So here's the cool thing: While most (all?) other campgrounds on Mt. Lemmon are closed during the…read morewinter and open in the summer, Molino Basin has a season that is just the opposite: open from November 1st through early May. During the closed season, the paved road system is only accessible to bikes and pedestrians, and no camping is allowed. Thanks to Google, here's some additional useful tidbits: This campground lies within the desert grassland and open oak woodland ecosystems, at an altitude of around 4,300 feet. There are 37 campsites which can accommodate trailers up to 22 feet in length. Camping (or day-use) costs $10.00 per vehicle, and all fees are payable at the time you occupy the site. There's a limit of two vehicles and ten persons per site, for up to 14 days. This accessible campground features rest rooms (the non-flushing kind), picnic areas, an Arizona Trail trailhead and a group-use site by reservation. So why do I dig this place? During the summer, I can haul my kids and their bikes to the campground and have miles of paved roads (and public restrooms) all to ourselves. I don't THINK we were even breaking any laws/rules by being there. Sure, we have to go early or we'll end up featured on the 5:00 news.

General Hitchcock Campground is located just off the Catalina Highway. It's near mile marker 12 on…read morethe right side of the road just as you're heading up. The campground has a much more rustic feel to it than the ever popular Rose Canyon, and it is wheelchair accessible. Situated along a sandy and rocky streambed in upper Bear Canyon, the campground is among ponderosa pines, junipers and oaks. Lots and lots and lots of trees! Elevation is about 6,000 feet. On this summer visit, the temperatures were mild, granted the monsoon did move in a big way, which helped to drive temperatures down to the 80s. Overnight temperatures were in the low 60s. Definitely plan to pack a light sweater just in case. Also, the ground tends to be covered with leaves, making it soft. It is quite the picturesque site. There are 11 sites on location and from what I could tell all of them are under heavy shade. Each site has a table, fire pit, grill and their locker. There is no drinking water here, but there are vault toilets. Also no trash dump up so pack in and pack out. Some sites are located along Bear Creek, which is dry unless there is a ton of rain or snow melt. This place is ideal for tent camping, not RVs. Pets are allowed but must be on a leash at all time. Camping fee is $10 per night. The campground is open all year. Sounds like an ideal location! But I took one star off because the campground, while rustic and beautiful, does attract some degenerates. Be forewarned that there is no host on site, and people tend to go all out with loud music and loud noise (Screaming and yelling?! Why? Really, why?) well into what would be considered elsewhere as quiet hours. And there were beer and soda cans everywhere! Even found cigarette butts. There was even trash at the restroom trashcan... right at the foot of the actual trashcan, which was not yet full by the way. People, this is bear country. And our shared, beautiful natural lands. Please take better care.

Came here on a night walk early June. The park is well maintained and the guides were amazing. We…read moredid ice breakers to start and really enjoyed that each guide has their own expertise. We learned about the unique wildlife, rock formations, insects and constellations! I highly recommend.

I went here for a night walk in June and had an amazing time with friends! The Rangers were so…read moreknowledgeable and friendly. I thought it was pretty cool the way they reflected pictures onto the ground of the animals they discussed. They taught us not just about the animals of the desert, but also about the rock formations, and constellations as well . They did an introduction before we set out on the trail and an icebreaker, which I also thought was a cool little activity to help us all feel more comfortable. I would definitely do this again, and recommend it for anyone who's never done it. This would be a great activity to bring an out-of-town friend on. FYI- the hell when you first start, the trail is pretty steep.. I was huffing and puffing a bit lol. If you have any knee injuries or struggle with steep land, you might want to sit this one out. The rest of the trail is flat after however the hill is needed to start and end the trail (it probably took like 1-2 minutes to scale it). Also to find the area where the hike starts, you'll want to drive all the way through the park until you get to the parking lot on the left. For some reason, I thought it would be pretty close to when you enter the park, however, it is a little drive.

Get new kind and happy camp hosts! We drove 2 1/2 hours. To be yelled at called stupid and have a 5…read moregl bucket water thrown on our fire which hit a member of group who is not physically well! We checked before we left home and fires were fine. He did it to other campers as well. I come from a fire fighting family! Well aware of the danger. The host at the entrance who took our money was his wife she yelled at us all . Including the other 6 campers who were there to complain, said we were all stupid and that she quit. Mind you not one person was being rude or yelling. I deal with people daily. I would never treat any one so harshly. I feel that we were assaulted!

