# How do I find a good campground?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-a-good-campground/547363>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 20, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-a-good-campground/547363 "2010-07-20T17:12:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-a-good-campground/547363/1 "2010-07-20T17:12:18Z")

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Inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=569115) and my own desire to go camping, I realized I need some information.

I’ve camped before, but only in Michigan and at the campgrounds at Cedar Point. My wife and I moved to Arizona three years ago, and we’d like to go camping probably one weekend a month. The problem is that none of our friends here are campers, so we have no idea where to go.

How do I find a good campground? I have some requirements, if you have some suggestions:

[ul]  
[li]Campsite needs to fit two small cars (dogs and baby can’t all fit in one!)[/li][li]Needs to be tent-campable[/li][li]Prefer grounds with showers (might have to rinse the baby!)[/li][li]Prefer to stay within two hours of Mesa, Arizona[/li][/ul]

Also, being from Michigan, it would feel weird to camp without a body of water nearby. Has anyone camped around Lake Roosevelt or Lake Saguaro?

Any help out there?

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**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-a-good-campground/547363/2 "2010-07-20T17:18:47Z")

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Check out your state’s State Park System. Chances are there’s a website with the info you seek.

You may find there are more options if you embrace being in Arizona now and forgo the water.

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**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-a-good-campground/547363/3 "2010-07-21T20:12:37Z")

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Because of budget constraints AZ has closed a number of state parks and you might have to make a reservation in advance but I would think that is the kind of place you are looking for.

There are tons of RV parks in the area but in my experience they are oriented towards snowbirds and not so much towards campers.

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**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\
**Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-find-a-good-campground/547363/4 "2010-07-21T20:25:46Z")

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You can go to [recreation.gov](http://www.recreation.gov/) to check out campgrounds on federal lands. There are search options that should help you find something that fits your needs.