Camping in Ironwood Forest National Monument

Between Phoenix and Tucson is a great place to enjoy some super agreeable winter weather. And just off of the I-10 is a nice opportunity for some wide open desert camping in Ironwood Forest National Monument! This is a clean and quiet area in the vastness of the desert. With mountains in the distance and Saguaros towering throughout.

There is a main section of BLM land available for camping. And further there is also a mixture of BLM and Arizona State Trust Land. So if you would like more options while choosing a spot for camping in Ironwood Forest National Monument you may want to look into getting a permit for camping on the State Trust land. But if you’re not picky and enjoy just being safe and away from it all in the great wide open then read on!

Quick Info: Camping in Ironwood Forest National Monument

Cost: Free

Ownership: BLM with Arizona State Trust Land nearby

Water: None

Cell Service: Yes

Solar: Excellent

Miles From Town: About 12 miles

Directions: From Tucson, take the I-10 to exit 236 toward Marana. Turn left onto N Sandario Road and then immediately right onto W Marana Road for 5.4 miles. Then turn left onto N Trico Road for 1.5 miles before making a right on W El Tiro Road. Follow El Tiro Road for 3.9 miles and then turn right onto N Pump Station Road. (There are other routes to get here. But we read that it is recommended to avoid Silverbell Road because of a bridge with 6,000 pound weight limit.)

Road Conditions: The dirt road is in good condition. But there are some ruts, dips and bumps that may sneak up on you if you’re going too fast.

Our Experience Camping in Ironwood Forest National Monument

When we first arrived to the Ironwood National Monument area we noticed several other campers spread out on both sides of the dirt road. We decided to keep driving further into the monument to see if we could find any more private or more scenic spots.

First we passed lots of private land and residential areas before coming to Arizona State Trust Land signs indicating no camping without a permit. According to the map further there was more mixing of BLM and Arizona State Trust Land. We continued further and found more campers.

At that point the road wasn’t getting any smoother and the lines of land ownership were getting even less clear. So we just headed back to Pump Road where we initially saw the other campers on the BLM area. Finally, we found a spot that would get the job done and got all settled in.

The landscape here is flat and pretty open. So even though the other campers were well spaced out there was still a small lack of privacy and solitude. Everyone was quiet and the traffic was pretty limited, if a little “busier” on the weekend. If the spots aren’t taken there is room for any sized rig out here. And the road conditions are mild enough for anyone to access.

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From this area, there are mountains in the distance as well as a sparse collection of Saguaros. This made for a beautiful backdrop with the colorful desert sunsets. When we drove further into the monument to scout other spots we noticed a much more dense forest of Saguaros which was just an incredible sight. We didn’t do much further exploring in the monument, just wandered around our campspot. The scenery and recreation was pretty limited here for us which is probably why we didn’t end up staying too long. Though being in wide open spaces is always a treat in itself.

What to See Nearby

As we drove into the area we noticed an area with huge airplanes that were no longer up for flying. We could see this way in the distance from our camp spot as well so we decided to go check it out. The Pinal Airpark is primarily a boneyard for civilian commercial aircraft. Apparently the area’s dry desert climate reduces corrosion of the parked aircraft.

When we got there we just followed signs and drove through slowly, taking it all in. Then we reached the gated entrance for the army base and turned around, slowly taking it all in again.

It was a trip to see these huge planes resting up on pallets and partially disassembled. It looked fun to walk around and check out but the area was fenced off and entrance was prohibited. Pretty cool to see though. If you make the drive from camp to check this out and you need any supplies there is a gas station and a Family Dollar down the road as well.

All in all this camp spot was not very exciting and the scenery wasn’t breathtaking but it was safe, quiet and away from civilization just enough! It’s a great opportunity for some free desert camping with no issues or drawbacks. It was also one of the cleaner and less busy places that we found between Phoenix and Tucson in the middle of snow bird season. We didn’t stay here very long but driving further into the Ironwood National Monument looked very scenic as the mountains get closer and the Saguaro forest gets denser!

Thanks for Reading!

If you would like to read about some of our favorite boondocking experiences, check out the articles below:

• Camping Near Badlands National Park
• Boondocking and Exploring Fossil Falls
• Free Camping at Laguna Mountain Recreation Area

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