Camping at Chiricahua National Monument puts you steps from the Wonderland of Rocks, with star-filled skies and the chance to start hiking before the day-trippers arrive from Tucson. The monument has exactly one campground, Bonita Canyon, and it is small, which makes a little planning go a long way. Here is everything you need to know to secure a site and make the most of a night in the Chiricahuas.
Bonita Canyon Campground: The Basics
Bonita Canyon Campground is the only campground inside the monument. It sits at about 5,400 feet near the visitor center, tucked under Arizona cypress, oak, and sycamore along Bonita Creek. There are 25 sites total, all reservable, plus a few that the park may hold for accessibility needs. The setting is genuinely lovely and shaded, a rarity in Arizona, and the elevation keeps nights cool even in summer.
- Sites: 25 individual sites, each with a picnic table, fire ring, and grill
- Amenities: Drinking water, flush and vault toilets, but no showers and no hookups
- RV limit: Rigs are limited to 29 feet total length due to the tight scenic drive and loop
- Generators: Allowed only during posted hours; this is a quiet campground
How Reservations Work
Bonita Canyon sites are reservable through Recreation.gov, and you should book early for spring and fall weekends, which sell out fast. There is no entrance fee to the monument itself, but the campground charges a nightly fee. If you arrive without a reservation in the off-season, check Recreation.gov on your phone before driving up, since cell signal is spotty once you are inside the canyon. Plan to fill water and fuel up in Willcox, about 36 miles to the northwest, because there are no stores in the monument.
Camping Near Chiricahua When Bonita Canyon Is Full
If you cannot get a site, you still have good options nearby. The Coronado National Forest surrounds the monument and offers more rustic, often free or low-cost dispersed and developed camping.
- Pinery Canyon and Rustler Park: Forest Service campgrounds up the dirt Pinery Canyon Road over the crest, higher and cooler, best for high-clearance vehicles
- Willcox area: RV parks and the city's free Willcox Lighting of the Vines and dispersed BLM land near the Willcox Playa for full hookups and overflow
- Cave Creek Canyon (Portal side): Idyllic Forest Service campgrounds on the east side of the range, a longer drive but legendary for birding
What to Pack
Because the campground has no showers, no hookups, and no nearby stores, come self-sufficient. Bring all your food, plenty of water as backup, and warm layers; even summer nights drop into the 50s, and spring and fall nights can be near freezing. A headlamp is essential for the dark-sky setting, and bear-aware food storage is smart since black bears and javelina pass through the canyons.
Wake Up and Hike
The best reason to camp here is the head start. Roll out of Bonita Canyon and you can be at the Echo Canyon trailhead, riding the free shuttle or driving the short Bonita Canyon Scenic Drive, before the parking lots fill. That early window is perfect for tackling the classic loops in our 2-day Chiricahua hiking itinerary, including Echo Canyon, Wall Street, and the Heart of Rocks. Camping turns a rushed day trip into a relaxed weekend among the hoodoos.
