Thank you for choosing to learn more about this gorgeous Sonoran Desert park! Picacho Peak State Park is home to a wide variety of plants, birds, and animals that have adapted to life in the Sonoran Desert. There are a number of great hiking trails here for you to explore the beauty of this desert playground. Our campgrounds are available for those of you that would like to extend your stay for maximum adventure potential! See below to learn more about the facilities offered at this park, then plan a trip and enjoy! 

Facilities available at Picacho Peak State Park

Visitor Center

The Visitor Center has public restrooms, a gift shop, plus vending machines with energy drinks and snacks. The building is currently LEED Gold Certified which means that this facility operates under stringent qualifications set forth by LEED to be a green location. The Visitor Center also features a reservable conference room, a beautiful setting for your next meeting. 

Call the Visitor Center at 520-466-3183 to reserve this space. 

Conference Room availability:

• Reservable from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily (time negotiable)
• Max Capacity- 12
• $50 per day
• Up to three cars may park in the VC parking lot.
• Subsequent cars must park in nearby Harrington loop, a short walk away, they will be required to purchase Day Use entry fee of $7.00 for up to four adults in the vehicle.

Disclaimer - Rangers may need to interrupt briefly in order to grab Rescue Supplies.

Amenities:

• Refrigerator (drinks not provided)
• Microwave
• Keurig coffee maker
• Filtered water
• White board 
• Projector screen (possible projector)
• 16 ft table and 12 chairs

Park Store

The gift shop, inside the Visitor Center sells maps, bottled water, magnets, collectibles, hiking books, souvenirs, and more. There are also vending machines with energy drinks, ice cream, and snacks. Hours vary, but are typically 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Camping & RV Sites

Picacho Peak State Park’s campground has a total of 78 electric sites for both tent and RV camping. Sites are suitable for RVs and/or tents. No more than six adults and 10 people total per site. No more than two vehicles per site. Only one motorhome/RV per site. Four sites are accessible. No water or sewer hookups are available. Access to all sites is paved. Sites are fairly level and are located in a natural Sonoran Desert setting. Both back-ins and pull-throughs are available. No maximum size limit (except no tractor trailers allowed). All sites offer a picnic table and barbeque/fire ring. Many sites also offer ramadas, and some of the sites are handicapped-accessible. Use of the dump station is included in the price for camping. Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Generator use is not permitted.

There are two modern, handicapped-accessible restroom and shower buildings available at no additional charge for campers. An off-leash dog park is available for registered campers only. It's located across the street from the entrance to A loop. Please pick up after your furry friends!

Second Vehicle Fee: There will be a per night fee for second vehicles. The fee will be paid upon arrival at the park. The fee does not apply to vehicles towed behind a primary vehicle when the primary vehicle remains at the site and the towed vehicle is used for transportation.

Important Note: Entrance gate is closed nightly from 10 p.m.-5 a.m. Trails are closed from sunset to sunrise.

New: High-Speed WiFi internet access available at all campsites, provided by Airebeam. Additional fees required for access.

Campground Information

Group Reservations: Camping

All group camping areas are available only by reservation. Group reservations can be made up to one year in advance. To make group reservations, call the park directly. For more details and pictures of the areas, visit the Group SItes page.

Picnic Areas/Shelters

Ramadas and other picnic areas with tables and barbecue grills are located throughout the park. Most picnic areas also offer shade roofs. Some are handicapped-accessible. Group reservations for day use are available.

Group Reservations: Day Use Areas

Reservations can be made up to one year in advance. Group reservation: day use areas may also be used on a first come, first-served basis if not reserved by another group, ask about current availability at Visitor Center.

Accessible Day Use Areas

Cholla Ramada: Four picnic tables and grills, water source. Maximum of 40 people. Wheelchair accessible. Electric (lighting and 110 volt outlets). Close proximity to parking, restrooms, hiking trails, and playground. $25.00 plus daily entrance fee.

Ocotillo Ramada: Four picnic tables & grills, water source. Maximum of 40 people. Wheelchair accessible. Electric (lighting and 110 volt outlets). Close proximity to parking, restrooms, hiking trails, and playground. $25.00 plus daily entrance fee.