Starting off, I'm going to recognize 'Monica E' as an incredible resource for nearly everything as…read morea great breakdown on the intricate details of Rose Canyon Lake, so I won't capitulate on the details she provides; look up her review! There is one error I'll note with her review which is minor but important; you ARE able to reserve locations at Rose Canyon Lake. It's on numerous websites and even by calling, you can. No worries though, small detail but again, her review is amazingly full of all details that I found across three different websites and she put together for you! On a more simpler context I'll say this about Rose Canyon Lake, It's super tiny, very hilly (which I prefer!) and unfortunately the campsites are not 'near' the water. However with 70 some sites, you'll often hear someone near you because the trees deaden so much surrounding noise, you'll hear your neighbor; warning! In fact, our neighbors had to be reported on our visit in May because they were just obnoxious and atrocious with incredibly foul language - throughout the day and well past the quiet hours. Let's be honest, you come to the forest for some peace and quiet. Had we known there was a Ranger on duty throughout the night, we could've communicated that but we learned this the next day. RCL is small, beautiful with surrounding hiking and about 30 degrees cooler than Tucson. Win. Never saw the little 'Lake Store' open during our May visit but no worries nonetheless. Cell phone signal is absent in all the campsites unless you climb the hills around the lake. For at least the four phones with my group, that was the norm. You can use a canoe, ONLY if you pay extra for this. Not sure what good that is but the extra pay keeps you and other out of the water I suppose? There are also a generous amount of restroom spots throughout and some are unisex ones, most, with water spigots. You never have to go to far for a potty break so that made my daughters feel more comfortable. The wildlife surrounding is filled with humorous crows and tons and I mean TONS of squirrels of different species. The pine smell and the beautiful temps in May are a win... One final note, they make it much safer here by implanting 'bear proof' trash and campsite specific lock boxes to store all your food safely out of reach of Bears at night. This no doubt dramatically reduces interfaces thus, making it safer for continuous use as a campsite. The campsite Rangers where attentive and polite and overall, we highly recommend this location albeit secluded, no cell service and a bit on top of your neighbors. No real negatives per se except that the lake is REALLY tiny but is a reprieve nonetheless! It's a nice break from the heat of Tucson and the fresh pine smell is a win!

Mount Lemmon and the Catalina Highway, AZ. Early Dec, 2025. Mount Lemmon, the highest peak…read more(9,175') in the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, is managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service as part of the Coronado National Forest. (Fun Fact: Mt. Lemmon is named after Sara Plummer Lemmon, an amateur botanist and the first white woman to climb to the summit in 1881. It is one of the few peaks in the U.S. named after a woman). Our objective was to drive the Catalina Highway Scenic Drive (27 miles) to the Mount Lemmon summit. This is the only paved road that leads to the upper reaches of the Santa Catalina Range, and is one of the most scenic highways in the southwest. Because the road starts in the lower Sonoran vegetative life zone and climbs to high forests, it offers the biological equivalent of driving from the deserts of Mexico to the forests of Canada in only 27 miles. Before proceeding on the drive, we downloaded a free app entitled "Mt. Lemmon Science Tour" by the University of Arizona, which provided excellent commentary on the Sky islands, rocks, life zones, water, forest, and fire, that was well-synced with our drive up the mountain as it evolved. This is a windy, slow drive with the posted speed limit of 35 MPH or less on most sections. Plus, you're sharing the road with bicyclists riding in both directions. The road is paved, and is well-designed with frequent pull-offs and stops that allow for vista views or just to take a rest. A few of our favorite and recommended stops include: *Babad Do'ag for its excellent vistas of the desert environment and saguaros. *Gordon Hirabayashi Campground (and Historical Recreation Area). I've reviewed this separately on Yelp. *The Palisades Visitor Center, with family-friendly exhibits, brochures and general information, and a small gift shop. *Windy Point Vista, for sweeping views. *High-elevation picnic areas at Box Elder, Alder, Loma Linda, or Inspiration Rock. *Mt. Lemmon Ski Valley, where there is a restaurant and ski lift rides ($). We were disappointed that the entrance road to Rose Canyon Lake was closed on the day that we visited. This is a Forest Service fee area. A day-use pass is $8 per vehicle, and can be purchased on-line or at the Palisades Visitors Center on-route. We didn't have time to hike on the day that we visited but there are miles and miles of trails of varying length and difficulty. While there are restrooms with pit toilets at multiple sites, but there is no potable water nor service stations. I've posted a handout about the area that I picked up at the Visitors Center. Only Spanish-language brochures were available.

