Recreation area

Boulders OHV Staging Area

Bureau of Land Management · Phoenix · Arizona — managed by Bureau of Land Management

First-come, first-served — no online reservations

About this campground

A popular staging area for the Lake Pleasant/Hieroglyphic Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) recreation area which showcases a motorized off-highway route system in the scenic Upper Sonoran Desert landscape. With over 200 miles of unimproved backcountry roads and single-track motorbike trails, ranging from 1,700 to 3,500 feet in elevation, this recreation area is bound to please any off-highway vehicle enthusiast. The semi-primitive staging area has over 10 acres available for camping and includes a vault toilet and information kiosk. There are no designated campsites, drinking water, dumping stations, picnic tables or shade structures. The best season of use is between October and May.

Getting there

The staging area is located in Maricopa County, 45 miles north of downtown Phoenix, Arizona, approximately 8 miles west of the Lake Pleasant Regional Park on State Route 74 (Carefree Highway). To access the staging area from the east on Interstate 17, take exit 223 to State Route 74 (Carefree Highway) and head west towards Lake Pleasant Regional Park. To access from the west on U.S. 60, take the Morristown–SR-74 exit and head east on SR-74. The unmarked turnoff to the staging area is on the north side of the road between mile markers 11 and 12. Slow down when approaching the area as the turnoff can be easily overlooked. The staging area is one mile north of the highway turnoff.

Elevation
2,021 ft
Contact
602-867-5400
Directions
Open in Google Maps →

Activities

  • CAMPING
  • OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE
  • RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
  • Dispersed Camping

Nearby federal campgrounds

Explore more Arizona camping

Boulders OHV Staging Area doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Arizona campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.

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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.