★ Field-verified · Dave's ownBLM · dispersedFree
BLM public land
Drive-up · Bureau of Land Management · Maricopa County, AZ · 33.98939, -112.17380
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Ask about this camp →Dave's been here. A spot from Dave's own travels on Bureau of Land Management land — free to camp. Conditions still change, so confirm access, stay limits and fire rules before you go.
In BLM land north of Phoenix not far from Interstate highway. This is a designated dispersed camping area popular for OHV enthusiasts and shooting range. Desert setting surrounded by beautiful saguaro cacti. Enough room for one or two vehicles. Good cell service. Decent amount of traffic and boondockers so you will likely encounter other people. NOT quiet. Gunfire audible all day every day. Good hiking. Somewhat recommended despite noise.
USGS topo — contours & terrain
Aerial — USGS / NAIP
Weather outlook
Loading the latest forecast…
Live NWS area forecast (~2.5 km grid, not elevation-corrected). Camp sits at 1,896 ft.
Fire & smokeNIFC · AirNow
Checking active fires & air quality…
Active wildfires from NIFC (within ~50 mi); air quality from AirNow. Always confirm current fire restrictions with the managing office before you go.
Everything you need — measured from camp
Straight-line miles · bearings approx · roads run longer
Nearest of each
- FFuel4 mi
- GGrocery4 mi
- HHardware5 mi
- @Mail5 mi
- MMechanic6 mi
- WWater8 mi
- RxPharmacy10 mi
- ShShower11 mi
- DDump12 mi
- +Urgent care13 mi
- PPropane20 mi
- LLaundry21 mi
- OOutfitter23 mi
- AAir-up26 mi
≤30 mi30–4545+water
The read: water's a short hop out, fuel & food sit about 4 mi out.
One dot per need — the nearest of each kind, straight-line from camp. Places from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors). Open in Google Maps ↗
The site
Access
Drive-up
Land
Bureau of Land Management · dispersed
Elevation
1,896 ft
County
Maricopa County, AZ
Coordinates
33.98939, -112.17380
Cost
Free
Nearby & resupply (OpenStreetMap)
- Water featureAgua Fria River (river) · nearby
- Nearest townGillette (Ruins) · ~2.1 mi
- Drinking waterDrinking water · ~7.9 mi
- Fuel4 Son's · ~8.2 mi
- Propane / LPGSuper Pumper · ~20.5 mi
- Dump stationDump station · ~11.7 mi
- GroceriesRed Rock Springs Farmer's Market · ~4.3 mi
- PharmacyFry's Pharmacy · ~10.3 mi
- Hospital / clinicAction Behavior Centers - ABA Therapy for Autism · ~13.7 mi
- HardwareCrown King General Store · ~17.7 mi
From the field — what Dave saw, in person
Cell service
Had a signal
Getting there
Any vehicle managed it
Fire ring
No
Toilet on site
No
Tent friendly
Yes
Verdict
Recommended
Nearby restrooms — pit toilets, restrooms & rest areas (government data)
- Vault / pit toiletLittle Pan Ohv · ~1.9 mi SE · BLM
- Vault / pit toiletEmery Henderson · ~7.4 mi S · BLM
- RestroomCastle Creek Restroom Building · ~9.7 mi SW · BoR
- RestroomCottonwood Trailhead Restroom Building · ~10.4 mi SW · BoR
Open this spot elsewhere
Other camps nearby
If this one is full, gated or washed out.
- BLM public land~0.2 mi
- Black Canyon National Recreation Trail~7.6 mi
- Hazlett Hollow Campground~14.0 mi
- Turney Gulch Group Campground~14.3 mi
How we know this
Source
Dave's own travels
Confidence
Researched — The record is detailed and internally consistent, and the coordinates land where the managing agency says this site is.
How it was placed
FIELD VERIFIED by Dave Lalande -- he has stood on this site. Coordinates are his own GPX track point, not a geocode. County and state confirmed against the FCC Census Block API (Maricopa County, AZ). Everything under 'From the field' is a direct observation; nothing here is inferred from a land record.
Field check
Verified on the ground. Dave has stood on this one. Conditions still change — confirm before you commit.
What we don’t know
A land record can put you within a few metres of a spot. It cannot tell you any of this — so check it yourself, and treat anything below as the open question it is.
- How many rigs actually fit
- Seasonal & winter access
- Current fire restrictions
- Whether any water here is drinkable
- Shade & wind exposure
- Noise and who else shows up
Before you go
Finding water out here →What “dispersed” means here →Hot-weather camping →First-night troubleshooting →All field notes →
Been here? Tell us what changed. This page is built from public records, so the fastest way it gets better is somebody who has actually pulled in. Road washed out, site gone, gate locked, or it is exactly as described — all of it useful. Send a report →