Best Kept Secret in Camping: Maricopa County Parks & BOGO
Posted By Rex Vogel On October 4, 2012 @ 10:27 am In Activities & Attractions,Campgrounds & RV Parks,Family Camping,Family Day Trips,Family Weekend Trips,Holidays on the Road,Kid-Friendly Trips,Nature & Wildlife,Outdoor Recreation & Hiking,Preparation & Readiness,Roads & Routes,RVing with Grand Kids,State & National Parks,Traveling Tips | 1 Comment
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?
[1]A delightful end to another day in paradise at Usery Mountain Regional Park. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved
Sometimes they’re located in Woodall’s [2] and Trailer Life Campground Directory [3]. 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) [4] 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.”
[5]Enjoy the beauty of sunrises and sunsets at Cave Creek Regional Park. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved
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 [6], Cave Creek Regional Park [7], 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 [2].
Details
[8]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 [9]
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 [10]
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
Website: maricopa.gov/parks/estrella [11]
McDowell Mountain Regional Park
McDowell Mountain offers 76 developed camping sites suitable for RVs of all sizes, with water and electrical hook-ups. Group camping available.
Location: 16300 McDowell Mountain Park Dr., Fountain Hills, Arizona 85255
Phone: (480) 471-0173
Website: maricopa.gov/parks/mcdowell [12]
Usery Mountain Regional Park
Usery Mountain offers 73 developed camping sites suitable for RVs of all sizes, with water and electrical hook-ups. Group camping available.
Location: 3939 N. Usery Pass Road, Mesa, AZ 85207
Phone: (480) 984-0032
Website: maricopa.gov/parks/usery [13]
White Tank Mountain Regional Park
White Tank Mountain offers 40 semi-developed sites with no water/electrical hook-ups. Group camping available.
Location: 13025 N. White Tank Mountain Road, Waddell, AZ 85355
Phone: (623) 935-2505
Website: maricopa.gov/parks/white_tank [14]
Worth Pondering…
Your future depends on many things, but mostly on you.
—Frank Tyger
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If you enjoy these articles and want to read more on RV travels and lifestyle, visit my website: Vogel Talks RVing [20].
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Article printed from Good Sam Camping Blog: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com
URL to article: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2012/10/best-kept-secret-in-camping-maricopa-county-parks-bogo/
URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2012/10/best-kept-secret-in-camping-maricopa-county-parks-bogo/usery-mountain-regional-park/
[2] Woodall’s: http://www.woodalls.com/rv-camping/
[3] Trailer Life Campground Directory: http://vogeltalksrving.com/tag/trailer-life-directory/
[4] Bureau of Land Management (BLM): http://vogeltalksrving.com/tag/blm/
[5] Image: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2012/10/best-kept-secret-in-camping-maricopa-county-parks-bogo/cave-creek-regional-park/
[6] Usery Mountain Regional Park: http://vogeltalksrving.com/2010/10/usery-mountain-regional-park-az/
[7] Cave Creek Regional Park: http://vogeltalksrving.com/2010/10/cave-creek-regional-park-az/
[8] Image: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2012/10/best-kept-secret-in-camping-maricopa-county-parks-bogo/lake-pleasant-regional-park/
[9] maricopa.gov/parks: http://maricopa.gov/parks/
[10] maricopa.gov/parks/cave_creek: http://maricopa.gov/parks/cave_creek/
[11] maricopa.gov/parks/estrella: http://maricopa.gov/parks/estrella/
[12] maricopa.gov/parks/mcdowell: http://maricopa.gov/parks/mcdowell/
[13] maricopa.gov/parks/usery: http://maricopa.gov/parks/usery/
[14] maricopa.gov/parks/white_tank: http://maricopa.gov/parks/white_tank/
[15] Restoring the Shiny Hiney & Other Vintage Trailers: http://vogeltalksrving.com/2012/09/restoring-the-shiny-hiney-other-vintage-trailers/
[16] Magellan Introduces RoadMate GPS with Expanded Safety Features: http://vogeltalksrving.com/2012/09/magellan-introduces-roadmate-gps-with-expanded-safety-features/
[17] Ten RV Lessons Learned the Hard Way: http://vogeltalksrving.com/2012/09/ten-rv-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/
[18] Winnebago Re-introduces Minnie Winnie: http://vogeltalksrving.com/2012/09/winnebago-re-introduces-minnie-winnie/
[19] Winegard Introduces Carryout Anser Portable Satellite Antenna: http://vogeltalksrving.com/2012/09/winegard-introduces-carryout-anser-portable-satellite-antenna/
[20] Vogel Talks RVing: http://vogeltalksrving.com/
[21] Usery Mountain Regional Park, AZ: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2011/02/usery-mountain-regional-park-az/
[22] Cave Creek Regional Park, AZ: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2011/02/cave-creek-regional-park-az/
[23] Snowbird destinations: Arizona: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2010/11/snowbird-destinations-arizona/
[24] Trout Season Begins in San Bernardino County Regional Parks: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2010/11/trout-season-begins-in-san-bernardino-county-regional-parks/
[25] RVing and Thanksgiving: Giving Thanks: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2010/11/rving-and-thanksgiving-giving-thanks/
[26] Contextual Related Posts: http://ajaydsouza.com/wordpress/plugins/contextual-related-posts/
[27] Inscription Rock: El Morro National Monument: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2013/06/inscription-rock-el-morro-national-monument/
[28] Joys of a Texas Bucket List: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2013/06/joys-of-a-texas-bucket-list/
[29] RVers Pays for Deceiving Border Officials: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2013/05/rvers-pays-for-deceiving-border-officials/
[30] 7 Tips for Planning a Successful Camping Trip: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2013/05/7-tips-for-planning-a-successful-camping-trip/
[31] Problems Swirl Around Morgan RV Resorts & Ideal Private Resorts: http://blog.goodsamcamping.com/2013/05/problems-swirl-around-morgan-rv-resorts-ideal-private-resorts/
[32] Image: http://slashdot.org/bookmark.pl?url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.goodsamcamping.com%2F2012%2F10%2Fbest-kept-secret-in-camping-maricopa-county-parks-bogo%2F&title=Best+Kept+Secret+in+Camping%3A+Maricopa+County+Parks+%26amp%3B+BOGO
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