Indian Bread Rocks Dispersed Camping
BLM
Write a Review South Happy Camp Canyon Bowie, AZ 85605 928-348-4400 Official WebsiteGPS: 32.2387, -109.4997
Overview of Indian Bread Rocks Dispersed Camping
Accessibility is not guaranteed, always scout ahead before driving down dirt roads. Learn more: Boondocking 101.
Last Price Paid: $0
Reported by Don on 4/2/2024
Longest RV Reported: 39 feet (Toy Hauler Fifth Wheel)
Reported by KimberDon the Vagabonds on 3/10/2019
Pad Type dirt
Elevation 4,166 ft / 1,269 m
Max Stay 14
Tent Camping Yes
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Q&A - Ask the Community about Indian Bread Rocks Dispersed Camping
To ask questions of the owner or manager please contact the campground directly. 928-348-4400
Dan the Can asked on 1/25/2022
How long is the unpaved portion of road to get in here, and is lower clearance vehicle safe to drive on it? Our Trava...
Jay asked on 4/6/2024
I’m new to boondocking in Arizona desert, is this an area where one worries about rattlesnakes especially with dogs d...
camper-687341 asked on 12/16/2023
We’re in a tall truck camper needing 13’6” clearance. Are there low hanging branches or any other clearance issues?
camper-776271 asked on 1/10/2023
Are the roads to Indian Bread Rocks fit for a RWD Tundra with a 17ft trailer? Its not a 4x4. Thanks!
Reviews of Indian Bread Rocks Dispersed Camping 117 people have reviewed this location.
“Beautiful place to stay”
Reviewed 4/1/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 2 |
RV Length: | 36' (Fifth Wheel) |
The 3 mile road into the recreation area is nice and wide but has a lot of wash boarding. Some spots were pretty bad, just go slow. For bigger rigs there are spots before you get to the rec area but when we were there, they were all taken. Like other reviewer‘s have said, the last cattle grate at the left turn is very narrow and the ro... more
The 3 mile road into the recreation area is nice and wide but has a lot of wash boarding. Some spots were pretty bad, just go slow. For bigger rigs there are spots before you get to the rec area but when we were there, they were all taken. Like other reviewer‘s have said, the last cattle grate at the left turn is very narrow and the road after that is also narrow. We managed to make it through in our 36 foot fifth wheel and F350 Crew Cab truck though. The views are definitely worth the hassle!
Judy would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Beautiful, Quiet, Bouldering”
Reviewed 3/31/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 2 |
Site Number: | N/A |
RV Length: | 33' (Travel Trailer) |
This is a beautiful spot. Access: Dirt road is well maintained, although a few spots with washboards so we went pretty slow to save our equipment. Make sure you take the turn WIDE into the last skinny cattle guard (it’s a left turn) into the campground so you are better aligned or you might hit the posts on the left side (we almost ... more
This is a beautiful spot.
Access: Dirt road is well maintained, although a few spots with washboards so we went pretty slow to save our equipment. Make sure you take the turn WIDE into the last skinny cattle guard (it’s a left turn) into the campground so you are better aligned or you might hit the posts on the left side (we almost did). Agree with previous reviews that it might be good to check on foot or bike through to see if there is a good spot open for your size (we had a nice RVer tell us there was a spot further on). If you’re choosing the last spot for big rigs and you have a pull behind, stay on the road and make a right turn into it. The LAST SPOT TO TURN AROUND for big rigs is a big dirt spot on the right with a couple small trees between that dirt and the main road. The spot we stayed in you can go past those trees and make a right turn into a spot aligned with the main road, although we were pretty darn close to knocking off our stabilizing jacks because of the uneven terrain from road to campsite. Would not try this spot with a pull behind larger than ours, and would only take much smaller pull behinds beyond that point, although if you get there you could stop and walk a little to see if you think you could do it. There are a couple spots not much further on.
Area: Great bouldering (well, walking up big boulders, they’re pretty rough and grippy with hike shoes and tore up my hands a bit) and hiking. Beautiful rock formations. Lots of cactus and cow pies but generally pretty sandy ground for doggies. Saw deer, turkey vultures, big beetles, ground squirrels, rabbits and someone else said they saw a big cat, which we didn’t see but may have found where it has slept. Didn’t see the cows this time, but heard a few, and of course, cow pies.
