Cieneguita Camping Area

We had an itch to try out our new generator, so from Tucson we headed here, leaving behind cacti forests for open fields punctuated by stocky Mesquite trees and backed by snow capped mountains. We couldn't have asked for a better initiation to boondocking. You'll always remember your first!

This is a beautiful spot with few cactus, mostly grassland and mesquite trees. We entered from the Empire Ranch Rd. side which is paved for 3 miles, then onto hardpack gravel. Taking a right at the "T" 1.2 miles on the right is the turn into the 6 or 7 sites for 3/4 mile back. The prior dirt road is narrow with mesquite trees and not... more

Even by boondocking standards this place is seriously quiet and peaceful. We stayed for a week in March and even though the 6 other sites here were taken each night, the distance and mesquite groves between sites made for a great feeling of seclusion. The road in is not bad, although it is narrow and would be difficult for two rigs... more

We REALLY wanted to stay here. The reviews made it seem like maybe we could camp here in our rig but NO WAY JOSE. We made it all the way to the Empire Ranch Headquarters and quickly realized that we were in trouble. It had been raining and the dirt roads were not easily navigated by our rig, we got very muddy and slid around on ... more

It was not what I expected, but the savanna style grasslands were amazing. Totally quiet and lots of space to roam did the trick for me. The dogs fell in love with the tall grasses instantly, and had a blast all week long. Expect to be visited by the local cows, and be sure to go visit the Empire Ranch. Word of warning - don't liste... more

Las Cienegas National Conservation Area is a beautiful boondocking area. We followed all the directions from other posted reviews (Thanks Rv Chickadee and Dawn) and had NO problem at all getting in here. Highway 83 was a nice scenic road that mades some nice twists and turns along the way. Empire Ranch Rd. was easily marked and very we... more

The Cieneguita camp area was our first boondocking experience, and it was perfect! The road in was the nicest gravel road I've ever seen. Entering the camp area was easy and the road was a little washboarded, but in great shape otherwise. There was one rut in the middle of the road that's easy to straddle. There's 8 pre-made spots f... more

Wow! If you are looking for a quiet, remote and beautiful spot, this place qualifies with flying colors. If you have dogs, it scores even higher for the lack of cacti in the area. The landscape resembles the show Little House on the Prairie as far as looks go. It's a grassy land at around 4,600', it's hilly and surrounded by mounta... more

We camped at Las Cienegas National Conservation Area Cieneguita Camp Area in the 2nd camp site on the right. It was a huge pull-through that had nice view of the valley toward the north. All of the sites here are very secluded thanks to the many mesquite in the area. There were many places to walk our dog off-leash. There was only o... more

We love this place and will definitely go back. Hubs and I have boondocked a few other places in Arizona, and the only downfall for us, is our puppies' paws. They get cacti thorns in them within the first 5 minutes - not this place!! The grasslands are beautiful and for the most part, thorn free - which is a huge plus for us! T... more

The Cieneguita Primitive Camp Area in the Las Cienegas National Conservation Area is a beautiful spot for boondocking. There were 2 other rigs here, one 5th wheel and one motor home. We were all spaced really far apart so there was a lot of privacy. We had 22 HDTV channels including all 3 major networks. Our iPhone is 3G and ... more