Dead Horse Ranch State Park Campground

We arrived at 8:30pm on a Thursday night and there’s were plenty of open spots. After hours you can take an open spot and pay in the box. There are 3 campgrounds we stayed in the Quail loop. Nice bathrooms with free hot showers. Fairly quiet with just a little road noise. Easy drive from I 17. Dog park in town on the way in. Good place for a nights stay.

The campground itself was great. We didn't realize how busy the Sedona area gets in April so we weren't able to string together a bunch of nights. We stayed in site 106 in the Coopers Hawk loop two nights but not consecutively and then we were able to get two consecutive nights in the Red-Tailed Hawk loop site 75.

Site 106 was fine but nothing special. Not too much room and it was inconveniently placed for getting in and out of because it was between the entrance and exit in the wrong direction for each so you had to go around the whole loop or go the wrong direction for a short stint entering or leaving.

Site 75 was extremely nice. It was at a bend in the road so there was a lot of open space around us and the closest neighbors were across the street. Pretty close to the bathroom thanks to the path that was between our site and the next one over. Nice trees to provide a little shade (but not to the pad, only around the fire pit/picnic table area). Easy access to a short little hike up a nearby hill with great views over Cottonwood.

We were not impressed with the inconsistency with policies. We have a self-built van that looks pretty unassuming on the outside just like any other newer white cargo van. There were a few openings in the Blackhawk Loop that would have saved us the hassle of having to find space in a USFS campground nearby for one night but it is listed as tent only. Usually vans are fine but we called because the website seemed pretty strict. We were told in no uncertain terms both on the phone and in person when we arrived that a van like ours was not allowed in that loop for "aesthetic" reasons since it was too close to an RV while minivans or smaller vans would be fine. Well imagine our surprise when there were vans just like ours or even more built-up and "RV-like" in that loop every night we looked. We weren't about to get those people kicked out so we stayed quiet but the takeaway is to not ask if you have a van and just roll with it. Maybe try to arrive after the main office closes so they can't question it.

The only other complaint was the time that the bathrooms were closed for cleaning. 9:30am seemed a bit early to close down the bathrooms in both the Cooper and Red-Tailed hawk loops. There were no signs indicating there was a set time but we were burned by that one morning. The showers were fine but a little old or run-down. The water sprays directly back at the curtain/changing area so the floors were always wet and it was difficult to set the temperature without getting everything soaked.

Verizon service was great, never had any issues with that. No need for our booster.

Driving to and from hikes around Sedona each day was a bit annoying but it was better than fighting for space in one of the free USFS campgrounds.

This is a beautiful, newer, well-maintained state park campground with paved access, gorgeous views, lots of hiking, and you can walk into Old Town Cottonwood if you want. Lots of cool restaurants (Red Rooster Cafe is killer for breakfast) and antique shops and art galleries.

Cell reception was great, nice shower house/restroom. Very clean, friendly staff.

First "shakedown" trip with a new travel trailer. The entry was easy and the state reservation system worked well. No surprises or issues with check-in. We parked in our pull-thru spot, had a level a bit despite asphalt but not difficult. The site was clean and the neighbors were friendly.

The park was clean, well maintained, and the hosts were actively maintaining it as we walked around. Very, very friendly with every encounter. We felt welcomed and enjoyed the experience.

We loved our stay at Dead Horse Ranch State Park and would have stayed there longer if we could. We’d just had a less than great stay at a private campground, so we greatly appreciated the state park atmosphere.

Arrival and parking process was easy. We stayed in Quail Loop. Each site is asphalt, numbered, and has a fire pit, grill, and picnic table. We saw big rigs and small ones, and most seemed to have enough space. Each site is surrounded by trees and shrubbery. Site number 7 is in the pull through section, a short walk away from the bathhouse.

The bathhouse has sinks (soap and paper towels), showers (locking stalls, shower curtains, and plenty of hooks), and a dishwashing station around back (two sinks with hot water and plenty of counter space). After doing a lot of camping recently in California, it was a welcome change to have a hot shower without tokens required. Really the only negative here is the water pressure in the showers. Well, that and the little stickers that we and our dog tracked in after each walk through the campground. Ouch!

There are short trails within the park, all of which are dog-friendly, and the park is a day trip away from Jerome, Sedona, Prescott, Montezuma Well, Montezuma Castle, etc. We highly recommend a visit to Montezuma Well! The town of Cottonwood is easy to navigate and has all the services you might need.

We didn’t use the dump station. The Quail dumpster and recycling (aluminum cans and plastic only) are near the main park road.

Wow! We were truly impressed with this campground. Sites were cleaned prior to our arrival. Showers were amazing. You could have a full shower without the water cutting off in the middle. Warm water ( temps were in the 50s during the day, and 20s at night) and bathrooms were clean and warm, too. There is horseback riding, fishing, hiking, birdwatching, wildlife and kayaking. So much to do! The only negative is for pet owners. There are some nasty little burrs around 90% of the campsites. They stick to your pets fur and get in their feet. Just stay on trails and roads when walking your dogs. Other than that, we had a great stay and will be back!

Dead Horse Ranch State Park is a perfect place to stay if you want to visit, Montezuma Castle National Monument, Tuzigoot National Monument, Old Cottonwood, Red Rock State Park, Jerome and the many Sedona attractions. Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot are pet friendly although if your pet doesn’t like stairs Tuzigoot may be a little more difficult walk for them. The price of one ticket covers both National Monuments and Tuzigoot is only 4 miles from the campground. Within the campground, there are three lagoons and miles of trails to hike or bike. The bathrooms are well maintained, and the showers had great water pressure. We were in site 91 which was a large site and level, but the metal picnic bench needs to be replaced. Brush between the sites adds privacy. Staff and the camp host were all very friendly and helpful. Firewood can be purchased for $8 cash from the camp host. The dump station is on the way out of the park is easy to access. Overall, we enjoyed the park. It was very quiet and a great location to multiple attractions.