Dispersed Camping Near Sedona | 12 FREE Camping Spots
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Dispersed camping near Sedona used to be a lot different than it is now. Up until October 2022, free camping in Sedona was epic. Arguably some of the best boondocking around.
However, overuse and the greedy “need” for control have caused a lot of the most epic dispersed camping near Sedona to shut down.
We visited all the new legal places to camp for free in Sedona, and are sharing them in hopes of making a trip to Sedona just a little bit better for you.
A Little Dispersed Camping in Sedona Rant
When we got to Sedona, we were freaking livid over the new camping regulations. What I can only assume the locals have caused, is total utter chaos.
Sedona, and the land surrounding Sedona, is public land. It’s all part of the Coconino National Forest, and as such, we all deserve the right to the land.
However, with the new regulations as of October 2022, there are MASSIVE restrictions on where you can and cannot sleep in your vehicle or camp.
There is no way in hell that forcing people to camp in tiny areas, with limited spaces to stay, is helping any sort of overuse of the public land in Sedona.
People often dispersed camp for solitude and to get away from others… In fact, I’ll quote the Coconino National Forest Website on this one…
“Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground.”
And yet, although the Coconino National Forest website states the above, they have now limited dispersed camping near Sedona to designated campgrounds. I should rephrase that, to tiny, designated campgrounds.
New Dispersed Camping Near Sedona Rules
- Only stay in designated campgrounds.
- No campfires, ever.
- No overnight parking at trailheads.
- Basically, stay the f away from town.. they (the locals) don’t want you there.
- 14-day camping limit.
Dispersed Camping in Sedona Need To Know Info
No Water Sources
You need to pack your own water. Buying and filling a jug like this is a great way to reduce plastic waste.
There is a natural spring on 89A, find it here | 35.014414, -111.737785, to get free spring water.
Otherwise, you’ll need to purchase water from the grocery stores in town by the gallon.
No Bathrooms
There are no bathrooms around the free campgrounds near Sedona. There is only a pit toilet near Javalina Campground (listed below), otherwise, there’s nothing.
Learn to properly go the bathroom in nature, or snag one of these camper toilets (preferred method).. perfect for car camping too!
If you’d rather have a toilet in your rig.. consider renting an RV or campervan through RV Share! There are even handicapped RV Rentals great for accessibility for everyone!
No Trash Services
Dispersed camping means there are no trash services. What you bring to the campground, you need to take back with you.
Yes, this includes used toilet paper and food waste.
There is a recycling center at Cultural Park, right on the edge of Sedona. Otherwise, the pit toilets at the trailheads have trash bags inside the bathrooms or you’ll have to just own throwing trash away in public places like outside grocery stores and gas stations.
The lack of trash cans is one of the reasons why we felt Sedona wasn’t great for van life, or even welcoming to those camping on public land.
READ MORE | The BEST Van Life Apps
Expect 10+ Miles of Driving
All five of the new, legal free camping near Sedona locations are more than 10 miles out of town.
And more than that, some of them are closed when the weather is bad, and the open ones are nearly impossible to get to without a 4-wheel drive rig.
It’s super frustrating, and a complete waste of gas and poor for the environment with the extra fuel burning. However, it is what it is. Just be prepared.
Forest Road 525 | Dispersed Camping Near Sedona
There are five different campgrounds along Forest Road 525. They are all relatively small, and even in December/January they were pretty well packed.
Forest Road 525 is the most popular dispersed camping near Sedona, and as such, you need to be prepared to have extremely limited privacy here.
Nolan Campground is by far the best for views and privacy. It’s also the closest to Boynton Canyon Road, a quick access point to many of the famous trails of Sedona.
Nolan Campground | 34.882953, -111.910255
- Best views of red rock for sunrise and sunset
- Closest to Boynton Canyon Road
- Most privacy
- More of a campground feel
- Questionable entry for larger RVs, but doable
Nolan Campground was our favorite of all the free campgrounds near Sedona.
