Free camping near San Jose, AZ
Within 25 straight-line miles of San Jose, AZ there are 24 camps: 7 free, 10 fee, 7 unpriced. The closest is Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area, 7.9 miles north-east of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Black Hills Back Country Byway, 10 miles out.
Who manages them: 18 on the Forest Service; 6 on the BLM.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area | 7.9 | Unpriced | Gila River (river) | 3.3 mi to Sanchez | — |
| Riverview Campground | 8.2 | Unpriced | Gila River (river) | 3.9 mi to Sanchez | — |
| Black Hills Back Country Byway | 10 | Free | Heber Tank (water) | 7.2 mi to Sanchez | — |
| Safford-Morenci Trail | 11 | Unpriced | Boo Tank (water) | 8.5 mi to Sanchez | — |
| Noon Creek | 16 | Fee | — | 6.1 mi to Swift Trail Junction | — |
| Round The Mountain | 16 | Free | Noon Creek (stream) | 2.7 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Arcadia Campground | 18 | Fee | Noon Creek (stream) | 1.2 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Twilight Group Site | 18 | Free | Noon Creek (stream) | 1.0 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Shannon | 19 | Fee | — | 9.1 mi to Swift Trail Junction | — |
| Shannon Campground | 19 | Unpriced | Marijilda Creek (stream) | 2.8 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Hospital Flat Campground | 19 | Fee | Big Creek (stream) | 3.5 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Treasure Park - East | 19 | Unpriced | Big Creek (stream) | 3.6 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Treasure Park - North | 19 | Fee | Big Creek (stream) | 3.7 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Owl Creek | 20 | Free | Gila River (river) | 2.8 mi to Aragon Place | — |
| Snow Flat Cg | 20 | Free | Big Creek (stream) | 2.7 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Cunningham Campground | 20 | Fee | Grant Creek (stream) | 2.2 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Columbine Corrals | 20 | Fee | — | 11 mi to Thatcher | — |
| Soldier Creek Campground | 21 | Unpriced | Soldier Creek (stream) | 0.8 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Stockton Pass | 22 | Fee | — | 12 mi to Swift Trail Junction | — |
| Stockton Pass Campground | 22 | Fee | Hog Canyon Tank (water) | 3.3 mi to Turkey Flat | — |
| Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area | 22 | Fee | — | 14 mi to Bowie | — |
| Riggs Flat Campground | 23 | Unpriced | Riggs Lake (water) | 3.1 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Clark Peak Corrals | 23 | Free | Riggs Lake (water) | 3.6 mi to Old Columbine | — |
| Clark Peak Corrals | 23 | Free | Riggs Lake (water) | 4.0 mi to Old Columbine | — |
Every distance on this page is a straight line from San Jose, AZ, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.