This place has always been my go to place. I love the absolutely scenery and the view when you get…read moreto the top. This place has also some parking spots where they have a nice view and you can also walk as well to the rock place.. been coming over 4 yrs now and love when it's sunset it's a beautiful view of it. All the way to the top it's a resort when winter comes you can ski, also camping place or walking trail and picnic area as well. Pets is allowed as well. It's a must go...

Gordon Hirabayashi Campground, also known as Prison Camp, Tucson, AZ. Nov, 2025…read more This campground, in the Coronado National Forest, is managed by the US Forest Service (USDA), and is open November-April. It has 12 campsites (some of which are double), and can accommodate tents and small RVs (22' or less). The sites have a picnic table, fire ring with grill, and a bear box. There are no hook-ups available for electricity or potable water. Shade is also limited. The campground has gender-specific restrooms with pit toilets; there are no showers nor running water in the restrooms. All sites are first-come, and cost $20/site/night or $40 for a double ($10/$20 for those with an interagency pass (annual, senior, access, or military)). You pay via envelope (provided) on-site or to the camp host (position still vacant on Nov 30th). Horse and pack animals are allowed at this campground, and the map shows areas for corral and trailer parking. Both horse riding and human hiking trails are available from the campground. This area is also home to the Gordon Hirabayashi Recreation Site, with a number of informational signs and remnants of historical buildings. "In 1942, at age 24, Gordon Hirabayashi challenged the relocation and internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Convicted of violating a curfew imposed on Japanese-Americans, he was sentenced to the Catalina Federal Honor Camp, the work camp that stood at this site between 1939 and 1973. Hirabayashi's case was reopened in 1987 and led to official apologies from the US government for the mass incarceration of 117 thousand Japanese American citizens and aliens alike." The area is beautiful, but not rated as 5 because of the lack of potable water and the closeness/lack of privacy between sites.

This site was for an early drop off for my wife and her girlfriend. The will trek downhill…read more On a path from a park information map to the Sabino Canyon parking lot. They will enter Sabino Canyon from the top. The will be 11 miles Of path. Carrying their own water and trail mix. She has done many 9 mile days but no 11's. We parked a return car at Sabino parking at six am.

This was a nice day trip with the dogs. The altitude was 5400 feet. Cool place to see during any…read moreseason. It was pretty busy up there. People hiking and bird watching. Blue sky and fresh air!

Bog Springs CG is clean, well maintained, and relatively quiet. There are no RV hookups, but the…read moresites are big enough for RVs, so expect generator noise. This place is *very* popular with birders in the spring... we arrived on a Saturday afternoon in April, and I'm sure the only reason a few sites were available was because it was raining and near freezing! There are two trailheads leading from the campground. Both trails we hiked were in good condition and well marked with signs or rock cairns, and the vistas were fantastic. The Bog Spring/Kent Spring loop is fairly strenuous, especially if you're not acclimated to the elevation, and probably not suitable for children or newbie hikers.

A nice getaway! We reserved camping spot #11, and the site is on a slope. The pros about the site…read moreare you are away from people. The background is gorgeous with the pine trees and the mountain. The cons are going up and down to get camping gear from the parking area. The campsite is not recommended for the elderly or people with ambulatory challenges. Here are things to consider before camping at Rose Canyon Campground: 1. Bring a source of light (I.e., flashlight, headlight, and LED lantern light.) It's very dark at night, and there is no light source. 2. A gas camping grill. There is a fire ban during my stay. So that's mean can't BBQ and make a campfire. 3. Make a portable bathroom with a privacy tent. The campground has a vault toilet. It's a walk, and it's very dark at night. 4. Pack up on the hand sanitizer and baby wipes because there are no handwashing stations. Or you can make your own handwashing area. 5. Most important of all is to bring plenty of water. The campsite can be reserve and get info at -https://camprrm.com/parks/arizona/tucson/rose-canyon-campground/ Happy Camping!

