Dead Horse Ranch State Park – Cottonwood, Arizona

We have stayed at this State Park before in the same campground loop and quite enjoyed the area.  Our last visit was in early February of last year and we had the campground loop  practically to ourselves.  Other loops in the campground were completely empty.This year, in March, the campground was full including all loops. Good thing we had reservations.

Campground: Red Tailed Hawk Loop
Location: Cottonwood, Arizona
Site: 46
Cost: $30
Services: E/W (50 AMP)
Comments: A great campground with some terrific views over Cottonwood from site 46 which is an end site situated at the entrance to the loop.  Several hiking trails start from the campground.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – Site 46

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – Site 46

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – Site 46 at sunset

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – Site 46

Personal Power Glider (PPG) flying over the campground

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – Site 46

Sunset as viewed from site 46

Most of the sites at  Red Tailed Hawk loop and Coopers Hawk loop can accommodate big rigs and the best sites with the most site privacy tend to be the sites around the perimeter of the loops.  The sites in the center tend to have their picnic areas very close to the road and very close to the next site.  An example of some of the better sites are below.

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – Site 54 – a very nice long campsite

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – SIte 56 – one of the few pull thrus – very long and a picnic area separate from all other campsites

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – SIte 91 – very long and a very private picnic area

Dead Horse Ranch State Park – Site 83 – long with a private picnic area

Jerome is about a 20 minute drive from the campground and Prescott is about an hour drive from the campground. Both are nice day trips.

Antelope in the fields near Prescott Valley

Jerome Arizona

Jerome Arizona

Jerome Arizona

National Forest Road 525 is just north of Cottonwood on route 89A on the way to Sedona. There are some great boondocking sites along the dirt road (a bit rough and a somewhat heavily traveled road during the day) but is a nice day trip for visiting the Honanki and Palatki ruins and for some great views of the red rocks of Sedona.

Sedona AZ

Sedona AZ

Sedona AZ

For more information on things to do in the area visit our Cottonwood page.