Non-Accessible Day Use Areas

Ironwood Ramada: Four picnic tables, group grill, fire ring & water source. Maximum capacity 30 people. Electric (lighting and 110 volt outlets). Close proximity to parking, restrooms, hiking trails. $25.00 plus daily entrance fee.

Mesquite Ramada: Four picnic tables, grills. Maximum capacity 30 people. Not Wheelchair accessible. Electric (lighting and 110 volt outlets) & water source. Close proximity to parking, restrooms, hiking trails. $25.00 plus daily entrance fee.

Restrooms/Showers

Two modern, accessible restroom buildings (one is subject to seasonal closures) with hot showers. Restrooms are located at the Park Visitor Center, plus the Hunter and Calloway trailheads and in the campground. Campground restrooms are handicapped-accessible. Portable toilets are available at Sunset Vista Day Use area. Our staff works hard to ensure the cleanliness of every restroom and shower within the park and take pride in offering our visitors a safe place to stay. 

Dump Station

Located at the entrance to the campground. Use of dump station is included in the price for camping. Not available to non-campers.

Activities and Experiences

Hiking Trails

Experience the very best the Sonoran desert has to offer right from our various hiking trails within the park. Choose strenuous or easy going options to suit your ability or mood. Please get a park map upon your arrival to find out where you can access this beautiful slice of desert and explore the trails. 

Wildlife and Bird Watching

The Sonoran desert is home to a wide variety of birds and wildlife specially adapted to life in the harsh desert environment. There are tons of resident and migrating birds that call the park home, and you might even catch glimpse of a desert mule deer, javelina, or fox from the campgrounds or the trails! Don’t forget to bring your binoculars and please remember to give the animals some space. 

Dark Skies

Dark skies are a natural resource! Many people now live in areas where there is so much "light pollution" stars, constellations, and the Milky Way are no longer visible. This is a growing global concern.

Picacho Peak State Park is currently looking into a formal designation as an International Dark Sky Park to protect our dark skies and allow visitors to enjoy the expansive views at the park, even at night. Our current goal is to allow for needed, purposeful lighting while reducing the glare that is detrimental to experiencing the night sky.

Many artificial sources of light exist for convenience and for ambiance rather than for safety. Unnecessary and/or poorly designed lighting can decrease the brightness of the stars and impair the ability of the human eye to adapt to natural darkness. A lack of darkness also affects wildlife as it has the potential to disrupt their night/day cycle. Many animals rely on darkness to hunt – or to be hidden from predators!

Please help by using the following guidelines:

• Temporary lights such as RV porch lights, step lights, etc. in the campground may not be left on overnight and should only be used on an as-needed basis, especially after 10 p.m. “Dark hours” are between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., same as quiet hours.
• All outside lights, including lights mounted on RVs, should be pointed toward the ground or shielded against the sky with a cover, screen, hood, or awning. Lights should not should not reach any adjacent campsites.
• Lights, including LED strings and seasonal decorations, can be mounted on poles, posts, or similar structures up to 5ft above ground. However, any such lights should still be shielded.
• Lighting on flagpoles is not permitted at any time, regardless of direction.
• Any type of blinking, flashing, pulsating, color-changing, or similar lights, images or characters are not permitted at any time.
• Low-lumen decorative awning lights such as LEDs, string lights, etc. are permitted as long as they are attached underneath the awning and don’t emit light past the horizontal.
• Small individual camping-type lanterns, headlamps and flashlights are permitted at any time for safety.

Park Rules

• Gates are closed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Campers arriving before 12 noon on the day of arrival will be charged the park entrance fee.
• Trails closed from sunset to sunrise.
• Littering is unlawful.
• Damaging or removing the natural rocks, vegetation, native wood, or public property is prohibited.
• For your own safety, stay on designated trails.
• Drive and park only on designated paved surfaces. DO NOT pull off on side of road. 
• Obey posted speed limits and all other signs.
• Keep pets on a leash. Clean up after your pet.
• Camping in designated areas only.
• Quiet hours are observed 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• Check out time for campers is 12 noon.

Agency Rules & Regulations 

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