This WAS one of my favorite campgrounds…read more While checking in at Rose Canyon Campground 9/23/22 with my reservation, I was asked to show my Senior Annual Pass. I ALWAYS have my hangtag with my Senior Annual Pass to show. Shane, at kiosk, said Recreation.gov ONLY honors Senior Lifetime Pass. Shane charged me extra $52.00 because I didn't have a Senior Lifetime Pass. My friends behind me in their car were witnessing this transaction. After my camping trip up at Rose Canyon Campground, I went to Sabino Canyon Visitor Center to inquire about why Recreation.gov changed their Senior Passes and how I had to pay an additional fee of $52.00. The employees showed me their brochure which clearly states that my Senior Annual Pass was VALID and I should have NOT BEEN CHARGED the extra fees !. I promptly notified Recreation.gov and through lengthy emails, screen shots of charges, Rose Canyon Campground Facility Manager said that I DID NOT SHOW my Senior Annual Pass to Shane and that's why I was charged!!! WOW !!! MY FRIENDS WERE EYE WITNESSES THAT I SHOWED MY HANGTAG TO SHANE !!! I know the PROTOCOL because I camp a lot and KNOW TO SHOW MY HANGTAG WITH MY SENIOR ANNUAL PASS !!! Rose Canyon Campground Facility Manager has accused me of something I did not do in order for them NOT to reimburse me for the extra fees of $52.00. *** How many SENIOR CITIZENS have they done this to ??? SHAME ON YOU ROSE CANYON CAMPGROUND FACILITY MANAGER AND SHANE FOR EXTRA CHARGES AND TREATING A SENIOR CITIZEN FREQUENT CAMPER AT ROSE CANYON CAMPGROUND IN THIS MANNER !!!

A must do if you're visiting the area!…read more $24 for a basic tour and you will go inside with a tour guide! Our guide Everett was hilarious and informative. Didn't see wildlife like bats but saw their presence in the black goop on the walls. Apparently, people used to cut off a piece of the rock formation as a souvenir. Anyways, very interesting experience would rec! Plus u can get prickly pear ice cream or lemonade or both at the concession stand!

I booked the ladder tour for my husband and I for his birthday. Adam was our tour guide. We had a…read moregreat time! I am claustrophobic and let Adam know and he was very understanding and encouraging. He definitely helped me feel at ease and I was able to finish the entire tour. Adam is very passionate about caving and it really shows. We've been in multiple caves and on tours so I wasn't sure if this would be anything special. It absolutely was and I was pleasantly surprised. There were a few activities we got to do that I haven't ever experienced before like playing "drums" on stalactites and "painting" on the wall with a flashlight. We learned a lot about the history of the cave and heard some interesting and fun stories. We also got to explore a little bit on our own here and there off to the sides of the path which my husband really enjoyed. The ladder part is at the end and it was a lot of fun and almost like an obstacle course. We had a great time here and I'm really glad we came!

I hike the Cochise Trail ever few years. There's a lot to see here: rock formations, vistas,…read morebirds, insects and rattlesnakes, and is a challenging hike of ten miles. I usually start this from the west side, driving through Tombstone and taking Middlemarch road north of town for nine miles before turning north on a forest road. This road is a dirt road that gets very rutted the last two miles as it follows a dry wash. This wash fills into a creek during active monsoon season, so a high-clearance vehicle is necessary. Unlike the east side, parking and dry camping on the west side is free. The trail climbs immediately for 1.75 miles before hitting the western Stronghold and from here it's a gradual descent to the eastern trailhead and campground. The only source of water is at Halfmoon tank, a cattle pond about halfway up or down the trail, depending on which direction you start this hike. Lots of butterflies were in the area in September. During active monsoon season, the creek will run and the waterfall on the western side is a sight to behold. My hiking party rests here near the restrooms before returning the way we came. There was no water in the campground last month when I last did this hike. Dogs are allowed The only negative thing about this hike is its remoteness and accessibility. From Sierra Vista it's a two-hour drive each way. Add another five miles for the hike and it's a day-long adventure.

Well we came yesterday to get out of town and visit the dragoon hills…read more This campground is officially closed to all but hikers. They say mountain bikes are permitted but we are riders and I think the trails are too narrow. And slots where you can t pedal. I say hike. So no parking, bathrooms or camping or potable water. But you can park outside the gates. A few did, like us. Since we are new to the site, we only went to the water tank. Lots of shade along the way. Caves. Huge Rock formations. Hawks circling above hunting. Butterflies, BlueJays. Lots to see. I m going to go back while the weather is still cool. It is normally Officially Closed July to September due to extreme temps. Great to use your imagination about where the Apache's would have hidden in wait to protect the Stronghold.