Free Dispersed Camping Near Oatman, Arizona: Our Route 66 Boondocking Review
If you’re looking for free camping near Oatman, Arizona, we found a great dispersed camping spot right along Historic Route 66.
It wasn’t fancy.
There were no hookups, campground bathrooms or picnic tables.
What we did have was a huge level gravel area, beautiful desert mountain views, hiking right outside our door and an easy drive into Oatman.
Best of all, it was free during our stay.
We used this spot as our base while exploring Oatman and the surrounding Arizona desert, and it worked very well for us.
Here’s what you need to know about our Route 66 boondocking spot near Oatman.
Where Is This Oatman Dispersed Camping Area?
The camping area was located around Milepost 8 on Route 66, traveling toward Oatman from the Needles area.
It was listed on Campendium at the time as the Topock/Oatman dispersed camping area.
The site itself looked almost like a large information or roadside parking area.
It was basically a huge expanse of crushed gravel with plenty of open space.
That may not sound terribly exciting.
Then you look at what’s surrounding it.
Desert. Mountains. A huge wash. Hiking opportunities.
And Historic Route 66 running right past your campsite.
For us, it was a pretty awesome spot.
As with any dispersed camping location, check current land-use rules and access before planning a stay. Our description reflects conditions during our visit.
A Huge, Level Camping Area
One of the nicest surprises was how easy our campsite was to set up.
Our spot was perfectly level.
We didn’t have to do any leveling at all.
That’s practically a gift when you’re boondocking.
The parking area itself was enormous, so there was plenty of room for RVs during our visit.
We had neighbors on both sides at different points over the weekend without feeling crowded.
Because this was essentially a big gravel area rather than individual developed campsites, there wasn’t a defined campground layout.
You found an appropriate place to park and made it home.
Beautiful Arizona Desert Views
The campsite itself may have been gravel, but the view certainly wasn’t boring.
We had a huge wash directly in front of us with mountains beyond it.
This was exactly the kind of wide-open desert landscape we’d come to appreciate during our time in Arizona.
We could step outside the trailer and immediately be looking at mountains.
And because there weren’t buildings or campground infrastructure surrounding us, it felt much more remote than a conventional RV park.
Hiking Right From Camp
One of our favorite things about this location was being able to explore without driving anywhere.
We could simply leave the trailer and start walking.
There was a trail on the mountain across from us, and we decided to climb up because Ed wanted to take photographs from the higher elevation.
The view was worth the effort.
General and I also hiked another trail on the far side of the wash.
So if you enjoy desert walking and photography, there was plenty to keep us occupied right around camp.
Of course, desert conditions can be harsh. Carry water, pay attention to the weather and choose trails appropriate for your abilities.
Route 66 Traffic During the Day
The camping area sits right along Historic Route 66, so this wasn’t a completely silent wilderness campsite.
We did hear road traffic during the day.
That wasn’t surprising.
Route 66 itself is part of the attraction here, and people travel the road specifically to visit places like Oatman.
What surprised us was how quiet the area became at night.
Daytime brought some passing traffic.
Nighttime was very quiet during our stay.
We also didn’t experience much off-road traffic around the campsite itself.
For us, the balance worked well.
Our Neighbors Were Pretty Awesome
We’ve met some wonderful people while boondocking, and this stop was no exception.
One of our neighbors was a local from nearby Golden Shores who came out to the area occasionally.
Other campers stayed beside us through the weekend.
Everybody was friendly.
But apparently General was the real social butterfly.
Both sets of neighbors gave him dog biscuits.
Here’s the funny part:
Neither neighbor had a dog.
They apparently just carried dog biscuits around for other people’s dogs.
General approved wholeheartedly.
It’s little experiences like that that we remember from our travels.
Visiting Oatman From the Campsite
The location worked especially well because we were there to explore Oatman, Arizona.
Our dispersed camping spot was only about a 20-minute drive from town during our visit.
That made it easy to get the trailer set up, leave it behind and explore Oatman with just the truck.
And Oatman was absolutely worth seeing.
The historic Route 66 mining town is famous for the wild burros that wander through the streets.
We’d wanted to visit for a long time.
