7 Stunning Tucson RV Parks (With YouTube Video Tours)
Tucson (AZ) is one of the great winter getaways for RV travelers. The mild temps and colorful culture are among its many selling points. Today we’re excited to share the 7 best RV parks in the area.
We’ve enjoyed many winter seasons in Tucson and have stayed at a lot of different campgrounds during our visits. Whether you enjoy luxury RV resorts or nature-abundant campgrounds, this list will have something for you!
We’ll let you know the price, key amenities and location of each Tucson RV park. Additionally, each site will have a unique “Tucson RV Park Vibes” score for easy head-to-head.
Let’s dive in!
RV Parks in Tucson AZ
Gilbert Ray Campground
Price: $20
Location: 8451 W McCain Loop Rd., Tucson, AZ 85735
Why You’ll Love It: Gilbert Ray Campground is amazing for a few key reasons…it’s surrounded by beautiful southwest landscapes and is super economical. You will get electrical hookups at the RV sites, but no water or dump hookups. There’s a central dump station and water available.
We also love that every site is first come first served. If you love making reservations, this isn’t great…but for the freewheelin’ traveler, it can work out well!
Highly recommended for the nature lovers who don’t like the cement pads at RV resorts.
What’s The Word: Teddi & Roger on Campendium say, “We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Gilbert Ray. Be aware of the stay limits – only 7 days in and then 7 days out before you can return. The staff, volunteers and camp hosts were all very friendly and helpful. The sites are nicely spaced and several are large enough to accommodate big rigs, we especially liked having vegetation between the sites along with the gorgeous views and stunning sunsets.”
Tucson RV Park Vibes: 9.8/10 One of the best in Tucson!
Catalina State Park
Price: $30
Location: 11570 N Oracle Rd., Tucson, AZ 85737
Why You’ll Love It: This is another nature-abundant park. Specifically, the mountain backdrop creates perfect #campvibes. The RV sites have water & electric hookups. For dumping black water, there’s a dump station onsite.
Also, $30 is a pretty sweet deal.
Many campers have commented on the clean shower facilities. Compared to Gilbert Ray Campground, we like the extra onsite amenities at Catalina State Park.
What’s The Word: A recent Campendium review says, “We have no complaints. Nice spacious and level asphalt sites, wonderful backdrop of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Great hiking in this park. Water and electric only sites, but the dump station wasn’t that far away.”
Tucson RV Park Vibes: 9.7/10 Hiking trails, RV hookups & mountain views.
LazyDays KOA
Price: around $60
Location: 5151 S Country Club Rd., Tucson, AZ 85706
Why You’ll Love It: This is a true RV resort. There are multiple pools & hot tubs and also a restaurant onsite. Even if you’re camping here in the summer, the huge shade structures will keep you much cooler.
The park offers RV sites with raised decks, fenced in areas and shared spaces for group camping.
Even though some KOAs leave a lot to be desired…this property is among the best KOAs in America.
What’s The Word: A recent reviewer on Campground Reviews says, “There is a wide variety of sites to choose from depending on your desires and budget. I chose a site with grass and scrubs giving us privacy. Very nice. Everything here is clean and done correctly.”
Tucson RV Park Vibes: 7.9/10 Great facility with lots of options. Not a lot of nature.
Justin’s Diamond J RV Park
Price: around $35
Location: 3451 S San Joaquin Rd, Tucson, Arizona 85735
Why You’ll Love It: This family owned RV park is known for its huge sites. On their website they boast about having 2000 sq ft lots. Best of all, there are beautiful trails connecting to the park – offering many miles of hiking.
As for amenities…Justin’s is a “no frills” RV park. We recommend staying here if you love hiking & biking and want an economical hookup site in Tucson.
What’s The Word: Claire on Campground Reviews says, “All the spaces had plenty of room. The premium spaces back up to the desert with beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Our particular space had a weird water hookup configuration but the owner went out of her way to help as much as possible. Walking trails lead in and out of the campground.”
Tucson RV Park Vibes: 7.6 Big sites & great trails.
