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Dispersed Camping

Soap Creek - Dispersed Camping

32 Reviews

About

Bureau of Land Management

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Location

Soap Creek - Dispersed Camping is located in Arizona

Directions

US Hwy 89A Marble Canyon, AZ

Coordinates

36.7526 N
111.7176 W

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Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Stay Connected

WiFi
Available
Verizon
Poor
AT&T
Fair
T-Mobile
Available

Site Types

Dispersed

Features

For Campers

ADA Access
Phone Service
Alcohol
Pets
Fires

For Vehicles

Big Rig Friendly

Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.

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Contact

General Info

Reservations

(602) 417-9200

Ola

Scout

Reviewed Sep. 7, 2023

Cery nice Spot! Sky is unbelievable

Spot was really nice, we were there over one night and there was really good. We stayed near the road but other campers told us that you can open the gate and camp on state land. I recommend this spot! Sky is not possible to describe, you must see it on your own!

Sitenear the road

Month of VisitOctober

Blake A.

Traveler

Reviewed Mar. 1, 2023

Easy Stop

This is a great place to pull over and sleep if you are car camping. Great views of Vermilion Cliffs. Not much traffic in late February, so relatively quiet.

Month of VisitMarch

Craig P.

Scout

Reviewed Feb. 5, 2023

Gorgeous view of Vermillion Cliffs

Such a beautiful spot! There’s a bit of a trench as you’re pulling off the freeway. Take it slow and an angle and you’ll be fine. The spots are spread out enough that you don’t feel on top of your neighbors. They all seemed fairly level. Drive to the end and there are a couple camp sites right at a trailhead.

SiteRight fork…4th spot on the left

Month of VisitMarch

Stephen P.

Traveler

Reviewed Nov. 24, 2022

Amazing campsite

I read the 2 star review about accessibility and a big rig. Well in my opinion big rigs are not what you need to take to dispersed camp site they are made for camp grounds. That being said the v shaped crater or what ever it was called is a joke our class c traversed all of it with no issues. Slow and steady will get you to some amazing camp sites. If you really want a challenge for your 2wd class c take a trip to Hurricane Lake AZ, beautiful place but really remote.

Sitefirst one available about 1 mile in

Month of VisitDecember

Daisee Mae S.

Legend

Reviewed Nov. 16, 2022

Washed out Roads

It is absolutely stunning here. The only reason i give it a 2 star is because we couldn’t even get to the camp sites. The road is HORRIBLE! When you first turn to get to the place it’s like a “V” shaped crater. The back of our camper engraved the pavement. Definitely not big rig friendly unless you have 4WD or want to fly your own personal jet into a spot. We walked the road and it awful the whole way down.

Okay reception. We had 2 bars LTE.

The views are just stunning as i’ve said. I can’t say it enough!

There is a small pull off just down the road but it’s littered in glass.

I would not come back to this spot in any vehicle, free or for any other reason. I’m writing this review as we are still here but leaving after coffee is done. And i’m scared to death that the hill we have to climb and curb we have to jump to get onto the highway will roll us.

SiteRoad Side

Month of VisitDecember

(6) View All

Kelli S.

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 13, 2022

Solis camping

Stayed to the right due to driving a Solis. The ground was manageable to get through with 2 wheel drive. The spot is absolutely sick. Amazing sunset and rise, stars, and a really cool hike to the rim. The site was very clean and in mid November there were only 3 other camper vans pretty far off. We pulled in to the 4th camp spot, had to put the van on blocks to level it. The next site up on the right (only spot on the right) was level and large. There were some dips that we wouldn't have been able to drive over passed that spot. If you have a higher clearance vehicle, you will be able to make it to the cul-de-sac like end. That's where you'll find the trail head. Make sure when you come and go you close the gate. You'll have to give it a lift and pull to get it to actually shut. The ground is clearly shifting around the gate. Just be mindful. Remember, it's public land. Don't be a degenerate, clean up after yourself.

Site2nd on the left

Month of VisitDecember

Benjamin

Guide

Reviewed Nov. 12, 2022

windy but isolated

there’s a bunch of little sites that are perfect for camping but it gets very windy on/off through the day and bring firewood. beautiful view of milky way

Month of VisitDecember

Benjamin T.

Guide

Reviewed Oct. 29, 2022

Unreal experience!

Wow. Stayed right on the north side of the Grand Canyon, for free! Parked and slept right on the edge. Best stop of our trip.

Month of VisitNovember

(5) View All

Robert H.

