Camping legal or not (Phoenix, Scottsdale: crime, closing, costs)

[sutek8]

Hello, Im going for holiday to California and i got plan to visit Arizona including all places worth to see. Therefore I think.aboutacconodation. Me and my girlfriend prefer camping more but im not sure if its legal (except special camping places).
We just want to set up a tents somewhere on the desert next to grand canyon or monument valley. Is it possible guys, or we have to count money to pay any tickets?

Thank you in advance

[gemstone1]

Start here for maps of AZ BLM land for camping....but there are fees, albeit minimal.

Regards
Gemstone1

[teddyearp]

Nope. It costs a ton of money to camp anywhere in Arizona. You will also have BLM, USFS, Game & Fish, DPS, county sheriff, and sometimes city law enforcement on you to make sure you are in compliance and paying your fair share of acconodation.

[jamies]

Well what both above said, kind of. There are of course private and public campgrounds that charge to stay. There is also "boondock" camping in limited areas. There are some areas open by permit. Most BLM land you can dry camp on without trouble. So long as you look like campers on vacation, and not homeless vagrants and don't leave a mess you are unlikely to have any troubles.

Forget Monument Valley, that whole NE corner of AZ and UT is Navajo Reservation land, and yes, THEY will give you trouble if you aren't paying an access fee. There either stay in Kayenta or make it a day trip and camp off the Res somewhere. I think there is a campground in Monument Valley.

There are lots of places within a couple hours of the Grand Canyon where you could dry camp quietly for a day or two without trouble. But be aware we are about to enter high fire season and much of the region will be restricted access until probably August when the rains start in earnest.

I have a couple of secret spots around Sedona. But it's worth camping in Oak Creek Canyon. Pay the $15 at the Forest Service camps or whatever and enjoy it. Don't do it in a thunderstorm - my tent blew into the creek one time.

Be aware in Pinal county in southern AZ the Sheriff just issued a recommendation to carry firearms if you are in any isolated areas of their county. While it's highly unlikely anyone would ever encounter cartel activity anywhere, and though rare, there IS crime in wilderness areas. I've had friends stumble twice into mobile meth labs right out of "Breaking Bad," or so they said. I've encountered "odd" folks a time or two out 4 wheeling in the boonies. Most folks are armed in the AZ badlands. After all there's them thar two legged snakes and varmints, and it IS Indian Country. (Don't take guns onto reservations.)

Hikers, campers warned about assassins in parts of Pinal County - ABC15 Arizona

If you like to camp and are in good shape and if you have a couple of days - better yet - MAKE a couple of days - and hike down to Supai at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. It will cost you about $10 each and about $15 to camp - for a PRICELESS experience of a lifetime! Google it - Supai and Havasu Falls. It is, MYSTICAL.

[blindjesse]

You can car camp in most National Forests for 14 days without cost or issue. See, for instance this for the Kaibab National Forest (closest to the Grand Canyon). There are developed campgrounds nearby too but Ten-X, which is the closest to the south rim, may fill up. If I wanted to camp near monument valley I'd probably look in southern Utah or southwestern Colorado.

There's been no talk of forests closing this year, and I doubt there will be any as this are has had a wet spring.

My experience has been that you rarely run into anyone in the backcountry, and if you do that they're friendly (i.e. they wave and go on). I don't carry a firearm. I also don't recall a single instance of cartel-related activity near the Grand Canyon / Monument Valley in the last 15 years. Southern AZ may be another beast...

[teddyearp]

Originally Posted by teddyearp

<snip>fair share of accommodation.

There, fixed it, lol.

My bad.

[teddyearp]

Ok, my reply #3 in this thread was a bit satirical.

To answer your question(s) directly, your best bet to set up and tent camp near the Grand Canyon are probably best near the north rim, but it may or may not be open this early as it is usually still fairly well snowed in still this time of year. There are plenty of places to tent camp (dispersed camping for free) near the North Rim at the right time of year.

