roadtripper948026

I went in and verified that this Wal-Mart allowed overnight RV parking. They did, so I parked in the back corner of the parking lot near the Sam's Club. It was quiet and we were not disturbed throughout the night. There was a small parcell of grass nearby for my dog to go potty and there were many other stores nearby. I would stay here again when passing through the area.

I stayed here one night in a 20' 2WD campervan. The road up to the trailhead was not bad. A few easily avoidable washout areas but overall it looked like it gets maintenance every once in a while. There were only a few dispersed camping spots and they weren't very well defined. The area was very quiet and the view was nice. We woke up to grazing cattle and calves outside our door. The immediate access to a trailhead was an added bonus. I docked one star due to the lack of spaces and the fact that the area was VERY dusty and with the afternoon winds it wasn't feasible to sit outside. I guess I'd prefer dust to mud, but either are still less than ideal. I likely wouldn't stay here again but it's okay for an overnight stay or if you are wanting to stay close to town for free.

I didn't stay overnight as I had to hit the road early in the morning and I didn't want to start my day being bounced around by the washboard roads. I wouldn't say the roads are impassable by any sort of vehicle, just uncomfortable. I didn't drive clear out to the camping area but I did get to the 3rd overlook (Castle Rock). At that overlook there was a nice vault toilet and a handful of well spaced covered picnic areas. If you don't want to drive clear out to the camping area you'd probably be fine spending a night here. If you're just looking for a place to spend a few hours before hitting the road, save yourself the trouble of traversing the washboard and stay at the first few overlooks as the view is relatively the same no matter how far out you go. I would camp here if I was planning on spending a few days, otherwise IMO it's not worth the drive.

I stayed at site 38 in the Pinon Campground two nights the weekend before the 4th of July. The grounds were very busy but there were ample walk-up lots available when I arrived. After exploring the grounds it did seem that the reserved spots were better than the walk-ups (duh) so if you are able to plan your stay in advance I would definitely recommend making a reservation. The lake was beautiful and it would be a great place for any kind of water sport. I hiked the two trails that spurred from the campgrounds. Hiking boots, steady feet, and an adventurous spirit are recommended for both. That being said I highly recommend both trails! The campground showers were ok and I had plenty of warm water. The vault toilets were clean enough but were hit-or-miss on whether they were stocked with TP. Before leaving I refilled my water tank and dumped my gray water. For $10/night I couldn't ask for much more! I would stay here again.

I stayed 3 nights at RV site 45 in the Willow Edge Loop in a 20ft conversion van. The potable water spigot in Willow Edge was inoperable during my stay but the one across the road in Willow Canyon was usable and not too far. The primitive toilet for these two loops is located in the center of Willow Edge and was well stocked with toilet paper and as clean as a primitive toilet can get. Both loops were paved. I’ve listed my opinions on the sites in these two loops at the end of this review. I had no cell service (Verizon) at my site or anywhere along the main roadway.

The road down to Rose Canyon Lake was cordoned off to vehicles during my stay. I’m not sure if that was for temporary reasons or if it is only open when the Camp Store is open (Friday 11a - Sunday ). I walked down to the lake and the view was tremendous. I highly recommend making the trek but note that the walk down is relatively steep but not too far and is paved the entire way.

Overall I think that this is a very well maintained campground and an excellent option to escape the Tucson heat. I would stay here again and I would recommend others to stay here.

Willow Canyon (WC) & Willow Edge (WE) RV Sites:
40 (WC) — Small site. Overlooks roadway. Can see neighboring site but isn’t close.
41 (WC) — Saw a ~28ft. 5th wheeler parked here. Site located on a hill so not super spacious beyond the RV flat, picnic table, and fire pit. Can see neighboring site but isn’t close.
42 (WC) — Second best site. Private but overlooks roadway. Not overly spacious.
43 (WE) — Small site. Your choice of view is either the roadway or the backside of your neighbor’s RV.
44 (WE) — Best site. Private and spacious. Really close to the toilet and water spigot.
45 (WE) — Ideal for a motorhome with no tow vehicle or a very small RV. RV flat is ~30ft. long with no extra room nearby for vehicle parking. The flat is on a terrace and you have to walk down 6 fairly large steps to get to the picnic table and fire pit. You are right next to site 46 so these would be a good option for a group but not ideal if you are seeking solitude. The area off the picnic/fire pit is flat and easily traversed if you want to explore or throw around a sports ball.
46 — Big site. Flat, no stairs. Saw a truck with a 20ft. trailer parked here. Same picnic/fire pit situation as site 45.

I stayed 3 nights at RV site 45 in the Willow Edge Loop in a 20ft conversion van. The potable water spigot in Willow Edge was inoperable during my stay but the one across the road in Willow Canyon was usable and not too far. The primitive toilet for these two loops is located in the center of Willow Edge and was well stocked with toilet paper and as clean as a primitive toilet can get. Both loops were paved. I’ve listed my opinions on the sites in these two loops at the end of this review. I had no cell service (Verizon) at my site or anywhere along the main roadway.

The road down to Rose Canyon Lake was cordoned off to vehicles during my stay. I’m not sure if that was for temporary reasons or if it is only open when the Camp Store is open (Friday 11a - Sunday ). I walked down to the lake and the view was tremendous. I highly recommend making the trek but note that the walk down is relatively steep but not too far and is paved the entire way.

Overall I think that this is a very well maintained campground and an excellent option to escape the Tucson heat. I would stay here again and I would recommend others to stay here.

Willow Canyon (WC) & Willow Edge (WE) RV Sites:
40 (WC) — Small site. Overlooks roadway. Can see neighboring site but isn’t close.
41 (WC) — Saw a ~28ft. 5th wheeler parked here. Site located on a hill so not super spacious beyond the RV flat, picnic table, and fire pit. Can see neighboring site but isn’t close.
42 (WC) — Second best site. Private but overlooks roadway. Not overly spacious.
43 (WE) — Small site. Your choice of view is either the roadway or the backside of your neighbor’s RV.
44 (WE) — Best site. Private and spacious. Really close to the toilet and water spigot.
45 (WE) — Ideal for a motorhome with no tow vehicle or a very small RV. RV flat is ~30ft. long with no extra room nearby for vehicle parking. The flat is on a terrace and you have to walk down 6 fairly large steps to get to the picnic table and fire pit. You are right next to site 46 so these would be a good option for a group but not ideal if you are seeking solitude. The area off the picnic/fire pit is flat and easily traversed if you want to explore or throw around a sports ball.
46 (WE) — Big site. Flat, no stairs. Saw a truck with a 20ft. trailer parked here. Same picnic/fire pit situation as site 45.

Camped here one night while passing through. The road to the dispersed sites was rough but I made it up in my 2WD campervan. It looked like there were about 5 dispersed camping sites. The site I got was gorgeous, spaceous, and relatively flat. There was also a decent sized parking lot but I'm not sure if overnight parking is allowed there or not. The forest service roads provided nice hiking and views of the Montgomery Reservoir and Crystal Lake. We hiked in the evening and early morning and saw very few people. We did see a ton of hikers making their way up the trail mid-morning while we were packing up the van to leave so I assume the parking lot is fairly busy midday. I would camp here again in a heartbeat.