Camping nearby gave us time to explore without rushing and even hear burros in the distance around our campsite.
For anyone combining boondocking with a Route 66 road trip, the location made a lot of sense.
Finding Fresh Water Near Oatman
Fresh water was one of the more difficult pieces of the puzzle.
We didn’t have water available at the camping area itself.
During our stay, we eventually found water at a Chevron station in Needles.
We asked an employee whether we could use a water spigot on the side of the building, and she graciously told us to go ahead.
There was no charge when we did it.
That was simply our experience at the time, though—not something we’d count on automatically being available today.
If you’re boondocking here, we’d recommend figuring out your current fresh-water options before arriving rather than assuming you’ll easily find potable water nearby.
Where We Dumped Our RV Tanks
We also needed somewhere to dump our tanks.
Our plan during this stay was to use the dump facilities at Pirate Cove Resort, which was conveniently located nearby.
Again, dump station access, prices and policies can change.
Always verify that a facility currently allows outside RVers to use its dump station before depending on it.
The important thing for us was that although we were dry camping, we could still find the services we needed within a reasonable distance.
No Services Means Being Prepared
This was dispersed camping.
There were no hookups at the site.
That means arriving prepared to provide your own:
- Electricity
- Fresh water
- Waste storage
- Trash disposal
- Internet or cellular connection, if needed
- Food and other supplies
That’s the tradeoff with boondocking.
You give up campground services.
In return, you can get beautiful scenery, lots of space and—in this case—a campsite that didn’t cost us anything.
For the way we traveled, that was often a trade we were perfectly happy to make.
Camping Along Historic Route 66
There was something particularly fun about having our trailer parked right along Route 66.
Route 66 wasn’t simply a road taking us from one destination to another.
It was part of the trip.
We could camp along the route, visit Oatman and spend several days enjoying the surrounding desert instead of racing through.
That’s one of the things we enjoyed most about full-time RV travel.
When we found somewhere interesting, we could stay.
And when high winds kept us from towing safely, as they did during this stop, we simply stayed a little longer and explored some more.
What We Liked About This Oatman Boondocking Spot
This camping area worked really well for us.
The biggest advantages were:
- Free dispersed camping during our stay
- Approximately 20 minutes from Oatman
- Right along Historic Route 66
- Huge gravel parking area
- Plenty of room for our travel trailer
- Our site was completely level
- Beautiful desert and mountain views
- Hiking directly from camp
- Very quiet nights
- Friendly neighbors
- Access to RV services within driving distance
It wasn’t glamorous.
It was practical, convenient and beautiful.
That’s a pretty good combination.
Things to Consider Before Camping Here
There are some tradeoffs.
This wasn’t a developed campground.
There were no hookups or amenities at the site.
We found fresh water harder to locate than in some areas.
You should also expect some daytime Route 66 traffic.
And desert conditions deserve respect.
Heat, wind and changing weather can make a huge difference when you’re camping without services.
A wash also ran through the landscape in front of us. Dry washes are part of desert drainage systems, so always pay attention to weather and current conditions and choose a safe place to camp.
Most importantly, verify that dispersed camping is still permitted and check current regulations before setting up. Access and land-management rules can change over time.
Would We Boondock Near Oatman Again?
Yes.
We thought this was a pretty awesome spot.
It gave us exactly what we needed for our Oatman visit.
We had plenty of room.
The trailer was level.
The nights were quiet.
The mountains were beautiful.
We could hike from camp.
And Oatman was close enough for an easy day trip.
We even had neighbors who carried emergency dog biscuits for General.
What more could he possibly ask for?
Free Camping Near Oatman Was a Great Route 66 Stop
Our Oatman visit wasn’t just about walking through the old mining town and meeting its famous burros.
Camping out in the surrounding desert became part of the experience.
We woke up looking at Arizona mountains.
We hiked across the desert.
We spent our days exploring Historic Route 66.
And when the wind told us we weren’t going anywhere for a while, we stayed put and enjoyed where we were.
That’s one of the reasons we’ve always enjoyed boondocking.
Sometimes the campsite isn’t simply where you sleep between attractions.
Sometimes it’s part of the adventure.
And we’ll see you down the road…and Over the Hills!
Continue the Journey
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