1) Catalina State Park
Just northeast of downtown Tucson is the beautiful Santa Catalina Mountains. If you want to experience some of the best mountain camping then Catalina State Park is one of the absolute best places to camp near Tucson. The park has miles of hiking trails with some shorter hikes like the Romero Ruins Interpretive Trail (.75 mile loop) and the “Nature Trail” (one-mile loop), where you can look for mule deer, javelina, coatimundi and maybe even a peregrine falcon circling high above the Saguaros. Besides the hiking trails there are some trails that are for horseback riding and there is even a horse campground with 25 sites (first come first serve). The main campground has 120 sites with electric and water for RV’s and tent camping. Can you imagine cooking up some pancakes at your campsite with the view of the mountains as your backdrop? An amazing place to camp with some of the best hiking in Tucson right at your footsteps!
2) Mount Lemmon: Spencer Canyon Campground
Due east of Catalina State Park is the majestic Mount Lemmon which stands 9,159 feet making it the tallest peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains. While Catalina State Park has some of the best mountain views, the Spencer Canyon Campground will put you right in the middle of the Coronado National Forest. Only an hour from downtown Tucson, the campground has 66 sites with restrooms and drinking water nearby. There are several hiking and backpacking trails in the area including the Aspen Drew Trail which starts at the Ski Valley and winds up to the top of Mount Lemmon! This worthwhile hike is 1.7 miles and will reward you with amazing views of the surrounding forest and mountain range. See if you can spot some of the bighorn sheep that are protected in this area of the park. Definitely one of the absolute best places to camp near Tucson!
3) Tucson Lazydays KOA
If you want to stay right in Tucson you can make yourself at home at the Tucson Lazydays KOA just north of the airport. The campground has all the amenities you need plus more! There is a swimming pool and hot tub right on the grounds as well as mini golf, dog park and a snack bar. Spend the day exploring the museums downtown, shops and restaurants or an afternoon at the Reid Park Zoo. While you won’t have to worry about bears wandering into your campsite at the KOA, you can visit real grizzly bears at the Reid Park Zoo. Did you know Grizzly Bears can get to be 3 ½ feet tall at the shoulder and weigh more than 700 pounds! Good thing the zoo is the only place you will find them in Tucson.
4) Tucson Mountain Park: Gilbert Ray Campground
West of downtown Tucson, on the west side of the Tucson Mountains is the Gilbert Ray Campground. The 20,000 acre Tucson Mountain Park has hiking trails, mountain bike trails, a shooting range and wildlife viewing areas. The mountain bike trails are some of the best in Tucson. Gates Pass overlook is a popular destination where you might see some of the native animals. The NRPR teamed up with the University of Arizona to study whether mountain lions lived in the area as an indicator of the well being of the ecosystem. It is not likely you will see one in the park (they keep to themselves), but the researchers did discover a population living in the park. The campground has 130 campsites with 5 designated as tent only. All of the sites have electric hookups with water centrally located. The campground is spread out in several loops for privacy and spacing. The sites are nestled amongst the desert brush and provide nice views of the mountains. Another one of the absolute best places to camp near Tucson.
5) Bog Springs Campground
South of downtown near Mount Wrightson in the Santa Rita Mountain is the Bog Springs Campground. This is not a cactus covered desert but lush green oak and juniper trees and grasslands that surround the mountains. You can hike through the Old Baldy Trail, through the Madera Canyon and depending on the amount of rainfall hike to a secret waterfall! The 25 foot waterfall is flowing after snow melt or heavy rains in the canyon so you might get lucky to find it flowing on your hike. Keep an eye out for mule deer, coati, ringtails and a variety of owls (like the tiny elf owl). The campground itself has basic tent camping available with each site having a picnic table. Restrooms and drinking water are nearby with access to the trails right from the campground. Remember to pack plenty of water for your backpacking excursions and stay on the trails. After a day of hiking settle in at your campsite for a campfire overlooking the mountains.
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