Arizona’s state park system covers ground the national parks don’t. With 35 parks and natural areas spread across the state, the terrain varies from desert to pine forest to canyon country.
Slide Rock State Park has a natural rock slide carved into Oak Creek Canyon. Kartchner Caverns protects a living cave system discovered in 1974 that visitors can now tour. Catalina State Park sits at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, with trails through saguaro-studded foothills. Lost Dutchman State Park sits at the base of the Superstition Mountains, where towering cliffs catch the light at both dawn and dusk. These are just a few of the parks worth building a trip around.
Several parks, including Lost Dutchman, Kartchner Caverns, and Roper Lake, offer campgrounds with tent and RV sites, as well as cabins. Some parks anchor a weekend trip. Others fit well into an Arizona national parks road trip or a stop along Route 66.
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4 State Parks in Arizona to Beat the Heat
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A Week Exploring Verde Valley Parks
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Explore Southern Arizona’s State Parks
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Discover State Parks in the Heart of Arizona
From wildlife to wildflowers and cactus blooms, late winter and spring is when the desert comes a...
Birdwatching Across Arizona Season by Season
Birdwatching is the perfect way to appreciate wildlife and embrace the great outdoors. Birdwatche...
From Cacti to Caverns: Southeastern Arizona’s State Parks
Southeastern Arizona’s state parks provide a bounty of incredible wildlife, unforgettable v...
Caves, Peaks & Gold: Best Arizona State Parks in the Spring
From the views from the prehistoric route up Picacho Peak to the sights in the subterranean Kartc...
See it All in These Arizona State Parks this Spring
Explore the lower elevation state parks of Arizona this spring, from caves to peaks, from ancient...
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