We’ve been slowly moving east through southern Arizona in search of the best free campsites – working on our tans while we escape the winter blues, Harshaw Road Dispersed Camping looked like the perfect spot.
Using a few search tools (Campendium, FreeCampsites, and AllStays) we discovered the charming town of Patagonia and a nearby boondocking site on Harshaw Road.
Here’s our experience of Harshaw Road Dispersed Camping
Location: Patagonia, Arizona, in the Coronado National Forest
GPS: 31.51492119, -110.70365824
Price: Free / 14-day maximum stay. However, no ranger ever acknowledged us during our visit.
Date/Temp: February 19-24, highs in the high 80s with a low of 40
Noise: Our campsite was tucked away from Harshaw Road within the barrier of a large hillside. It was hushed; we only heard the occasional hum of our generator.
Wifi/Cell: We chose our site on because we received high-speed AT&T cellular data. The first two pull-through sites were AT&T dead zones. Our T-Mobile hotspot received no service on Harsharw Road or in Patagonia.
We used the blazing-fast wifi at Gathering Grounds coffee shop to download & upload large files (they also have great food and coffee).
Grocery/Errands: Patagonia is 4 miles from the Harshaw Road Dispersed Camping. An organic grocery store and a less expensive “mom-and-pop” grocer exist. The town also has one gas station, a post office, multiple restaurants, and gift shops.
Dog Friendly: River (our pup) loved the Harshaw Road Dispersed Camping. She played outside most of the day, and we hiked the dog-friendly Arizona Trail two times.
Scenery: The Patagonia section of the Coronado National Forest is a beautiful mountain desert. Trees and shrubs surrounded our camp. The route into Patagonia is a curvy, scenic drive.
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