Scout

Reviewed Oct. 23, 2022

Beautiful Vermillion Cliffs vista at Soap Creek

Excellent overnight camping site at Soap Creek. Look for the gate at milepost 545 on US-89A. After going through the gate (after much mental debate about going past the gate), took the right fork past a water tank and stopped at this site. It is practically flat and a large space. A dark sky spot other than the glow from what must be Page, AZ. The specific coordinates are N 36.746623, W 111.712808.

Month of VisitNovember

Brian B.

Scout

Reviewed Aug. 8, 2022

It worked for me

Needed someplace to crash on the way back to Phoenix after hiking Paria Canyon. Things I liked: Easy access, we were alone, nice views. Dislikes: Exposed, very windy after sunset, lots of flies.

SiteThe westernmost access road all the way at the end

Month of VisitSeptember

Cameron M.

Guide

Reviewed May. 26, 2022

Beautiful dispersed camping

We stayed here when visiting marble canyon. It was a great spot, super beautiful. It was also super close to the national park. Beware of wind though, we went in early April.

Month of VisitMay

Karen D.

Scout

Reviewed May. 7, 2022

Fantasic Views of the Marble Canyon and Vermillion Cliffs

We camped about 20 minutes in, near the edge of the canyon with great views of the Colorado River and the Vermillion Cliffs. Very private and beautiful. One of the best camping experiences we’ve had.

Site2-3 miles from highway

Month of VisitJune

Laura M.

Legend

Reviewed May. 6, 2022

Beautiful

Really nice area with many spots to choose from. There is a fairly steep drop off right off the road— our 26ft class c made it down without scraping but just watch out. Larger rigs take it slow and at an angle.

There is a gate to get into the dispersed camping area, be sure to close it behind you.

There are several good large flat spots closer to the road that a large rig could get to, but further back along the left side of the fork the road gets rocky and might be tough for larger rigs. We chose to stay close to the main road rather than continue to the cliff edge along that bumpy road. On our next visit there we will take a right at the fork as recommended by many other reviewers.

Zero amenities here. Note: pooping on the ground and putting a rock on top of your poop and toilet paper is NOT good enough.

No real hiking trails from this area, but across the street there is a little opening where you can get into the fenced Vermillion Cliffs NM Wilderness Area. No bicycles or motorized vehicles or drones allowed in this area. We saw several other campers drive by our spot, but there is a lot of room to spread out so you still feel like you have the place to yourself. Quiet area, even with the road noise from 89A.

Good service with ATT, Verizon went back and forth between roaming and non roaming, and TMobile was strong but roaming.

Siten/a

(14) View All

Dan M.

Guide

Reviewed May. 3, 2022

Great Sunrise View of the Vermillion Cliffs

Sat down here within walking distance of the bluff overlooking the Colorado river.

Class C coach (32')made it to our spot but two pretty bumpy , rocky spots along the way but doable.

36°44'56" N 111°41'15"W was the actual pin where we sat up camp.

Plenty of space between campers and was relatively level.

Mile marker 545 is where the gate is on 89A but best to cross the ditch on the west end of the turn in, it's gentle on the grade and easier to traverse.

Great dark skies for star and satellite viewing.

Fantastic views of the Vermillion Cliffs after sunrise which lights up all the colors.

Lee's Ferry isn't far away as well as a Laundromat with Showers (coin operated) and a convenience store.

We only saw one Condor North from the Navajo bridge but were told by many up to 12 are known to frequent the area.

Area is a must to stay on the spots near the road to preserve the endangered Brady's Pin Cushion Cactus.

Month of VisitJune

(7) View All

jennifer M.

Guide

Reviewed Apr. 10, 2022

Suitable for our big rig

I found this place on Campendium as I use the big rig filter on the Dyrt and this app didn’t think I would fit, but there are actually several large campsites here. The road getting in is rough and rocky, but we just went very slow. The road forks and is a bit less rocky to the right. There are turn arounds at the end of each road. We didn’t find a big enough site on the road to the right so we backtracked and found a large site a little ways down on the left road that’s great. The views are spectacular and it’s quiet and peaceful. The weather is really nice in April though we had some very windy days. Don’t ignore wind advisory notices. We had a solar panel get blown a few hundred feet away and shatter. You can fill a water tank at Lees Ferry campground or the nearby Chevron. Both have potable water.

SiteN/A

Month of VisitMay

(5) View All

ferdinand E.

Scout

Reviewed Mar. 31, 2022

My Fav camping spot when visiting Marble Canyon

Hard to find the gate entrance in the dark. Good find when I finally found it and found a great site. Great views all around.

