Facilities

Facilities available at Picacho Peak State Park.

Fire Restrictions

Campfires allowed in fire-rings. No smoking while hiking. Check Current Agency Fire Restrictions and learn How to Extinguish a Campfire. When campfires are not restricted, you must provide your own firewood: no gathering wood or cutting trees on park property.

Park Hours

The park is closed from 10 pm to 5 am. When the gate is closed entrance is prohibited.

Visitor Center

The new Picacho Peak State Park Visitor Center is now open! The Visitor Center has public restrooms, a gift shop, plus vending machines with energy drinks and snacks. Hours vary, but are typically 8 am to 5 pm. Interpretive exhibits are still being developed and will installed soon. The new building is currently in the LEED Certification process.

Restrooms

Restrooms are located at the Park Visitor Center, plus the Hunter and Calloway trailheads and in the campground. Campground restrooms are handicapped-accessible. Portable toilets are available at Sunset Vista Day Use area.

Stop by the new Visitor Center and check out the Gift Shop. The building is Arizona State Parks first Silver LEEDS building.

Gift Shop

The gift shop, inside the Visitor Center sells maps, bottled water, magnets, collectibles, hiking books, souvenirs, and more. There are also vending machines with energy drinks and snacks. Hours vary, but are typically 8 am to 5 pm.

Group Reservations: Day Use Areas

Asterick (*) indicates area is available by reservation only. Reservations can be made up to one year in advance. Group Reservation: Day Use areas may also be used on a first-come, first-served basis if not reserved by another group, ask about current availability at Ranger Station.

Cholla Ramada: Four picnic tables & grills, water source. Maximum of 50 people. Wheelchair accessible. Electric (lighting and 110 volt outlets). Close proximity to parking, restrooms, hiking trails, and playground. Reservation fee $25.00

Ironwood Ramada: Four picnic tables, group grill, fire ring & water source. Maximum capacity 50 people. Wheelchair accessible Electric (lighting and 110 volt outlets). Close proximity to parking, restrooms, hiking trails. Reservation fee $25.00

Mesquite Ramada: Four picnic tables, grills. Maximum capacity 50 people. Not Wheelchair accessible. Electric (lighting and 110 volt outlets) & water source. Close proximity to parking, restrooms, hiking trails. Reservation fee $25.00

*Quail Group Area:

Four, 4-table ramadas with group grill
Electrification to ramadas
Large group fire-ring
Eight scattered picnic tables & fire rings
Portable toilets & a water source
Set within all natural Sonoran Desert environment
75 person minimum/200 person maximum for day-use
Reservation fee $35.00

*Jackrabbit Group Area:

Group Area is divided into two reservable sections, EAST & WEST
Large group fire-ring with group grill
Large group ramada
Scattered picnic tables & fire-rings
Portable toilets
Set within all natural Sonoran Desert environment
50 person minimum/75 person maximum for day-use per section
75 person minimum for exclusive use of the entire area
Reservation fee $35.00

Group Reservations: Camping

All group camping areas are available by reservation (*) only for overnight use. Reservations can be made up to one year in advance.

*Raven Group Area: Tents only with 10 people minimum and 6 units (vehicles) maximum. Three campsites with picnic tables and fire-rings. Walking distance to restroom/showers and water. Group fire-ring, small ramada. Reservation fee $25.00.

*Roadrunner Group Area: Tents only with 10 people minimum and 6 units (vehicles) maximum. Three campsites with picnic tables and fire-rings. Walking distance to restroom/showers and water. Group fire-ring, small ramada. Reservation fee $25.00.

*Quail Group Area:

Four, 4-table ramadas with group grill
Electrification to ramadas
Large group fire-ring
Eight scattered campsites with picnic tables & fire rings
Portable toilets & a water source
Access to campground's restroom/shower buildings
Set within all natural Sonoran Desert environment
Minimum of 15 units (vehicles) required for camping
Reservation fee $35.00

*Jackrabbit Group Area:

Group Area is divided into two reservable sections, EAST & WEST
Large group fire-ring with group grill
Large group ramada
Scattered campsites with picnic tables & fire-rings
Portable toilets
Access to campground's restroom/shower buildings
Set within all natural Sonoran Desert environment
Minimum of 7 units (vehicles) required for camping, maximum 14 units per section
15 units minimum for exclusive use of the entire area
Reservation fee $35.00

Camping Sites

Picacho Peak State Park’s campground has a total of 85 sites for both tent and RV camping. All sites are first come-first served. Access to all sites is paved. Sites are fairly level and are located in a natural Sonoran Desert setting. Both back-ins and pull-throughs are available. No maximum size limit (except no tractor trailers allowed). All sites offer a picnic table and barbeque/fire ring. Many sites also offer ramadas, and some of the sites are handicapped-accessible. Use of the dump station is included in price for camping. Potable water is available at the dump station. Quiet hours are from 10 pm to 6 am. Generator use is not permitted during these hours. There are two modern, handicapped-accessible restroom and shower buildings available at no additional charge for campers.

