Boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains | FR 687 Camping Near Tombstone

If you’re looking for free camping near Tombstone or just looking for an awesome place to camp then we highly suggest boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains! The Dragoon Mountains are located in Coronado National Forest just outside of Tombstone, Arizona. Once in the national forest, there are numerous dispersed camp spots on Forest Road 687 that are great for boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains! This area is beautiful, fun, accessible and admittedly a bit popular among recreationists. The golden grasslands and rugged rocky mountains make for an incredibly scenic backyard! Find out more about the boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains on Forest Road 687!

Quick Info:

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: From Tombstone, follow AZ-80 W for about 1.6 miles the turn right onto N Middlemarch Road. Continue on N Middlemarch Road for 10 miles. Note: Middlemarch Road is a dirt road with washboard conditions. Next, turn left onto Forest Road 687 and you’ll start noticing numerous dispersed camp spots.

Solar: Good but the length of direct sunlight depends on how close your spot is to the rocks.

Water: None

Miles from Town: About 14 miles to Tombstone

Cell Service: Yes but some spots worked better than others for us.

Road Conditions: The dirt Middlemarch Road is in good condition besides the washboard conditions. Once onto Forest Road 687 the dirt road is also in good condition with some bumps to be expected. We saw many large trailers and your typical cars handle this road just fine.

Our Experience Boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains

After spending time in southeast Arizona, we’ve been spoiled by the incredible outdoor recreation! Two that stand out include amazing dispersed camping at Indian Bread Rocks and great hiking in Chiricahua National Monument! And now, boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains is making its lasting impression as well.

Finding a Camp Spot

After a long and bumpy ten miles of washboard on Middlemarch Road we finally turned onto Forest Road 687 and headed into Coronado National Forest! And from here the dramatic and rocky Dragoon Mountains are not quiet within reach. So we were set on driving further in until we reached camp spots closer to the rocks. Along Forest Road 687 there are several turnouts that are large enough to accommodate groups or larger rigs. The views from here are great and the spaces are more spread out allowing for a bit of privacy.

As we approached the rocks, we found Forest Road 4804. This road makes a rough loop with great spots for tents and car camping. These spots are tucked into the trees right at the base of the rocks. But these camp spots weren’t an option for us with our travel trailer so we continued about a quarter of a mile and took a right.

This is another loop with a number of great spots for boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains. Some of the camp spots on this loop are large enough for small/medium sized trailers and some are better suited for car camping. There are some rough spots in the road on this loop as well so it’s a good idea to scout ahead. There were several people here when got here so we took the first spot on the right, near a steep rock wall.

If you continue past the right turn for this second loop, there are even more great spots. The first few spots are also large enough for groups and big rigs but as you continue there are a couple more small spots before Forest Road 687 crosses a wash and goes up a small but steep hill. We didn’t drive up this but we did walk past it a ways and we didn’t see any more dispersed camp spots within about a mile. There could be more spots for boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains further in from here but we can’t confirm.

Camp Here Later – Pin it Now!

We arrived on a weekday and were surprised to find that a good number of the spots near the rocks were occupied. And after two nights camping near the towering rock wall, we realized that this was indeed a popular rock wall for climbers. Camping in a parking area full of climbers and climbing tour vans was not what we had in mind for boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains so we packed up and found a new spot. And boy were we glad that we did!

Our new spot ended up being further away from the rocks which meant further away from all the people. Luckily we moved Thursday morning because by Thursday night (on Veterans Day weekend) there were convoys of cars, trucks, OHVs and trailers driving back. And then again on Friday. This area got pretty busy! But in our new spot we were able to spend a peaceful weekend with our only company being our daily visit from our cow friends. And of course the passing of the vehicles.

Veterans Day weekend did seem to be particularly busy because we were boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains for two weekends and the other weekend was busy, but much less so. During the week, this area saw its fair share of traffic as well. But we still thoroughly enjoyed our time here and if you choose your spot accordingly, it can still be a very peaceful experience.

Once You’re Settled

As I’ve mentioned, there are numerous spots with a variety of sizes and settings. So now you know the importance of choosing a spot that works best to your camping preferences! Now that you’re here, there is also a diversity of recreation in the area. We saw people riding horses and people enjoying their OHVs. And we saw a lot of rock climbers as well as rock climbing tours. Then of course we have the campers, hikers and people who just enjoy the beauty of the outdoors!

The rocks of the Dragoon Mountains beckon to be explored. Even if you’re not a “climber” they are fun to scramble on! Get a little deeper into the area and access new scenery, angles and views.

There is a trailhead at the top of the small steep hill I mentioned earlier called Slavins Gulch. It’s a pretty hike that leads deeper into the Dragoon Mountains allowing for great views of the rocky formations in the area. And eventually it looks back down through the gulch down to the vast desert floor in the distance. It’s a nice hike to explore the beauty and terrain of the area. And once we got about a mile in, we had the trail to ourselves.

We loved the view that we had from our camp spot of the beautifully rugged Dragoon Mountains. Steep dramatic rocks and beautiful gold grasslands make a gorgeous combination! The sunsets were amazing here as well and really created art across the sky in every direction. Everyday around 4:45 pm a large group of cows would make their way over to us and then continue on their way. But we can’t help but smile at them as they stare so intently at us. And they’re just so cute!

Another perk of boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains was that we had good cell service. And as lame as that sounds, it’s important because it allows us to work online while we’re on the road.

Thanks for Reading about Boondocking in the Dragoon Mountains!

We had a nice time camping on Forest Road 687. Having a beautiful view, nearby hiking and rock climbing as well as cell service for work was perfect for spending a great two weeks in the area. If you’d like to see some other places that we’ve boondocked, check out the links below:

• Camping Near Camp Verde
• Dispersed Camping on Kebler Pass Road
• Camping and Climbing Near Logandale Trails
• Free Camping Near Flagstaff
• Dispersed Camping and Exploring Near Mayer

While were boondocking and exploring these beautiful places, we’re also working hard creating our hand painted Lost Coast Longboarding longboards! To see our latest lineup, head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop!

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