Sentinel Peak RV Park
Price: around $40
Location: 450 N Grande Ave, Tucson, Arizona 85745
Why You’ll Love It: Location, location. location! This RV Park sets you up within walking distance of downtown Tucson. We can vouch for its proximity; during our stay at Sentinel Peak we walked downtown multiple times.
The sites are full hookup and the park provides a central activity room with bathroom. There’s also a small pool onsite.
Some of the sites can accommodate large RVs…but that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to park. In our small trailer, however, the site was very easy to access.
What’s The Word: A recent post on Campground Reviews says, “Spent 1 month in this small, inner city park. It is located near everything you’d need and close to all attractions. Park may be small and all paved ground, but it is still a prize spot and surprisingly quite.The camp staff go above and beyond to make guests comfortable.”
Tucson RV Park Vibes: 8.6/10 Great urban RV Park…in fact, the best city park in Tucson!
Molino Basin Campground
Price: $10
Location: Kachina Trail, Tucson, AZ 85749
Why You’ll Love It: If you’re an RVer who prefers nature over amenities, Molino Basin Campground is for you! This seasonal site (Oct-April) will connect you to lots of hiking trails and beautiful sunsets.
Keep in mind, there are no hook ups onsite and trailers over 22′ aren’t allowed. This is pretty limiting…but that’s what makes it so peaceful.
If you want a few days of relaxation in the Tucson desert (and save some money) give Molino Basin a try.
What’s The Word: A recent Campendium reviewer says, “A very charming spot for tent campers. Individual spaces tucked around, often with rock walls, all with tables, grills and fire rings. 22 foot max for rigs. Close to trails and Tucson.”
Tucson RV Park Vibes: 6.9/10 Not many RVers can fit here, but if you can…it’ll be a peaceful spot!
Voyager RV Resort
Price: around $50 (cheaper for certain Thousand Trails members due to its Encore affiliation) Also, the park may have a Passport America discount available depending on your arrival dates.
Location: 8701 S Kolb Rd., Tucson, AZ 85756
Why You’ll Love It: This 55+ RV resort is ideal for RVers who love a “campground community.” They have daily scheduled activities and many sports courts. The resort also features amenities such as pools, golfing, spa services and more.
For better or worse, the resort encourage a name tag policy – if you’re out walking, be sure to wear your name tag. We think this is a fun community building exercise, but others have found it annoying.
What’s The Word: Miles on Campground Reviews says, “Simply one of the best parks we’ve stayed in. The sites are large and level, the people are welcoming and helpful, and the amenities are out of this world. There is always something going on, from concerts, to crafts of every kind you can imagine, to current event discussion groups, and of course Pickle Ball. This is an active, vibrant community that makes everyone feel at home.”
Tucson RV Park Vibes: 7.8/10 RV resort vibes for the “active adult community”.
Looking for Hidden Gems Near Tucson?
We love Tucson…but, there are a lot of hidden gems nearby that offer unique camping experiences. These secret spots can be great alternatives to Tucson or fun weekend getaways when staying in Tucson.
- Arivaca AZ: This TINY town has a big creative vibe! We recommend camping at La Siesta Campground. There are wonderful art galleries and coffee shops in town. They even host a yearly film festival!
- Patagonia AZ: Bigger than Arivaca, but still pretty dang small, Patagonia is an awesome hidden gem. We camped for free on Harshaw Road and enjoyed the local farmers market and gift shops. You can also hop on the Arizona Trail for beautiful hiking trails.
- Ajo AZ & Organ Pipe National Monument: This is a breathtaking National Park west of Tucson. The views are even better than Saguaro NP! We camped for free just north of the park and enjoyed the large sites, great for group camping.
- Bisbee AZ: Bisbee isn’t much of a hidden gem anymore as its on all the big “must see” travel lists now. But, if you want to visit Bisbee we recommend camping at Whitewater Draw. If you visit during the right time of year you can witness a massive crane migration.
Hidden Gems Near Tucson AZ
The Best FREE Camping in the USA
We love camping across this amazing country. And, we really love it when its free. Here’s our list of the 20 Best Free Campsites in the USA.
If you haven’t tried free camping before, also known as boondocking, take a look at our beginners guide to boondocking filled with everything you need to know to get started.