Emberlynn would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Beautiful Views from the rocks!! ”
Reviewed 3/20/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 2 |
We planned a trip here as we were driving through Arizona. We were instantly impressed with the rock formations and the space here to roam. We were here during spring break and it was busy but we still found a spot with our 28 foot rig that was far enough from people we felt secluded. The stars here at night are absolutely eye popping ... more
We planned a trip here as we were driving through Arizona. We were instantly impressed with the rock formations and the space here to roam. We were here during spring break and it was busy but we still found a spot with our 28 foot rig that was far enough from people we felt secluded. The stars here at night are absolutely eye popping and so surreal. if you are coming from the city like us. We stood there in awe of the night sky. The only negative I have, and is partially our fault is that the gravel is real soft almost like sand. We arrived about an hour before sunset so we set the rig in a hurry and we weren’t fully level and the wind gusts at night felt like we were gonna tip over. As you level your rig make sure it doesn’t sink into the gravel after you level it.
Miggy would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Beautiful views and few actual trails ”
Reviewed 3/11/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 2 |
Site Number: | None |
RV Length: | 15' (Travel Trailer) |
Gusty couple nights and busy I guess for spring break .. nice hike up to the ranch and cow watering hole is easy and inside the cyn away from wind.
don would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Relaxing”
Reviewed 3/8/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 7 |
Camped with Mike to see the trailer on one of the little campsites just outside of The campground itself. Had a nice level spot with a firing and easy access in and out. Great hiking, climbing around the rocks here. Lots of wind throughout the day though.
Haggis would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Very Good”
Reviewed 3/6/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 4 |
Site Number: | 0 |
This place is only a few minutes from the very small town of Bowie, Arizona. Not much in Bowie. If you need supplies you will need to go to Wilcox which is about 30 minutes away on I-10. There was lots of room in the area and we enjoyed our stay. Larger rigs need to scout the area you are going into before you go all the way in. ... more
This place is only a few minutes from the very small town of Bowie, Arizona. Not much in Bowie. If you need supplies you will need to go to Wilcox which is about 30 minutes away on I-10.
There was lots of room in the area and we enjoyed our stay. Larger rigs need to scout the area you are going into before you go all the way in. Turn around is tight in many areas.
We spent our days reading, exploring the hills and the rocks, and went to Fort Bowie one day, which is a few miles further up the road. That is a 1.5 mile walk, each way, and if you like history it was very good.
On the positive, it was very quiet and we were never very close to any other campers. It's early March and the nights were cool and the day temps were in the 60's and up to about 70 degrees. We would stay here again with no issues.
On the negative. 1. It is remote camping so you need to entertained yourself. 2. If you get off the main road it can be soft and I did get stuck once. I managed to get out but be careful if you have a large and heavy rig. Be sure to walk it before you drive into any spot. 3. The BLM officer came by where we were camped and said camping was allowed but NO vehicles in that area. There were no signs and nothing to say what area is good for vehicles and what areas are not. On the positive side, he was nice, professional and allowed us to stay the rest of that day as we told him we were pulling out in the morning. Stay on the areas that have clearly been used before and you should be fine.
Jim would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Cool place to setup for a few days”
Reviewed 2/14/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 5 |
We stayed 5 nights here and really enjoyed it. There are several camping areas, albeit a little crowded even in the beginning of February. There is a pit toilet at the entrance along with a few trashcans. Cell service on our phones was decent enough (3 bars) to still do work while we were there. One downside to mention, our AT&T hotspo... more
We stayed 5 nights here and really enjoyed it. There are several camping areas, albeit a little crowded even in the beginning of February. There is a pit toilet at the entrance along with a few trashcans. Cell service on our phones was decent enough (3 bars) to still do work while we were there. One downside to mention, our AT&T hotspot (Mobley) did not work at all in this area. As soon as we left and got a few miles away, it started working again fine, so this must be some kind of dead spot for this particular type of service. The views are fantastic, with amazing sunrises and sunsets. There are lots of places to explore for young kids and adults alike. Big rocks to scramble on that offer a birds eye view of the camping area. Everything was clean, not a lot of trash. We got to see a coatimundi and were serenaded several nights by the coyotes. We would happily stay here again!
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Kids LOVED it here!!”