Electric RV Sites

62 electric sites with 20, 30, and 50 Amps receptacles at each site. 3 sites are handicapped-accessible. No water or sewer hookups are available.

Non Electric RV Sites

25 Non-electric sites, one of which is handicapped-accessible. No water or sewer hookups are available.

Dump Station

Located at the entrance to the campground. Use of dump station and potable water source is included in the price for camping. Fee required for non-campers.

Showers

Two modern, accessible restroom buildings (one is subject to seasonal closures) with hot showers (use of showers is included in the price for camping.)

Picnic Areas/Shelters

Ramadas and other picnic areas with tables and barbeque grills are located throughout the park. Most picnic areas also offer shade roofs. Some are handicapped-accessible. Group reservations for day use are available.

Hiking Trails

Hiking trails at the park vary in difficulty. Weather can be unpredictable. Please be safe and wear suitable hiking boots. Gloves and water (2 liters per person) are strongly recommended.

Hunter Trail: 2.0 miles; difficult; begins on the north side from Barrett Loop and goes to the top of the peak. The trail climbs a resistant path typical of the Sonoran desert. The route is steep and twisting, with steel cables (gloves are recommended) anchored into the rock in places where the surface is bare.

Sunset Vista Trail: 3.1 miles; moderate first 2 miles, becoming difficult; travels on the south side from the westernmost parking area and goes to top of peak.

Calloway Trail: 0.7 miles; moderate; leads to an overlook.

Nature Trail: 0.5 miles; easy; includes interpretive signs.

Children's Cave Trail: 0.2 miles; easy; includes interpretive signs.

Wildlife Viewing

The park offers a natural habitat for many of the animals found in the Sonoran Desert. This includes many species of mammals and reptiles as well as a large number of birds. (Bird lists are available at the Visitor Center.) The park is home to a number of invertebrates as well.

Mammals frequently seen include Black-Tailed Jackrabbit, Desert Cottontail Rabbit, Roundtail Ground Squirrel, Harris Antelope Squirrel, Rock Squirrel, Desert Pocket Mouse, Mexican Freetailed Bat, Kangaroo Rat. Coyote, Badger, Skunk, Racoon, Bobcat, Desert Mule Deer, Javelina, and Kit Fox are occasionally seen. Porcupine, Antelope Jackrabbit, Ringtail Cat, and Mountain Lion are rarely seen.

Reptiles frequently seen include Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Gopher Snake, Garter Snake, Coach Whip, Common Chuckwalla, Zebra-tailed Lizard, Tree Lizard, Western Banded Gecko, and the Side-Blotched Lizard. Tiger Rattlesnake, Mojave Rattlesnake, Desert Tortoises, and the Regal Horned Lizard are infrequently seen. Gila Monsters are rarely seen.

The Sonoran Desert Toad (an amphibian) has been spotted in the park during the monsoon season.

Invertebrates that can be seen at Picacho Peak include Giant Desert Centipede, Desert Hairy Scorpion, Tail-less Whipscorpion, , Western Black Widow Spider, and Fiddleback Spider. The most frequently seen invertebrates are probably the Desert Tarantula in the fall, and Sun Spiders and the Bark Scorpion year-round.

Birds are abundant and include Vultures, Hawks, Doves, Owls, Hummingbirds, Woodpeckers, Flycatchers, Jays, Wrens, Sparrows, Finches, Warblers, and many more. Please refer to the bird list available at the contact station. Some of the most commonly seen species include Turkey Vulture, Red-Tailed Hawk, Peregrine Falcon, Gambel Quail, Mourning Dove, Gila Woodpecker, Gilded Flicker, Curve-billed Thrasher, Canyon Towhee, House Finch, Common Raven, Cactus Wren, and Costa’s Hummingbird.

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Fees

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Facilities

Fire Restrictions

Park Hours

Visitor Center

Restrooms

Gift Shop

Group Reservations: Day Use Areas

Group Reservations: Camping

Camping Sites

Electric RV Sites

Non Electric RV Sites

Dump Station

Showers

Picnic Areas/Shelters

Hiking Trails

Wildlife Viewing