SiteLast one at the end of the dirt road.

Month of VisitSeptember

Clare L.

Traveler

Reviewed Sep. 3, 2021

Awesome Campsite

Super pretty, lots of space, a little hard to find but it was dark so it might be easy during the day

Month of VisitApril

Dmario M.

Traveler

Reviewed Jun. 7, 2021

The best Spot

This was a really great spot! Like the other reviews was was a little tricky to find but when we did it was awesome. The gate was closed so we were a little deterred but we saw people behind it so we opened it and there wasn’t any issues! The stargazing was absolute top notch. There was about three other cars, but I didn’t go that far on the dirt road. I had a jeep Cherokee with 4 x 4. But a 4 x 4 four-wheel-drive wasn’t really necessary. All in all 10/10//

Month of VisitJuly

(6) View All

Lauren N.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 28, 2021

Camping Under the Stars

The spot was a little difficult to find. When going south on the highway it is on the left. The coordinates take you to the gate, you just need to make sure that you slow down so that you don’t miss the gate! When we got there we were able to see RVs out there in the distance so we were able to locate the entrance! We were driving an SUV 2WD and felt okay enough to drive it on the dirt road.

We took the fork in the road to the right. There were a lot of rocks in the ground but it was all good! We ended up taking the third campground on the right. It’s a wide open space so there aren’t any real good spots for going to the bathroom. We ended up finding a lower area of ground to use the bathroom that hid us from view of the other campers!

The stars were amazing at night and the breeze was perfect.

We are both young females traveling in our car and felt completely safe out here!

Site3rd spot on the right fork

Month of VisitJune

(5) View All

Bob & Ramona F.

Guide

Reviewed May. 17, 2021

AWESOME VIEWS with few others around!!!!

This is the place for those seeking solitude and a fantastic view of the Vermillion Cliffs!! and BONUS 3 Bars on Verizon if you wish to surf the internet or stream your favorite show if you REALLY NEEDED TO.... Road to the left ends in 4 mi. Road to the right about 1 mi. Left is a bit rough and at 2.5 mi has steep hill. Right is flat and easy.

SiteGo thru gate (close it!!!). Turn right at the Y and find a spot.

Month of VisitJune

(5) View All

JUDITH K.

Traveler

Reviewed May. 12, 2021

Beautiful, secluded, and easy to find!

The coordinates take you exactly to the gate (I mention this because I found myself worried about locating the access gate). I took my Subaru Forester to the left, and agree that you don't want to try that direction with anything lowered. That being said, a regular sedan going VERY slow over the bumpy parts could navigate it in it's current condition. I would have been hesitant if I had been towing my tiny trailer just because it would have put a lot of sideways tweaking on the hitch.

Don't take the 1st few campsites. Keep going to the edge of the canyon! There were at least 3-4 good sites with campfire rings before the road dipped waaaay down (to where I turned arouns as I wasn't sure if my AWD would make it back up). A couple of them directly on the canyon side.

I arrived around 5pm, and the winds kicked up shortly thereafter. Even with the wind I felt comfortable building a campfire as there as the vegetation is sparse. It was quiet, with no highway noise, and although I could see a few others in the other camping areas, they were far enough away to enjoy the quiet and take pictures without other vehicles in the background. I did take a pic of my neighbor and his rig, and he seemed appreciative of my offer to email it to him.

Siteleft fork

Month of VisitJune

Trenton S.

Guide

Reviewed May. 4, 2021

What I expected when you ask for camping in arizona

To get in there is a gate and I only tried the right path in a ford focus hatchback, but made it successfully to the very back spot with some careful driving, if the ground was any more uneven my car might not have cleared some of the spots.

Other than that this spot was wide open and close to some nice cliffs you can easily walk to. It was great and exactly what I expected from arizona camping. Lizards, bugs, wind, sun, cliffs, cactus and some amazing views.

I'm sure I'll be back!

Month of VisitJune

(4) View All

Jeanie P.

Guide

Reviewed May. 1, 2021

Fantastic views, cliffs and canyons!

Great spot off the beaten path, close to Glen Canyon/Lee's Ferry, hiking and great views. Lots of cactus so be aware if you have kids and dogs. The fork to the left after you go through the gate is bumpy, just go slow. We made it through in a Sprinter 170 wheel base in 2wd no problem. Also the bumpy stretch only last for about 1/10 of a mile or so then the road is smooth all the way out to the Canyon. Spent 2 nights here and would definitely come back.

