Dead Horse Ranch State Park

We loved our time at this state park. We stayed in the Red Tail Hawk loop, which looks to be the nicer loop. Sites were well spaced and our site backed up to the hill for some privacy. Great walks thru the park, including walking around the lagoons, where fisherman tried their luck and others regularly walked every morning. Beautiful starry skies at night! We were even serenaded one night by two gentleman who hiked up the hill and played their bagpipes! It was a beautiful site to see at sunset.

Big sites, clean bathhouses, spaces between the sites slows for a more privacy than other places we’ve been. Loved the trees and hiking! Next time will bring bikes/scooters and fishing supplies. Playground is nice, kids loved the zip line. Horses were awesome and the staff there were very friendly and answered all of my daughters questions without irritation. Loved watching them in the trails. Skate park before you come into the park. Close to old town Cottonwod for shopping, dinners and wine tastings. We will stay here again. (family of 5, kids ages 6 & 12)

May 3-5, 2019, ck in n out dates.

Great park!! We were there meeting others but the park seemed huge by AZ State Park standards. Our site was in Quail Loop, where it is hard to remember that there is desert in many other areas of the property when waking day one. Beautiful large native Mesquite and Cottonwoods offering cool shade over some areas with small amounts of grass are a welcome sight. There is a lagoon further in the park. A short drive or hike will get you to the water or rental cabins if you turn the wrong way. A day use area and a group camp area are also offered. Fishing and non-motorized boating are allowed as I remember. The Verde river flows a short distance away and can be accessed easily along with a short nature trail from a day use area On the other side of the main street within the park are two more camp areas, but are a high desert area with considerably less shade offered. The towns of Cottonwood, and Jerome are near with a lot more to do if you become overwhelmed by the beauty of the park. The area is also great for cycling. Besides clean everything, there are bath and shower houses. Occasionally on Saturday evenings, you may be fortunate enough to ear a local folk or cowboy group as we did. Hey, maybe we'll see ya at the next stop.

We loved being able to hike into the back country directly from our site, while being just a few short miles from charming Old Cottonwood and all the services one could ever need. We camped in the Coopers Hawk Loop, which is set on a ridge above town and offers long views towards the mountains to the southwest. Even though we were on the inside of the loop, site separation was very nice and our site was perfect for views from our rear panoramic windows. The contours of the land meant the eastern side of the loop was higher than the western side so all rigs could enjoy those good views and our main window didn't face another camper.

Our site was paved, in good condition, and mostly level. Utilities all worked perfectly. The dump station was busy on Sunday at departure time, but it is well positioned near the entrance where there was adequate stacking for traffic. The bathhouse was a little dated, but was kept spotless with daily cleaning. We appreciate that Arizona state parks have normal shower controls and not those annoying push buttons.

The park is located very close to Old Cottonwood, with lots of interesting shops and wine tasting rooms, and the main commercial areas of Cottonwood are just a few miles further. Be aware that this is not a remote park location -- we saw the lights of Cottonwood twinkling at night, and heard plenty of train and small plane traffic. But there are multiple trails heading north from the campgrounds into more undeveloped areas that quickly took us to peaceful, quiet mesas with nothing but mountain bikers and other hikers to contend with. Best mid-length loop: Lime Kiln to Thumper to Raptor. Being close to town, we had perfect cell service throughout our stay. This park really hit all the marks for us.

This is our second time here. We stayed here a year ago and liked it so much we came back!
We stayed in the Quail Loop as we did before. The sites are nicely spread out, pads are kept and are mostly level, bathrooms and showers are super clean and everyone we have met at the front entry, hosts, and other campers have all been lovely. It does get busier and louder on the weekends, but nothing out of control- I enjoyed hearing the kids playing, riding bikes etc.
The park location is great. You really feel like you are far away, when in fact, within a few minutes drive you can be at a Safeway, Walmart, Gas, Home Depot and a ton of restaurants! There are the quaint, touristy shopping areas of Old Cottonwood and Jerome nearby as well as National Monuments and Forts to explore. If you like to bike, hike or fish the Park has lots to do!
We had a very strong Verizon cell signal as well as a ton of TV channels on our antenna- we were here for the NFL playoff games and didn't miss them!

This has to be one of our favorites. Nestled along the Verde River and only a stone’s throw to old town Cottonwood gives a quiet and remote feel while still being close to town amenities. The park is immaculate. We stayed in Quail Loop closer to the river with more trees; the other two loops are higher up with long range views but fewer trees. All offers access to trails, while Quail is closer to trails along the river and to the three lagoons. Great place for riding bikes or hiking. Campgrounds were all paved, with well-spaced sites with trees for privacy. All are very level, asphalt surface, and good W/E hook. Bathhouses older but very clean, and nicely maintained. Two lane dump station oriented for inbound/outbound traffic. Dump station is clean has trash can available and easy in and out. Campsite reservation covers the $7 day-use fee. Excellent Verizon reception. Overall beautiful CG, and camp hosts were great.