The 5 Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds in Arizona

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Camping with dogs has become more popular over the years, and for a good reason. You get to enjoy nature’s beauty while bonding with your furry friend. It’s a win-win situation all around!

But not every campground is dog-friendly. Some allow pets on their premises, while some don’t.

If you’re a dog owner who lives in Arizona, loves the outdoors, and plans to go on camping adventures with your furry best friend by your side, then read on!

Here is a list of the five best campgrounds in Arizona that allow dogs and let you sleep under the stars with your pup by your side!

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Arizona Dog Friendly Campgrounds
Caption: One of the Dog-Friendly Arizona Campgrounds

Manzanita Campground, Sedona

One of the most sacred spots on Earth and ranked as one of the top vortex sites in the world, Sedona will stun you and your dog with its incomparable and breathtaking red rocks, buttes, mesas, and pinnacles.

Sitting right next to Oak Creek and less than a five-minute drive away from one of the best swimming holes in the US, Slide Rock State Park, Manzanita Campground is the perfect location for anyone wanting to explore all that Sedona has to offer.

Camping at Manzanita Campground is a treat in itself. Less than a minute walk to a crystal clear creek, surrounded by green trees and foliage, and hearing the soothing sound of the gushing water, you’ll find spending time here is a relaxing, revitalizing experience.

And with no access to electricity, Manzanita Campground lets you experience the true essence of camping, experiencing nature in all its glory with your canine companion by your side. One thing though, this place does fill up very quickly. So make sure to reserve your campsite well in advance.

Picacho Peak State Park Campground

Located between Tucson and Phoenix and accessible to visitors year-round, Picacho Peak State Park Campground is an excellent choice for avid hikers, featuring miles of challenging trails that weave through the desert landscape and offer spectacular views from high up in the air.

The park itself is home to several desert plant species and wildlife, including black-tailed jackrabbits, desert cottontails, coyotes, skunks, javelinas, foxes, porcupines, etc. And it’s most well known for its summit, Picacho Peak, which towers over the area, rising to a height of 3,374 feet and offering a breathtaking 360-degree view of the surrounding, perfect for any adventure-seeking hiker!

This campground is also great for history buffs. It was a Civil War battle site in 1862, with Confederate soldiers successfully defending themselves from Union attacks and preventing a surprise attack on Tucson.

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Lake Havasu State Park Campground

Lake Havasu State Park Campground provides campers and visitors with a chance to enjoy magnificent views of Lake Havasu and is certainly a perfect camping destination for those who love to wake up to nothing but sunshine and water.

It boasts an abundance of water activities from swimming, boating to fishing, and jet skiing, making it an excellent place for those who love water recreational activities, and it’s best to visit during winter when the weather is at its most ideal.

Additionally, Lake Havasu State Park Campground is also home to numerous species of birds. In fact, there are over 300 different kinds identified in the area, making it a bird watcher’s paradise!

Read More: How to Camp With Dogs in Winter

Rose Canyon Campground

Rose Canyon Campground is an excellent choice for campers looking to discover the wild side of Arizona. But it’s also a perfect destination to relax and get away from it all, offering quiet camping in peaceful surroundings with your dog at your side!

It’s a highly-rated camping destination, located just 17 miles northeast of Tucson and allowing access to numerous scenic trails and outdoor activities, including hiking and mountain biking. And the most popular of these is perhaps the Mount Lemmon Lookout Trail. Starting from the summit and sitting at the highest point of the Santa Catalina Mountains at 9,157 feet, the hike can prove to be quite the challenge.

Of course, another must-visit place while you camp here is the gorgeous Rose Canyon Lake. Although you can’t swim or boat there, it’s a great spot to get away from the Tucson heat, and you can also fish and enjoy the beautiful sunsets there, perfect for unwinding after a long day of hiking.

The Rose Canyon Campground itself sits high on the slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains, with sites nestling in the shade of towering ponderosa pines and clusters of Gambel oak trees and boasts some seriously spectacular views. It offers campers a truly serene setting and is the perfect place for anyone looking to experience nature at its finest.

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Buckskin Mountain State Park Campground

Stretching along the banks of the scenic Colorado River, Buckskin Mountain State Park Campground is another perfect location for water sports enthusiasts and anyone looking to spend a relaxing weekend with their dogs.

A unique feature is the combination of scenic respite, mountain hikes, and fun-filled water adventure it offers. What that means for you is you don’t need to choose between mountains and beaches!

You can either spend your entire time here fishing or boating on the river or explore the surrounding desert terrain full of towering saguaro cacti and other cactus types with your furry best friend by your side.

And camping here allows you to get a taste of gracious river living at its finest, offering campers and visitors a chance to enjoy spectacular views of the Colorado River and to be lulled to sleep by the sound of gentle waves lapping against the sandy beach.