Near Monument Valley and elsewhere on the Navajo res, I have very stealthily car camped, but that was me and I knew that it was not legal. So, you are on your own there bud. I got lucky, your mileage WILL probably vary. And since it was some years ago, I doubt I will try it again.

Have a safe and enjoyable trip!

[jamies]

^^^ The North Rim is open now. I was just there last weekend. There's no snow below about 9,000 feet in So Utah. But the road to Cedar Breaks Ntl Monument is still closed and you can still ski at Brian's Head if you hike up the mountain.

[azdr0710]

much of Arizona is "public" land and camping (dispersed, no facilities, primitive) is allowed on public land.....unless it says "no camping"......most of this is along unpaved roads, so your car will need to be capable to access this type land.....look for obvious places and the tell-tale fire ring.....you'll need to bring all your supplies (water, food, cooking eqpt., toilet supplies, sleeping gear, warm clothes, flashlights and/or lantern......)

in the popular parks, monuments, etc., camping is usually allowed ONLY in developed campgrounds for a fee....they may be crowded, popular, noisy, and not very pleasant.....there are no spots to camp for free away from people with direct views of the Grand Canyon unless you have a very capable vehicle able to handle many miles of rough dirt road....reservations and a fee required in popular campgrounds!!!

as said above, Monument Valley is on the Navajo Reservation and they have their own rules.....

there are lots of National Forests and BLM land where dispersed camping is entirely allowed...you won't have spectacular views, but it'll be quiet and pleasant.....just avoid "no camping" signs.....

don't forget that driving distances are great out here....plan ahead your drive time and schedule.....

here is a good page for camping at the South Rim (most popular) of the Grand Canyon.....read thru it all and check out the links within the page.....this is just one spot in Arizona to camp at.....

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/cg-sr.htm

[theoaks]

I parked overnight in a Maricopa County Park and was issued a citation for OVERNIGHT PARKING and order to appear before a Judge at the Desert Ridge Court in Phoenix !!! Fortunately, I got out of it without the jail time and $7,000 penalty, and it also would have been a Class I Missdemeanor if convicted.

Learning from that, I wanted to park overnight on the Tonto National Forest (NE of Scottsdale). I called the Tonto National Forest, since it was Federal Land, not County Land. However, the ranger said to NOT do this, since the Maricopa County Sheriff (ARPAIO) patrols the national forest, even at night!

So it's always best to CALL THE AUTHORITIES or ASK PERMISSION before camping / parking in an undeveloped area.

Ventura County, California is exactly the same way.

I used to think that the overnight parking rules were overkill, but then realized that the advantage of such strict overnight parking laws is that the parks, deserts, and forests of Arizona are not littered with trash and toilet paper, like you see in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Highways 260 and 87, from Show Low to Scottsdale, the entire thing is clean and absolutely beautiful. You wouldn't find that cleanliness in Riverside or Placer Counties in California.

Therefore, the above posters have great advice on what to do and what not to do. Of course, you're not going to trash the state with toilet paper, but the majority do especially if they're from California.

Also, not that off road driving and parking is strictly prohibited in some areas, such as Bullhead City and Scottsdale, although, it's allowed on the Nevada side around Laughlin, except in Lake Meade Ntl Rec Area or where there are signs prohibiting it.

Between Desert Center, CA and Lake Havasu, AZ, in Riverside County, there are several areas for off roading, leading up to the AZ border.

Since you are also going to California, it is illegal to park on all beaches on the coast, with at least one exception, the Mission Bay area of San Diego, where gates close at 10pm locking people in, and open at 4am. Orange, Santa Barbara, and Ventura Counties have chased me away and at least 4 times, I had to drive up Hwy 33 to the mountains above Ojai where there were several dozen cars who had also been chased away ! But not only that, but on one of these four occasions, and just 60 seconds prior to the National Forest Boundary, the Ventura County Sheriff (it was not Geoff Dean, thankfully) stopped and searched me for 45 minutes at 1130pm at night in the city limits of Ojai, due to the region's meth lab problem! I did note, that there were several cars dealing meth with their headlights on all around Lake Casistas !