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Best Kept Secret in Camping: Maricopa County Parks & BOGO

October 4, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment

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One of the best kept secrets in the World of RVing is campgrounds located in county parks! But where are they, and how do you find them?

Sometimes they’re located in Woodall’s and Trailer Life Campground Directory. Often times they’re not. County parks are often relatively small and off the beaten path. But if you’re looking for a quiet place to relax, do some bird watching, hike a near-by trail, or do some great sightseeing, it might be well worth seeking out some of these neat spots.

A county park system worth checking out is Maricopa County Regional Parks in Arizona. The parks circle the Phoenix metropolitan area and all are within a 45-minute drive from central Phoenix. And unlike Arizona State Parks, no Maricopa County park has been closed or has suffered cutback in services.

With 10 regional parks totaling more than 120,000 acres, Maricopa County Regional Parks feature the nation’s largest county park system.

So many local attractions and the great variety of outdoor recreation are sure to keep you coming back over and over.

The park system began in 1954 to preserve the mountain areas for future generations to enjoy. A federal act in the 1970s called the Recreation and Public Purposes Act allowed Maricopa County to acquire thousands of acres of parkland from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at $2.50 an acre. A combination of leased and purchased land has allowed this department to develop a regional park system that preserves open space and provides the residents of Maricopa County and visiting snowbirds with an opportunity to enjoy “Natural Arizona.”

Please note:

Not all parks have developed camping facilities

All trails within the Maricopa County Park System are for non-motorized use only

BOGO

Cooler weather brings great opportunities for those campers and RVers who enjoy the outdoors.

Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department is offering free camping.

Park visitors who pay the camping fee for one night at a desert mountain county park will receive the next night of equal or lesser value for free.

The offer is good at Usery Mountain Regional Park, Cave Creek Regional Park, Estrella Mountain Regional Park, McDowell Mountain Regional Park, and White Tank Mountain Regional Park.

The buy-one-get-one (BOGO) promotion applies to camping stays between October 1 and November 11.

To receive the free night, contact the Parks call center (see below).

Reservations booked online or before July 1 are not eligible.

For more information about RV parks and amenities, checkout Woodall’s inspected RV campgrounds.

Details

Lake Pleasant Regional Park is a scenic water recreation area in the northwest Valley. The breathtaking views offer visitors a great place to relax, whether it is from a boat or shoreline picnic or camping site. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved

Maricopa County Regional Parks

Phone: (602) 506-2930

Website: maricopa.gov/parks

Cave Creek Regional Park

Cave Creek offers 38 developed camping sites suitable for RVs of all sizes, with water and electric hook-ups. Group camping available.

Location: 37019 N. Lava Lane, Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Phone: (623) 465-0431

Website: maricopa.gov/parks/cave_creek

Estrella Mountain Regional Park

Estrella Mountain offers seven developed camping sites suitable for RVs of all sizes, with water and electrical hook-ups. Group camping available.

Location: 14805 West Vineyard Avenue, Goodyear, AZ 85338

Phone: (623) 932-3811