OutReserve

Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground

46101 Rocky Point Rd, Gila Bend, Arizona, United States

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

Ruth A

March 3, 2023

5

Quiet, wonderfully spaced sites.

Ruth A

March 3, 2023

5

Quiet, wonderfully spaced sites.

Rick J

February 27, 2023

5

Excellent campground, roomy sites and plenty of peace and quiet.

Rick J

February 27, 2023

5

Excellent campground, roomy sites and plenty of peace and quiet.

Kevin S

February 23, 2023

4

We only spent one evening here but enjoyed the stay. It was nice and quiet. Evenings were a bit cold.

Both trash dumpsters were overflowing.

Kevin S

February 23, 2023

4

We only spent one evening here but enjoyed the stay. It was nice and quiet. Evenings were a bit cold.

Both trash dumpsters were overflowing.

Greg S

February 22, 2023

4

We liked this spot, sites are in the open but well spaced. Very quite at night

Greg S

February 22, 2023

4

We liked this spot, sites are in the open but well spaced. Very quite at night

Jean H

February 12, 2023

4

Very quiet and dispersed campground with large sites. Very convent access to the petroglyph trail and dirt roads for mountain biking. Only criticism is there are just two vault toilets so they are a long walk from some of the sites.

Sam L

February 12, 2023

4

This is a basic BLM campground. It used to be a AZ state park but closed when the lake unit of the park was closed due to pesticide contamination. BLM has taken it over and manages it well. Clean sites and no amenities other than pit toilets and very solid picnic tables.
The real thing about this park is the Petroglyphs. An incredible number of glyphs cover all the boulders on the South face of a little hill in the park. These glyphs are right in front of you. Short level walks from the day-use area and modest walks from the 50ish campsites. All sites well separated.
Current camp host very nice and knowledgeable.
Just don't get here in the dark. We did due to extra delays and it took us a while to find the CG and our site. But in the end we had no problem. We came for the petroglyphs but will use the site in the future as a way station.
Great night sky and met astronomers from Tucson hoping to photograph Comet ZTF.

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

Map of Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground location at Gila Bend, AZ, United States
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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.

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Last updated: June 4, 2026

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Managed by Bureau of Land Management