State Parks near Marana, AZ

Situated in southern Arizona is Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park. This state park is believed to be one of the oldest botanical gardens in the United States. It was originally founded in 1924 as a desert horticultural research facility before being converted into a public garden.Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park is known for its numerous plants and contains one of the largest Eucalyptus trees in the country. Thanks to its location within the Sonoran Desert, the park is often visited by a vast amount of wildlife, which ranges from hummingbirds to Gila monsters.

The Casa Grande Ruins National Monument is located near Coolidge, Arizona, which is in the south-central portion of the state. The nearest large city is Phoenix, which is also the capital of the state and is over 50 miles to the northwest. In addition, the city of Tuscon is around 70 miles to the southeast.The ruins are situated in the flat, desert ecosystem that is common to this portion of the state. They are in a rural area that offers many recreational opportunities, including hiking and stargazing. With two large cities within an easy days-drive, there are also restaurants and museums, and other historical sites easily available.

Arizona seems to be the place to go to get away from the humid summer heat that encompasses much of the United States. State park RV campgrounds are the perfect place to enjoy the dry heat of the desert while exploring nature at its finest. Catalina State Park in Catalina, Arizona is located at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Pull your own rig to the park or book an RV in Pima County and stay for a while. Tucson sits about 40 minutes south of Catalina State Park and offers endless activities for tourists to enjoy.Come spend time exploring the more than 5,500 acres of desert within Catalina State Park. You'll find hiking, biking, and equestrian trails …

About 27 million years ago, an ancient volcano erupted, spewing massive globs of lava that covered the land, today that is known as Arizona. The lava eventually hardened into volcanic rock, and over eons, wind and rain eroded the rock into hoodoo and balancing-rock formations. These rock formations are unique, found in very few other places around the world. President Calvin Coolidge signed an act in 1924 to protect this region from development, and this park was named Chiricahua National Monument. Also found inside the park is Faraway Ranch, a historic site. Established in 1887, it became a key spot in an ongoing conflict between the settlers and local Apache Native Americans.The closest large town is Willcox, which …

Coronado National Forest in Arizona was officially established in 1902 by President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. He felt that protecting the natural beauty of the West was critical and successfully lobbied for several regions to become national forests and national parks. Coronado National Forest is a unique park in that it consists of a handful of “sky islands,” which are mountainous regions that rise abruptly from a flat desert or plain terrain. Though Coronado National Forest is mostly in Arizona, a small portion sprawls across the Arizona-New Mexico border. Coronado National Forest is a classic example of southwestern landscape with rugged buttes rising from the desert, red desert sprawling for miles around, and cacti aplenty.Tucson, AZ, is 50 miles …

Honey Bee Canyon Park is situated toward the southern edge of Arizona. This park spans 77 acres long and is filled with unique areas that visitors can explore, including a secluded spot filled with ancient petroglyphs. In addition to this, Honey Bee Canyon Park is a popular area for wildlife, and visitors can often see colorful hummingbirds flying around.Honey Bee Canyon Park tends to be very hot year-round with temperatures sometimes reaching into the 100s in the middle of the summer. This park is a short drive away from Tucson.

Kartchner Caverns State Park unlocks access to a subterranean wonderland carved into the foothills of the Whetstone Mountains. The natural wonder was inaugurated as an Arizona State Park in 1988 and is filled with whimsical limestone formations. Above ground, spend your time enjoying the sunny days and starry nights Arizona is famous for.Planning a getaway to the Grand Canyon State? Book an RV in Cochise County and you can discover Kartchner Caverns State Park, as well as other Arizona gems like the Coronado National Forest and Whetstone Mountains. You can also visit historic Old West sites, tee off at championship golf courses, and sip award-winning wines at desert vineyards. At just two and a half hours from the state …

Just the name alone of Lost Dutchman State Park conjures up romantic visions of buried treasure and the mysteries of the desert. This small 320-acre park 40 miles east of Phoenix packs in loads of history and activities, and supposedly a wealth of gold underneath the red dirt. In addition to great hiking and mountain biking, it's also an excellent spot for wildlife enthusiasts, bird watchers, and stargazers. It's a must-see park if you're going to book an RV in Pinal County.Native Americans inhabited the Superstition Mountains for thousands of years, up to the 19th century. Signs of their cliff dwellings are still visible in the area. Gold prospectors searched for their fortunes in more recent times, and …

The McDowell Sonoran Preserve in the state of Arizona is considered amongst the country’s largest urban parks, covering a massive 30,500-acres. Located in the city of Scottsdale, the preserve is great for an RV rental vacation. The scenic McDowell Mountains are located within the preserve, adding to the rugged scenic beauty. Renting an RV is a convenient way of accessing and moving around McDowell Sonoran Preserve on your motorhome camping trip. For visitors without their rig, RV rentals in Maricopa County make it easy to explore the surrounding areas.  McDowell Sonoran Preserve is one of the most sought-after outdoor recreation spots in Arizona, considering the range of adventure activities available for thrill-seekers to immerse themselves in. In addition to …

Surrounded by rolling hills and sun-drenched grasslands, Patagonia Lake State Park showcases the natural beauty of southeast Arizona. It's been welcoming outdoor enthusiasts since 1975 and is anchored by a cobalt blue lake that's perfect for swimming, fishing, and boating. Wildlife watchers will be in their element, with the chance to tick off unique species like the coatimundi and Coues whitetail deer. Venture further afield and you can discover the resplendent Patagonia and Mountain Empire region. You're also a stone's throw from the Sonoita American Viticultural Area, a sun-drenched basin famous for its cool climate and full-bodied blends.Planning a getaway to the Grand Canyon State? Book an RV in Santa Cruz County and you can sleep under the stars …

Just north of Arizona's capital city, Phoenix, is a group of mountains, parks, and desert landscapes, that have come to be known as the Phoenix Mountain Preserve. Piestewa Peak, Camelback Mountain, Papago Park, North Mountain, Shaw Buttes Preserve, and Phoenix Sonoran Preserve all make up the majority of this 41,000-acre space. Interstate Route 17 runs past the park's western boundaries, which makes it easy enough to access in your RV rental. No matter whether you're traveling from Flagstaff, Tucson, or the center of Phoenix itself, you'll be lacing up those hiking boots ready to scale a peak in less than two hours from setting off.Extensive and well-maintained hiking trails wind through the preserve and to the …

Home to the famous Picacho Peak in the state of Arizona, Picacho Peak State Park is located right between the cities of Casa Grande and Tucson, off Interstate 10. One side of the park opens to the stunning Sonoran Desert while its main claim to fame, Picacho Peak, summits to 3,374 feet above sea level, attracting outdoor enthusiasts to its raw beauty. The desert landscape is interesting to observe, draws folks who are looking to book an RV in Pinal County, an opportunity to explore the geographical significance of the park and its surrounding areas.The peak has been used since prehistoric times as a landmark by travelers making their way through the desert. More recently, it …