As you can see in the above picture, the trees provide more of a sheltered and private space and the camping area is quite large.
There is one area on the right side of the photo, that is really only accessible with high-clearance or super careful and slow driving.
Check out accessing Nolan and the other campgrounds in the video below.
Greasy Spoon Campground | 34.87552, -111.90526
- Second best campground
- Epic Sunrise Hill nearby
- Second closest to Boynton Canyon Road
- Tight Spaces for RVs to turn around
Greasy Spoon Campground is the second most private campground on 525.
You can’t really get away from the road noise and dust here, as you can at Nolan Campground, but it’s better than the other three campgrounds on this road.
Make sure you hike up the hill towards the red rock cliffs from the northern side of this campground. The views there are great for sunset!
Cockscomb Campground | 34.86818, -111.903501
- Larger turnarounds for big rigs
- Smaller than the previous two, but not the worst
- Some bushes and trees for privacy
We didn’t stay at Cockscomb Campground for more than just breakfast. But that was enough time to understand this spot.
There is a little bit more protection from the dust from 525, however, it’s pretty open and exposed.
Surrounding the little figure 8 camping spots, there are some trees and bushes for privacy for outdoor showers and the like, but as you can see not much.
After a heavy rain, there is long-standing water here.
Windmill Campground | 34.846218, -111.913646
- No privacy
- No shade
- Right on the road
- No bushes surrounding it
Windmill Campground is closer to the bottom of 525 than it is to the top. The campground isn’t the typical red rock of Sedona.
This campground is on the left side of 525; in our experience, it wasn’t as dusty as the other campgrounds. It’s a good one to go to if the wind is blowing to the east.
This campground has one area of trees nearby and is mostly flat. Expect heat and no privacy here.
Surprise Campground | 34.823726, -111.905421
- Closest to the highway
- Zero privacy or shade
- Easiest to access in poor weather, though sloppy when wet
- Not very flat at all
Super muddy. Absolutely zero privacy. And not level at all.
It’s “campgrounds” like this that just piss me off with the new 525 rules.
How can the forest service think it’s okay to shove us into something that’s not level, has no privacy, and is jam-packed because it’s so small?
My blood is literally boiling writing this. I hate that people who are out to enjoy nature, while not paying astronomical prices for accommodation, are getting treated like absolute sh*t because whoever thinks this is a better plan than just regulating illegal or damaging activity. Urg.. so aggravating!
Angel Valley Road | Opposite of 525
Javelina Campground | 34.811913, -111.893604
- More accessible in poor weather
- Not as busy as 525 locations
- Less elevation gain
- Best for a quick night, not to stay for the day
Javelina Campground was our go to campground in Sedona for quick nights.
It’s the closest to 89A, and the best, closest campground to west Sedona.
What’s awesome about this campground is the road to get to it is accessible for all! You don’t have to worry about big rocks or ruts in the road.
It’s also relatively quiet, as the road isn’t an ATV road, unlike FR 525.
Angel Valley Campground | 34.805143, -111.881486
- Must have high clearance to enter
- Tucked down in a valley
- Not very busy
We did not stay at Angel Valley Campground, because as the sign says, high clearance is recommended, and Willy has none!
The road doesn’t look too bad going in, but it’s too steep and gravely in our opinion to get out without high centering.
With that said, in the photo we took, you can see a minivan that braved the grade. Up to you and what you are comfortable with.
This is the last campground Angel Valley Road, and turning around is not easy if you choose not to camp here, so we suggest not trying if you have a larger rig.
Schnebly Hill | Only For High Clearance 4×4
Schnebly Hill | 34.875504, -111.707440
- Only for HIGH CLEARANCE 4×4
- Closed in winter when snowy or icy
- Long drive on very rough road
- Epic views
This is the smallest glimpse of what Schnebly Hill Road looks like. It’s really impossible for most vehicles, but great for a jeep!
