Campgrounds and RV parks near Tucson Mountains, AZ

The Tucson Mountains sit on the west side of Tucson, wedged between Tucson Mountain Park and the Tucson Mountain District of Saguaro National Park. Wilderness campgrounds are the only campgrounds in Saguaro National Park, and reaching them requires backpacking a minimum of 4.4 miles into the rugged Rincon Mountains on the east side. That means RV travelers stage from private parks in and around Tucson, or from the county-run Gilbert Ray Campground, which is bordered by Tucson Mountain Park and located near Old Tucson, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and Saguaro National Park. Private options within short driving distance of the range include South Forty RV Ranch/Park, Prince Of Tucson RV Park, Tra-Tel Tucson RV Park, Western Way RV Resort, and Sentinel Peak RV Park. These cover the full spectrum from full-hookup resort sites to smaller in-town parks, and they place travelers within roughly 15 to 30 minutes of the Red Hills Visitor Center, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, and the Bajada Loop scenic drive. The west unit of Saguaro National Park sits about fifteen miles from downtown Tucson, and although smaller and lower than the east section, its saguaro forests are just as dense.

Private RV parks such as South Forty RV Ranch/Park, Prince Of Tucson RV Park, Tra-Tel Tucson RV Park, Western Way RV Resort, and Sentinel Peak RV Park take reservations directly by phone or through their own websites. Winter monthly stays often sell out well before Thanksgiving, so travelers targeting December through March should reserve early. Gilbert Ray Campground is reservation-only, with no first-come, first-served sites available, and reservations may be made up to one year in advance of the current date. The maximum permitted length for all vehicles is 40 feet, including trailers, so a vehicle and trailer combined cannot exceed 40 feet, and that limit includes bike racks and cargo attachments. For state park camping within day-trip range, Arizona State Parks reservations can be made up to 365 days in advance online at azstateparks.com or by calling 1-877-MY PARKS, which is open seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Arizona time. Saguaro National Park itself contains no drive-in campgrounds; six wilderness campgrounds are available for fit hikers willing to backpack at least 4.4 miles into the Rincon Mountains, with permits booked through Recreation.gov roughly two months in advance.