wahweap RV & Campground on Lake Powell
This RV park and campground is located ¼ mile from the shore of Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Wahweap Marina offers plenty of fun with a wide variety of boat, jet skis, and kayak rentals. You can also enjoy the restaurant, lounge and gift shop at the Lake Powell Resort. It is in the perfect location to explore Lake Powell, Page, the Glen Canyon Dam, Antelope Canyon, and Horseshoe Bend. While at the campground, you’ll have plenty of privacy with small trees and shrubbery between each site (except for the newer D Loop). Almost every site has views of the lake, which is within walking distance. This is also managed by a concessionaire, so typical national park discounts don’t apply. You can make reservations on the Wahweap RV Park & Campground website.
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