We cycled four miles up this road to get to Merry Go Round Rock, a killer place for sunset, and the four miles had no legal camping. So expect a long drive on a road like above to get to campable locations here.
This road closes frequently in the winter when there is ice or snow on the road, even for the smallest bit of ice, so again something to keep in mind!
Pumphouse Wash | Close to Flagstaff
Pumphouse Wash Campground | 35.053267, -111.732334
- Super pretty drive to it
- Completely out of the way
- Close to Flagstaff
- Closed in winter
To get to the Pumphouse Wash Dispersed camping area, you have to go up a massive switchback mountain, pictured below.
It’s a gnarly, yet beautiful drive.. but it’s far outside of Sedona.
As you can see in the image above, in the winter, the snow completely shuts down this area. So, don’t count on Pumphouse Wash for a dispersed camping area near Sedona in the snow season.
For a closer look at designated campsites at Pumphouse Wash, head here.
Dispersed Camping Near Sedona | off I-17
Forest Road 618 | 34.689529, -111.741595
- Close to Interstate 17
- Not accessible after heavy rain
- Closest camping area if in the southern bit of Sedona (Cathedral Rock + Bell Rock)
We drove south of Sedona down Forest Road 618 in search of the designated free camping.
While there seems to be specific spots to camp, the above picture is right at the beginning of this road, and we saw people camping in a couple of different areas that looked like campgrounds but we’re marked as such.
With that said, there aren’t many spots marked as “no camping” so I reckon you have a lot more flexibility camping where you wish.
Forest Road 618 is super far away from the Boynton Canyon and Airport Mesa area of Sedona (west Sedona). However, if you’re planning to visit the Village of Oak Creek Side (Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock, Chapel of the Holy Cross), then this is the closest “legal” place to dispersed camp near Sedona.
Dispersed Camping Near Sedona
Cottonwood | 34.749608, -111.970058
We camped for a handful of nights outside of Cottonwood. This was perfect for the days it was snowing in Sedona, and we needed to dip down to lower elevation.
The benefit of camping near Cottonwood is the use of the Rec Center.. $8 for unlimited use for a day.. including a hot tub and pool!
The above coordinates are for the national forest land just past a big church off of 89A. This is the most convenient location near Cottonwood.
National Forest Land Near Tuzigoot | 34.807472, -112.043575
We searched and searched for land to publicly camp on in this area. And low and behold, after a long drive down a paved road, there is national forest land!
We stayed at this location for a couple of nights, waiting out the rain. It wasn’t the most flat location, but wasn’t horrible either.
If you camp here, be sure to visit Tuzigoot National Monument. It doesn’t take much time to walk through, and it’s super interesting to learn the history of the area.
Don’t forget to grab your national park pass from Tuzigoot for free parking at Sedona’s most popular trailheads.
Final Thoughts On Dispersed Camping Near Sedona
Honestly, dispersed camping in Sedona isn’t that great. But if you want to enjoy the beauty of Sedona and not pay loads of money, it’s the only way.
In our experience, you just have to be prepared for a lot more driving than normal, and honestly a lot more people too.
Cultural Park is a place right in town that a lot of people camp at. It’s unclear if it’s legal or not. However, we did overhear people talking about the new owners of the area allowing people to park overnight there!
More On Sedona!
We spent a month in Sedona finding the best hikes, sunset locations, sunrise spots, and more. We even made complete guides for each trail that wasn’t so easy to find.
Keyhole Cave | A Complete Guide to This Sedona Cave (with a map)
Best Sunset Hikes in Sedona | A Detailed Post with Trail Stats of The Top 7 Sunset Hikes
Sedona Trail Shoes | The BEST Trail Shoes for Sedona + What Else To Pack
Sunrise Hikes in Sedona | 7 Sedona Sunrise Hikes from Easy to Difficult
Arches in Sedona | 4 Arches in Sedona + Parking & How to Visit
Recommended Gear For Sedona
Check out our Complete Sedona Packing List (with a checklist) here.
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