Agua Fria National Monument at Badger Springs Wash North of Phoenix, Arizona

by Will
(Arizona)

Agua Fria National Monument is a mouth watering oasis in the desert. Welcome to paradise. The scenery is fabulous and there are hundreds of prehistoric sites and petroglyphs on the monument. Dispersed camping is allowed on the monument for up to 14 days. RV camping can be a bit tight along Badger Springs Road, so it's best for small RVs. You can also find camping along Bloody Basin Road to the north. For more information and photos see my Agua Fria National Monument Picture Tour here.

Campsite Location: Off I-17 exit 256 near the end of Badger Springs Road next to the parking area along Badger Springs Wash. This campsite is just north of the parking area and very close to the wash.

GPS: N 34 13.934’ W 112 05.956’

Elevation: 3122 feet

Agua Fria National Monument RV Camping Journal

4-3-2010

This is an excellent spot to camp, as long as no one else is in this spot as it’s about the only place to camp with a 25 foot trailer. It’s very convenient being so close to I-17. In fact I can see and hear the interstate from here - thankfully, it doesn’t detract too much from the camping experience.

I may have headed up north and into these mountains a bit too early in the season. A couple nights ago it got down into the 30s and the high during the day was in the 50s. I arrived here on March 28th and about half of the days here have been nice; in the 70s and sunny though noticeably cooler at night.

It’s a beautiful area with a nice variety of plant life and many birds. I’ve seen a roadrunner come up close to my camper and I can hear their calls often. This area would be more fun in warmer weather as you need to get wet in order to see it all. There is water in Badger Springs Wash and Aqua Fria River which is perfect for cooling off on a hot day. Both the wash and the river make for excellent hiking and exploring.

Agua Fria National Monument Picture Slideshow