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Hey all. I'm trying to find a good camping area for early November. Any ideas on someplace within 1-3 hours of Phoenix, less than 3,500 feet, and near some interesting dayhikes (i.e., ruins, views, etc)?

Thanks.

early November I'd hit that camping area mid way up the Pinals

here's some other related topics
http://hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtopic.php?t=108
http://hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtopic.php?t=892
http://hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtopic.php?t=2316

Thanks. My preference is for remote, non-developed camping. Is that what this spot is like?

no, maybe somebody else will have some ideas

Hey, Jay! What about Cherry Creek? You could hike up to see the Devil's Chasm, Pueblo Canyon, Cooper's Forks, or Coon Creek cliff dwellings. Or (not as exciting), Circlestone jr. and "the cave". Maybe someone knows a good hike in the Camp Dirty/Verde Valley area?

Seven Springs in the Tonto National Forest. The Cave Creek trail is right there, which is a beautiful trail to start with, and in November the trees will be changing around the creek. Check the Cave Creek/Skunk Tank loop on this site.

Hey Jay isn't this hike az not car camp az. sorry buddy

Chapman wrote:Hey Jay isn't this hike az not car camp az.

jtaylor wrote:I'm trying to find a good camping area near some interesting dayhikes?

I think this qualifies.

I don't have suggestions. Maybe the Santa Ritas (Mt. Wrightson). You could camp at the Bog Springs campground in Madera Canyon or off the road to the Elephant Head trail. Hike the Super Trail (13 miles roundtrip) or Old Baldy trail to the summit (10 miles roundtrip) or use both trails to make a loop (6 miles without summitting).
Have you considered the Sierra Ancha? You could camp at Workman Creek (FR 487) and hike to Aztec Peak, explore the creek or check out the cliff dwellings (I'm not telling you where they are ).
I better go to work. I'll post again if I think of something else.

jtaylor wrote:I'm trying to find a good camping area for early November. Any ideas on someplace within 1-3 hours of Phoenix, less than 3,500 feet, and near some interesting dayhikes (i.e., ruins, views, etc)?..My preference is for remote, non-developed camping.

Here is a perfect spot to remote car-camp that will fit all your needs(you will need a high-clearance vehicle-truck/SUV..no cars). I go here twice a year in Nov and March and will be here again in just 2 weeks (on 10/30-11/3/07) for my semi-annual Nov camping/hiking trip. REMOTE CAMPING under BYOUS BUTTE.. see my previous triplog dated 3/27/07 under HAZ "Byous Butte" hike description.

This remote, primitive camping spot (you will need to be "fully-contained" for camping here) is at 2500ft elevation and far enough off FR172 to have some privacy with huge Byous Butte as your backdrop. From this camp location, which you will use as a basecamp for many exploratory hikes in the immediate area..or.. you are only 8-12 miles from Woodbury and Rogers Trough Trailheads for all the popular hikes up to Angel Basin, Reavis Ranch via 109 South, Rogers Canyon Cliff Dwellings, or further up FR172A onto FR650(for ~2mls) to the upper Reavis Canyon Trail/TH(part of the AZ Trail). Just an endless amount of hikes to do in this area to keep you busy for a week or more! PM me IF you think you are seriously interested in camping here.

I don't have suggestions. Maybe the Santa Ritas (Mt. Wrightson). You could camp at the Bog Springs campground in Madera Canyon or off the road to the Elephant Head trail. Hike the Super Trail (13 miles roundtrip) or Old Baldy trail to the summit (10 miles roundtrip) or use both trails to make a loop (6 miles without summitting).
Have you considered the Sierra Ancha? You could camp at Workman Creek (FR 487) and hike to Aztec Peak, explore the creek or check out the cliff dwellings (I'm not telling you where they are ).
I better go to work. I'll post again if I think of something else.

I don't know about the Santa Ritas, but I know that although Workman Creek on FR 487 is a great place to camp, it's closer to 5,000-6000 feet and it looks like you're looking for something lower and warmer.

Agua Fria National Monument is pretty close by. Depending on where you live in the valley, the Bloody Basin Rd or Badger Springs Rd exits are both less than an hour away, and from there you can just drive and find someplace to set up camp. The most popular trail is the badger springs trail, which is about a mile east of the I-17 on Badger Springs Rd.

The area around this hike would be cool for a primitive car-camp, but it's not below 3,500'. However, there are lots of places along the way once one gets off of US 87 to camp that are close. Just take the Bee-Line east from the intersection of that highway and Shea Blvd. up into the pass just north of Mount Ord, and look for the turnoff for Sycamore Creek to the left (north). Take that and follow the directions to the hike. The road requires at least a high-clearance vehicle, and I'd recommend 4WD except for the first 3 miles or so.
http://hikearizona.com/decoder.php?ZTN=886

I thought the little campsite at the end of Dugas rd. was kinda nice, a slow, easy drive in reminds me of touring the back roads in Kansas with the wild horses and open vistas. The campground is basically user-free as the only folks Ive seen up there are busy hiking the trails in the Pine Mountain Wilderness and are usually gone by mid day.
So the views from the Verde rim are really good, and the campsite is much lower in temps than you might expect for 5200 feet. Within 2 hours of Phx and fairly remote.

Thanks everyone for your help. This is a great Web site!

My stepdad seems to be leaning toward Cherry Creek. He took me on a few death marches there when I was a kid, so hopefully I can hold my own now!

I plan on checking out the other recommendations in the near future, too.

I was going to make the same suggestion as grasshopper. Somewhere up near the rogers trough/woodbury trough trailheads. There's rogers canyon ruins, circlestone ruins, and what's left of reavis ranch (you might even find an apple or two... (if you're in the mood for death-marches either of those last two would probably appeal to you as a dayhike).