Free Camping in Arizona: Saddle Mountain

Free camping – what’s not to like? Boondocking at Arizona’s Saddle Mountain, west of Phoenix, is a big step beyond mere like. The area’s proximity to outdoor adventures and prehistoric sites takes free camping in Arizona to near perfection in our books.

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What is Boondocking? 

Some call it dispersed camping. Others refer to it as random camping. Basically, boondocking is free camping. In Arizona (and around the United States) the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has countless multi-use areas where random camping is permitted free of charge on Public Lands. Each area varies, but more popular sites are signed for a 14-day limit stay and may have a minimal fee if there is a host and a water tank. 

Did You Know? Arizona has 18 national parks and monuments that make up approximately 3.5 percent of the state’s land. The U.S. Forest Service and BLM combined control over 32 percent of the land in Arizona!

Campers need to be completely self-contained to boondock. We stock up with groceries, water and propane ahead of a boondock stay, have dual solar panels to charge batteries and use a porta-potty. The reward for lack of services is having a scenic campsite completely out of sight of any other campers, if you so choose.

Where is Saddle Mountain?

Saddle Mountain is a distinctive saddle-shaped outcrop about 55 miles (88 km) west of Phoenix. Access is south of U.S. Highway 10 near Tonopah, Arizona. Take Exit 94 and head south for almost 3 miles (5 km) to the Salome Highway. Turn right and travel another 5 miles or so (8 km) to the junction with Courthouse Road. Keep left and continue following the paved road for less than a mile.

You will soon see the BLM kiosk with a map and information on your left. Numerous dirt roads – some rougher than others – guide campers to their home away from home in the shadow of the Saddle. There is no charge to boondock at Saddle Mountain, but there is a 14-day limit. 

Like dispersed camping (a.k.a. boondocking) in Arizona?
You might want to also check out New Water Mountains Wilderness!

Outdoor Adventure 

We are always on the lookout for two things when we are searching for free camping in Arizona – what can we do outdoors (hike, bike, paddle) and/or any nearby historic or prehistoric sites we can explore. Saddle Mountain had both.

Arriving early afternoon, we found a spot in between a couple of motorhomes, far enough away we could still see the RVs, but not the people inside. Trailer leveled, awning out and staked down, solar panels set, a quick bit of lunch and we were off on an exploratory walk to see if could find the rock art we heard was in the area. 

Although we didn’t find the petroglyphs, we did end up scrambling on a small subpeak of the Saddle. We weren’t the first by the looks of the lightly beaten path climbing up for an overlook of the dispersed camping area – dotted with restored buses, a homemade tiny home, fifth wheels, motorhomes, and there… look really close… there’s our “tiny” home on wheels!

On the Hunt for Petroglyphs

The next day morning, Brad left early to summit Saddle Peak. He followed a fairly well-established route starting at the end of the BLM kiosk road. Besides a hitchhiking cholla that left a few scars when it was removed, the hike was a straight-forward uphill trek with a short scramble section. 

That afternoon we set out again to find the petroglyphs – and met with success. Heading straight towards the mountain, we followed Jeep tracks heading towards an obvious rock tower slightly separate from the main Saddle Peak massif. When you see signs about preserving archaeological sites, you are close to your quest. Work your way slightly upslope to the three petroglyph boulders.

Saddle Mountain is a distinctive peak when seen from the distance. This landmark has been a beacon for desert wanderers for thousands of years. There are studies that show that the Saddle Mountain area has been used for over 3,000 areas. Prehistoric remains include both petroglyphs and geoglyphs. 

Exploring Nearby Eagletail Wilderness

Day three, we chose Indian Spring as our gateway into the Eagletail Wilderness. This low desert hike ends at a series of petroglyph panels made up of hundreds of images left by the Hohokum and those who came before them.

To reach the trailhead from our Saddle Mountain boondocking campsite, we headed west on Courthouse Road to Harquahala Valley Road. Continuing straight, Centennial Road is gravel and has numerous low, unbridged washes that may be mudholes if it has recently rained.

Follow this for almost 7 miles (11 km) to a junction with a gas pipeline road veering to the right. There is a BLM signboard and map at this junction. Continue on the narrow and rougher pipeline road for 4 miles (6.5 km) to the BLM road 013. Watch for the large BLM “Eagletail Mountains Wilderness Area” sign.

The Eagletail Mountains Wilderness rises nearly 2,000 feet above the Harquahala Plain. It contains countless cultural remains – from petroglyphs to sleeping circles to stone mortars. The Indian Spring petroglyphs can be found just over 6 miles (10 km) return walk from the BLM parking area, along a mix of old jeep roads, washes and trails. 

According to interpretive panels at the trailhead, Indian Spring is believed to have been an important cultural and ceremonial site dating back to about 1500 BC. The petroglyphs were made by several cultures, including the Hohokam, the Yavapai and the Patayan.

There are two distinct styles of petroglyphs, Western Archaic and Gila in the Indian Spring area. The Western Archaic Style is identified by rectilinear designs such as grids, ladders, zigzags, beehives and bull’s eyes. The Gila Style, common to the Hohokam peoples after AD 500, includes abstract curvilinear designs and human and animal forms. 

Finding More Free Camping in Arizona

Boondocking at Saddle Mountain was a boon with its beauty, peace and opportunities for outdoor adventures. We recommend searching for “free camping” online (check out www.freecamping.org) or using Apps such as FreeRoam, Boondocking, or Campendium.