Reviewed 2/11/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 8 |
Site Number: | Near picnic area |
RV Length: | 34' (Toy Hauler Fifth Wheel) |
We pulled into one of the bigger spots just after coming over the last cattle guard. Our kids LOVED it here! They climbed two different rock “mountains” right near our campsite. They could play in the rocks for hours. We had great cell coverage from both Verizon and Sprint. I was able to easily video conference for work using the Sprin... more
We pulled into one of the bigger spots just after coming over the last cattle guard. Our kids LOVED it here! They climbed two different rock “mountains” right near our campsite. They could play in the rocks for hours. We had great cell coverage from both Verizon and Sprint. I was able to easily video conference for work using the Sprint signal. Big rigs may have a little more challenge finding a spot here, but there are some spaces. If you drive on up the road there is a big enough turn around spot for big rigs if there’s no campsite available. Surprisingly, this BLM land is fairly busy with people coming and going all days of the week. We thought the best time to show up would be just after lunch. There are picnic tables, two small trash barrels that are emptied about twice a week and a vault toilet. It is dark here at night and the sky is breathtaking. We did hear coyotes many nights. I’ve not seen any other posts about packrats, but we did have a critter of some sort get into our rv where we had some tire damage to the underbelly that has not yet been patched. I could hear it scurry from one side of the rig to the other under the floor. I put out lights on top of the tires after that and didn’t hear it again. We did need some groceries, so we drove to Willcox one day. There is a Safeway and a Dollar General there. We also took a daytrip to Chiricahua National Monument and did the 3 mile Echo Canyon loop trail. It was phenomenal, and we all enjoyed the hoodoo formations. Highly recommend. After our week-long BLM stay, we spent a night at the Mountain View RV Park in Bowie. It is a nice clean affordable little place. I posted a more detailed review for them under their name. We would def stay at Indian Bread Rocks again. It is now one of our kids’ favorite campsites.
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Great Road In”
Reviewed 2/8/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 7 |
Happy Camper is one of the best BLM access roads I've seen thus far, though it does have some spots. The views are great and it is a nice place to walk the dog. There are coyote and cows. It snowed while we were here & the sun came out in the afternoon to melt half of it away. There are a few good spots if you have a big rig & more opt... more
Happy Camper is one of the best BLM access roads I've seen thus far, though it does have some spots. The views are great and it is a nice place to walk the dog. There are coyote and cows. It snowed while we were here & the sun came out in the afternoon to melt half of it away. There are a few good spots if you have a big rig & more options the smaller you are. While walking the dog I saw a Coati in the tree, so that was cool.
Ashley would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
“Gorgeous & Quiet...Cow Pies & Cacti”
Reviewed 2/4/2021
Nightly rate: | FREE! |
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Days stayed: | 3 |
Site Number: | N/a |
RV Length: | 30' (Travel Trailer) |
To get here, go through the very sketchy town of Bowie. Follow sign to Ft Bowie Historical Site. Drive about 3 or so miles on the paved road and watch for the major dips in the road. Don’t go too fast! The dirt road leading to the entrance gate is off to the right and not well marked. Small street sign that says Happy Camper. I... more
To get here, go through the very sketchy town of Bowie. Follow sign to Ft Bowie Historical Site. Drive about 3 or so miles on the paved road and watch for the major dips in the road. Don’t go too fast!
The dirt road leading to the entrance gate is off to the right and not well marked. Small street sign that says Happy Camper. It’s a very wide and flat (albeit a tad washboardy in places) gravel road.
After crossing a few narrow cattle guards, you reach the small turnaround at the official picnic site. Beyond that is where the road starts getting really tricky, so if you haven’t found a spot yet and you have a coach, head this warning.
It’s single lane and has some very deep tire tracks and dips at points along the way, getting worse as you go. If you have a big rig and you go more than 1/4 mile beyond the gate before you find a spot, you may need 4WD due to slickness from the dirt, in spots. We used 4WD towing a 30’ Outdoors Travel Trailer but then again, we had to drive at least a mile to a turnaround where all the cows are. This is ultimately where we camped for 3 nights but we had to make sure we tucked our truck and trailer out of the way as the rancher comes every day to feed his cattle there. The cows are friendly and will come right up to your rig and they do have horns. Currently there was only one young bull with the herd, but there are mommas with babies and the rancher said one will absolutely get you if you get too close.
If you didn’t find a spot by the turnaround and you have a big rig, DO NOT go past this point or you will never get out. According to the rancher, there are no other places to turn around at all.
Again, absolutely gorgeous and quiet boondocking area.
We thoroughly enjoyed our spot but we were basically camping in the cow patties.
MonicaRick would stay here again
This review is the opinion of a Campendium member and not of Campendium.com
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Amenities
Hookups
- dry camping
- Dispersed Camping
Recreation
- picnic area
- recreation trail
Facilities
- restrooms: vault
- trash
Pets
- pets
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