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 Pet Friendly

About Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground

Painted Rock Petroglyph Site, approximately 90 mi 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.

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
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May
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Nov
Dec

Open year round

This campground is open year round, providing flexibility for your stay.

365 Days

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Pet friendly Pet friendly
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
Missing information?

Reviews (386)

What Guests Are Saying

Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground offers spacious sites, stunning views, and a peaceful atmosphere, making it a great destination for campers, especially those with large rigs. Visitors appreciate the interesting petroglyphs, clean facilities, and helpful camp hosts. While some noted the need for improved restroom facilities and a more straightforward payment process, the overall experience is highly positive, highlighting the campground as a tranquil retreat worth revisiting.

Review Summary

4.5
386 reviews
5
65.5%
253
4
23.1%
89
3
8.8%
34
2
2.6%
10
1
0.0%
0

Paul D

November 25, 2024

5

NA

Ellen H

November 24, 2024

5

Very clean area. Camp host are great

Ellen H

November 24, 2024

5

Very clean area. Camp host are great

Linda C

November 22, 2024

4

The location is beautiful and the camping sites are far apart. The campground hosts were very helpful. Registering for a campsite was not easy. You can only register when you are actually in the campground. Then you have to use the rec.gov app on your phone by scanning a QR code. The QR code is at the entrance to the campground. So after you find you site, you have to return to the kiosk at the entrance to scan the code. You cannot use rec.gov on a computer or sign up in advance. For us it was not a problem, but if it is a weekend and you drive all the way out there without knowing if sites are available, campers are going to be angry.

Marlene A

November 22, 2024

4

When you want to camp at a quiet peaceful place with a spiritual feel, this is it. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five was because the registration online process was so confusing that I ended up registering for the same spot four times and was charged four times. I did call Recreation.gov and explain that I had signed up four times not realizing it. They quickly credited my credit card account and made it right.

Linda C

November 22, 2024

4

The location is beautiful and the camping sites are far apart. The campground hosts were very helpful. Registering for a campsite was not easy. You can only register when you are actually in the campground. Then you have to use the rec.gov app on your phone by scanning a QR code. The QR code is at the entrance to the campground. So after you find you site, you have to return to the kiosk at the entrance to scan the code. You cannot use rec.gov on a computer or sign up in advance. For us it was not a problem, but if it is a weekend and you drive all the way out there without knowing if sites are available, campers are going to be angry.

Marlene A

November 22, 2024

4

When you want to camp at a quiet peaceful place with a spiritual feel, this is it. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five was because the registration online process was so confusing that I ended up registering for the same spot four times and was charged four times. I did call Recreation.gov and explain that I had signed up four times not realizing it. They quickly credited my credit card account and made it right.

Patricia W

November 19, 2024

4

Beautiful location. The painted rocks themselves are a treasure and should be seen. Wish I could have seen them 100’s of years ago. I liked the FCFS with scan and pay at the site. I liked even more the fact that camp hosts came by later to see if we had any problem with the app. I wish they had had firewood. There was some downed wood to have a fire but not enough

Patricia W

November 19, 2024

4

Beautiful location. The painted rocks themselves are a treasure and should be seen. Wish I could have seen them 100’s of years ago. I liked the FCFS with scan and pay at the site. I liked even more the fact that camp hosts came by later to see if we had any problem with the app. I wish they had had firewood. There was some downed wood to have a fire but not enough

Jeanette M

November 8, 2024

5

Large campground, spacious sites. Quiet. Clean and well maintained. Views for miles. Nice, short hike around the petroglyphs, and informational signs providing historical details. Dry camping. Trash dumpster on site. Would stay again.

Location & Directions for Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground

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

Elevation: 179 ft

Getting There

<p>Exit Interstate 8 at Painted Rock Dam Road/Exit 102, about 12.5 mi west of Gila Bend. Travel north on Painted Rocks Dam Road 10.7 mi to Rocky Point Road. Painted Rocks Petroglyph Site is 0.6 mi west of Painted Rock Dam Road on Rocky Point Road....

Nearest town

Gila Bend, AZ - 26 mi

About 26 min to downtown

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.

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: October 7, 2026

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Explore Gila Bend, AZ

Population: 1,363

Nearby larger city

Buckeye, AZ

Approx. 36 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 735 ft

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Managed by the Bureau of Land Management