is above average in that category.
INDIVIDUAL RATINGS
Each campground description includes ratings for beauty, privacy, spaciousness, quiet, security, and cleanliness; each attribute is ranked from one to five stars, with five being the best. Yes, these ratings are subjective, but we’ve tried to select campgrounds that offer something for everyone.
BEAUTY
Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder, but we gave higher marks for panoramic views or proximity to a lake or river. A campground that blended in well with the environment scored well, as did areas with remarkable wildlife or geology. Well-grown vegetation and nicely laid-out sites also upped the ratings.
PRIVACY
For this category we looked at the number of sites, the amount of screening between them, and the physical distance from one site to one another. Other considerations included the presence of nearby trails or day-use areas, along with proximity to a town or city that would invite regular day-use traffic and perhaps compromise privacy.
SPACIOUSNESS
Spaciousness is both a matter of actual space and of the feeling of having elbow room. We checked the separation of tent spots, picnic tables, cooking areas, and vehicles. We adjusted our marks based on whether activity areas and tent pads were defined or bordered and scored higher for the potential to spread out. We also gave campgrounds with plenty of space between the sites a higher rating than more crowded campgrounds.
QUIET
The quietness of a campground of course depends on who your neighbors are and when you’re visiting. We took into consideration our experience at the campsite, the nearness of roads, the proximity of towns and cities, the probable number of RVs, the likelihood of noisy all-terrain vehicles or boats, and whether a campground host is available or willing to enforce quiet hours. If we heard that a campground had a reputation for rowdiness or if we heard or witnessed a ruckus ourselves, we removed it from consideration.
Note that some of these campgrounds have no specified quiet hours; nevertheless, you should use common sense and be considerate of others.
SECURITY
Determining a campground’s level of security depends on what you view as the greater risk: other people or the wilderness. The more remote the campground, the less likely you are to run into opportunistic crime, but on the downside, the harder it is to get help in case of an accident or confrontation. The security rating takes into consideration whether the campground has a host or resident park ranger, the proximity of other campsites, how much day traffic the campground receives, how close the campground is to a town or city, and whether there is cell coverage or some type of emergency notification.
CLEANLINESS
This often depends on who was camping right before you and how your visit coincides with the campground’s maintenance schedule. In general, we gave higher marks to campgrounds with hosts who cleaned up regularly; we also gave high marks in the rare case of odor-free toilets. At unhosted campgrounds, we looked for trash receptacles as well as evidence that sites were cleared and that signs and buildings were kept repaired. We didn’t necessarily mark down for a single visitor’s garbage left at a site, but we definitely did for trash deposited in shrubbery or along trails, indicating infrequent cleaning.
THE CAMPGROUND PROFILE
Each profile contains a concise but informative narrative of the campground and individual sites. In addition to the property, the recreational opportunities are also described—what’s in the area and perhaps suggestions for touristy activities. This descriptive text is enhanced with three helpful elements: Ratings, Key Information, and Getting There (accurate driving directions that lead you to the campground from the nearest major roadway, along with GPS coordinates).
THE CAMPGROUND LOCATOR MAP AND MAP LEGEND
Use the Arizona Campground Locator Map, opposite the Table of Contents, to assess the exact location of each campground. The campground’s number appears not only on the overview map but also in the table of contents and on the profile’s first page.
A map legend that details the symbols found on the campground-layout maps appears immediately following the Table of Contents.
CAMPGROUND-LAYOUT MAPS
Each profile includes a detailed map of individual campsites, roads, facilities, and other key elements.
GPS CAMPGROUND-ENTRANCE COORDINATES
Readers can easily access all campgrounds in this book by using the directions given and the overview map, which shows at least one major road leading into the area. But for those who enjoy using GPS technology to navigate, the book includes coordinates for each campground’s entrance in latitude and longitude, expressed in degrees and decimal minutes.
To convert GPS coordinates from degrees, minutes, and seconds to degrees and decimal minutes, divide the seconds by 60 (or visit a website such as directionsmag.com/site/latlong-converter). For more information about GPS technology, visit usgs.gov.
A note of caution: A dedicated GPS unit will easily guide you to any of these campgrounds, but users of smartphone mapping apps may find that cell service is often unavailable in the remote areas where many of these hideaways are located.
WEATHER
Many people fear desert creatures such as rattlesnakes and scorpions but will practically flirt with Arizona’s biggest danger—the sun. Make no mistake: it gets hot here, and don’t let anyone tell you that just because it’s a dry heat that it’s not so bad.
Dehydration and heat exhaustion commonly afflict the unprepared, the unwary, or the merely overconfident. Carry 3 liters of water per person, per day, and consider investing in a collapsible water container (Camelbak and Platypus make good ones)—making the water you carry more accessible increases the likelihood that you’ll actually drink enough of it.
Pro tip: Fill empty 2-liter soda bottles or plastic juice bottles with water, freeze them, and use them in your cooler instead of ice cubes. When the ice melts, you have a backup supply of drinking water, or you can use it to put out your campfire.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses, along with lightweight long-sleeved shirts and pants if you expect to be in the sun all day. Covering up in the heat may seem counterintuitive, but you’ll stay cooler if you protect your skin from the sun.
You shouldn’t plan just for the heat, however; you should prepare for cool nights as well—once the sun sets out in the desert,
