OutReserve

Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground

A long covered pavilion provides a shaded picnic area in the desert
Alternate view of Day Use picnic Ramada
Day Use picnic area
Alternate view of vault toilet building
West single vault toilet with parking and cement walkway

Featured amenities

Pet Friendly

About Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground

Painted Rock Petroglyph Site, approximately 90 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona, provides visitors the opportunity to view an archaeological site containing hundreds of figures and designs carved into rocks, known as petroglyphs. These were produced centuries ago by indigenous peoples. This site is considered important and even sacred to many of the Native American tribes in southern Arizona. Please keep this in mind when you visit and be respectful. Climbing on the rocks is prohibited and we ask that you keep dogs out of the area.There are also inscriptions made by people who passed through during historic times.  Many important trails are near the site, some of which have been traveled for thousands of years. The 1775 expedition of Juan Bautista de Anza passed nearby on his way to deliver soldiers, padres, settlers, and their livestock to a new home in northern California to secure the area for Spain. In 1846, the Mormon Battalion passed through, following Philip St. George Cooke along some segments of this trail to help secure California from Mexico. This venture included road building tasks along the trail, assuring that future trips could accommodate wagons. A need to improve communication and travel from east to west prompted Congress to fund a stage line. The result was the Butterfield Overland Stage Route, which began service in 1858 and traveled by this site. This mail and freight service guaranteed that the mail, freight, or passengers would be able to travel from Saint Louis to San Francisco in 25 days. Use was halted when the railroad was constructed in 1879. Formerly a unit of the Arizona State Park system, jurisdiction of Painted Rock Petroglyph Site returned to the Bureau of Land Management in 1989.

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Pet friendly
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
Missing information?

Reviews (374)

What Guests Are Saying

Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground offers a peaceful and spacious environment with beautiful views and impressive petroglyphs, making it a great spot for camping and stargazing. Many visitors appreciate the clean facilities and welcoming camp hosts, highlighting the tranquility and privacy of the sites. While some noted issues with restroom cleanliness and the reservation process, the overall experience is described as enjoyable and worth a visit.

Review Summary

4.5
374 reviews
5
64.7%
242
4
23.5%
88
3
9.1%
34
2
2.7%
10
1
0.0%
0

Robert H

February 28, 2025

3

We enjoyed the petroglyph site, the quiet clean campground, the dark sky's, the friendly helpful hosts. I enjoyed riding my bike out the dirt Rd to the south. Not much else to do here maybe explore with a OHV if you had one. We stayed two nights and enjoyed relaxing in the warm weather. I can't say I would return though.

Kent V

February 28, 2025

4

We found a great site to camp in and then tried to check in and pay for the site. After 30 minutes of trying to figure out the check in process, we finally just gave up and walked over to find the camp host. The camp host was wonderful and showed us the steps to get through this online system so we could pay for our site.
Please add a pay box so that we can just pay by check or cash.

Shelley D

February 26, 2025

4

Nice site. Lots of Petroglyphs. Campground was not that full and real quiet. Camp hosts were pleasant. Not sure about anything else in the area.

Shelley D

February 26, 2025

4

Nice site. Lots of Petroglyphs. Campground was not that full and real quiet. Camp hosts were pleasant. Not sure about anything else in the area.

Rick S

February 22, 2025

4

There are absolutely no services here except for 2 pit toilets. On the plus side though, the sites are large and for the most part are widely spaced apart. It's very quiet, with the only noise being that of distant generators, and even those were few, far apart, and infrequent. Not much to do, though you can hike out into the desert on some nearby dirt roads, or take an ATV or bike out on the same roads. The terrain is petty flat. And did I mention it's a 10 mile drive to get back into this CG. Also, a great deal of you have a federal senior pass - half price, but with a few comes out to $5/ nite

Rick S

February 22, 2025

4

There are absolutely no services here except for 2 pit toilets. On the plus side though, the sites are large and for the most part are widely spaced apart. It's very quiet, with the only noise being that of distant generators, and even those were few, far apart, and infrequent. Not much to do, though you can hike out into the desert on some nearby dirt roads, or take an ATV or bike out on the same roads. The terrain is petty flat. And did I mention it's a 10 mile drive to get back into this CG. Also, a great deal of you have a federal senior pass - half price, but with a few comes out to $5/ nite

Mary M

February 12, 2025

5

This campground is quiet and peaceful. It is also clean with very nice camp hosts. There is an easy trail right off the campground to hike/walk. I feel safe camping here.

Mary M

February 12, 2025

5

This campground is quiet and peaceful. It is also clean with very nice camp hosts. There is an easy trail right off the campground to hike/walk. I feel safe camping here.

Stephen W

February 9, 2025

4

I was here a few years ago, since then the campground has been expanded with room for many more sites that are will spread out. The petroglyphs are mostly confined to a short loop with educational signage. The site are unimproved but at $8/night it’s a good deal and if you haven’t seen these it very interesting.

Stephen W

February 9, 2025

4

I was here a few years ago, since then the campground has been expanded with room for many more sites that are will spread out. The petroglyphs are mostly confined to a short loop with educational signage. The site are unimproved but at $8/night it’s a good deal and if you haven’t seen these it very interesting.

Location Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground

Address:
46101 Rocky Point Rd
Gila Bend, AZ, 85337
United States

Highway access

The campground is accessible via Interstate 8, with the nearest exit being Painted Rock Dam Road/Exit 102, approximately 12.5 miles east of the campground.

Latitude & Longitude: 33.0244 / -113.045

Elevation: 179 feet

Policies & Rules

Safety & rules

  • Take pictures only; do not disturb fragile features.

Utilities

  • No water is available at the campground.
  • No electrical hook-ups are provided at the campground.
  • No dump station is available at the campground.

Accessibility

  • Cell phone service is unreliable at the campground; plan accordingly.

Wildlife & food storage

  • Do not approach or disturb wildlife for your safety.

Fires & fuel

  • No firewood is available for sale; plan accordingly for campfires.
  • Fire restrictions may apply; check for current rules before starting a fire.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: June 4, 2026

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Managed by Bureau of Land Management