Catalina Campground

Open — Open year-round. Park gates open 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily. Campgrounds A and B with electric/water hookups are available year-round at $50 per night. Ringtail Campground (non-hookup) operates seasonally January 1 through March 31 at $25 per night. Reservations available online at azstateparks.com or by calling 1-877-MY-PARKS (1-877-697-2757). Check-in is 2:00 p.m., check-out is 12:00 noon. Limited to 14 consecutive nights per 30-day period.

About

Catalina State Park Campground sits in the shadows of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains, offering a scenic desert camping experience just minutes from metropolitan Tucson. The park encompasses 5,500 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert foothills, canyons, and washes, home to nearly 5,000 saguaro cacti and over 170 species of birds. The campground features two main loops (A and B) with 120 modern campsites, all with paved parking slips, picnic tables, and BBQ grills. Each site includes 20/30/50-amp electric hookups and water service, making it ideal for both tent campers and RVers of any size. The park's natural setting provides abundant wildlife viewing opportunities, with frequent sightings of javelina, coyotes, deer, bobcats, and numerous bird species. Multiple hiking and biking trails wind through the desert landscape, ranging from easy nature walks to more challenging backcountry routes into the Santa Catalina Mountains. The campground complex includes modern flush restrooms with hot showers, two RV dump stations, and a visitor center with a gift shop and educational exhibits. From January through March, the park opens its Ringtail Campground offering more primitive camping without hookups at a lower rate. An equestrian center with 16 corrals accommodates visitors who bring their own horses. The park's proximity to Tucson provides convenient access to urban amenities while maintaining a remote desert atmosphere. Managed by Arizona State Parks under a Special Use Permit from the USDA Forest Service, Catalina State Park serves as an excellent base camp for exploring southern Arizona's unique desert ecosystems and mountain wilderness.

Directions

From Tucson, take State Highway 77 (Oracle Road) north for approximately 9 miles through Oro Valley. The park entrance is located on the east side of Highway 77 at mile marker 81, just past the Walmart. From Phoenix, take I-10 east to US 60, continue to SR 79 south to Oracle Junction, then turn south on Highway 77 for 14 miles. The address is 11570 N Oracle Road, Tucson, AZ 85737.

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