Month of VisitMay

(4) View All

Michael S.

Guide

Reviewed Mar. 9, 2021

Beautiful spot

This is a great spot for dispersed camping surrounded on three sides with cliffs. There is a fork in the road once you go past the gate. The road to the right is easier to drive on, but all five or six spots on that road were taken. The left is rockier, move 21’ rv could only make it to the first spot but it was perfect. Big area with a fire pit. If you walk a mile or a mile and a half passed the first spot on the right round, you come to an amazing little canyon with the Colorado river running in it. The only negative is dust get everywhere because of the wind, and there are a lot of low cactus to get you or your dog.

(4) View All

Melissa O.

Scout

Reviewed Feb. 17, 2021

Beautiful!

Fantastic dispersed camping. Road is very rocky coming in. Clearance shouldn't be a problem, but tires might. Turn off from 89A has a steep drop on the eastern side.

Spots along the canyon offer beautiful scenery, and the possibility of a close encounter with a condor.

Month of VisitMarch

Wanda

Traveler

Reviewed Feb. 16, 2021

Great views and off the grid

I was pleasantly surprised that is was not crowded on a holiday weekend. The views were amazing. We continued to the end of the dirt road. The road was a bit rough but not too terrible if you go slow and are cautious. We hiked and explored the first day and we saw a great overview of the Colorado river. Be cautious when exploring there are small cactus that are low to the ground. We will definitely visit again.

Month of VisitMarch

(5) View All

David R.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 8, 2021

Great spot

Located by Lee's Ferry, the Navajo Bridge, Cliff Dwellers, Horseshoe Bend, and the awe inspiring Vermillion Cliffs, these camp sites offer a remote camping experience but still close to plenty of amenities. Best advice, as previously stated, is to arrive during the day. We were in an 11 year old stock GMC truck and had no issues at all getting over the initial bits and to the end of the road. A little bumpy at times and slow going but definitely worth it. From the highway it takes around 20-30 minutes to reach the end (suspension dependent) with initial sites showing up right after the first rough patches of road. Someone managed to pull a camper into one of the first sites past the Marble Canyon sign, which I thought was kind of impressive. Lots of hiking opportunities, we hiked down one of the creeks and the site offers absolutely stunning views both day and night. Lights from Page can be seen to the Northeast at night but do not significantly hinder the night time view.

The Colorado is about 400-500? feet below. We saw a group of rafters going down the river shortly after arriving. This site is also home to the Brady Pincushion Cactus so please be mindful of where you step and drive. Shortly after setting up camp we were also greeted by a curious California Condor riding the thermals along the canyon edges. The condor was all but extinct in the late 80s when the last twenty some in the wild were captured, bred, and released back into the wild at Vermillion Cliffs. Fewer than 500 condors were reported in existence in the late 2010s. If you're patient and lucky you may catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. With that being said, please be a conscientious camper by packing out what you pack in. This site also lies along the Mormon Honeymoon trail, in which newly wed Mormons would make their way to Utah to sanctify their vows.

All in all fantastic site with plenty to do or a great setting to do absolutely nothing. Either way you're sure to want to stay another night. We arrived planning on one night but liked it so much we stayed another.

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Brandon L.

Guide

Reviewed Jan. 6, 2021

Breathtaking

Pictures and videos can hardly do this place justice. It is absolutely beautiful. I stayed less than 15 yards away from the canyon and loved every minute of it.

10/10 and would definitely come back in the future.

The directions are perfect and lead you straight to the gate. Upon arrival the road is a little rocky but any 2WD vehicle with enough clearance and patience should make it through just fine.

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Kyle F.

Scout

Reviewed Jan. 6, 2021

Not what I expected

Well, not what I was looking for at dusk... alone. I’m sure this place is pretty cool when you get a sense of where you are during the day time, but I didn’t. Everything I didn’t like about this site was my fault and will eventually go back just to be able to say I enjoyed it. This is a legitimate off grid type of place and you need to be fully prepared. I wasn’t.

Finn L.

Guide

Reviewed Dec. 18, 2020

The best location you could ask for.

We arrived at night in a nissan rogue, a 2wd with some clearance. We made it through but day time makes it easier.

Once through the gate, keep a left and follow the road to the cliff edge. A previous review posted the perfect pictures and directions. I reccomend downloading the aerial view and info before you arrive as reception is spotty.

We had great weather so no wind and rain, blue skies and a very incredible experience.

Highly recommend it.

(4) View All