First time/last minute Chiricahua visit (car-camping) options?

[Thoreau]

Really just looking to get out and relax, but some nearby day hikes that will keep my camera shutter busy would be ideal. And obviously, something easily passable in a BMW with VERY road-oriented tires and not a ton of ground clearance.

I kinda got rid of my go-anywhere 4wd options though, and need to keep a leased X3 from getting torn up, so that seems to limit things quite a bit compared to what I'm used to. Given all the fires around the state, summer weather, etc. everything north seems to be pretty well spoken for and of all the places I've been, Chiricahua NM has somehow just never been visited. Weather seems halfway decent, and some of the rattlesnakes I'd love to photograph aren't gonna wander up to the Phoenix area from down there, so why not!

I've been scouring the NPS site for the area, and right off the bat the one campground they have (bonita) is booked up. I'm just starting down the 'search for campground' in google maps route but figured I'd ask the HAZ folks as well.... what are some good options around there?

[Grimey]

@Thoreau
Sunny Flat CG outside of Portal would be a good option for you, with the caveat that it is first come/first served, so there is no guarantee of getting a site.

Edit - sorry seems you may be looking for something nearer to the Chiricahua NM, not just the Chiricahuas. Sunny Flat is a couple hours drive from there.

[Moovyoaz]

Pinery Canyon road is graded dirt, and has some nice dispersed camping about 4-5 miles in.

[Jim]

It might be a long drive up a potentially rough dirt road to get there, but the Rustler Park campground was rather nice, and Barfoot Park was really nice. Lots of large, tall Arizona pines in there with some tables. I don't recall if there were fire rings. Barfoot was free and Rustler was maybe $15, if you're so inclined.

The road was recently graded in July of 2023 when I visited.

[Al_HikesAZ]

@Thoreau
Great options inside Chiricahua National Monument. You can camp at the Bonita Campground. Paved roads to some excellent viewpoints and hike. Park Service may have a morning shuttle to the top and you can hike down.
https://hikearizona.com/x.php?I=4&ZTN=16778&UID=21152

[xsproutx]

@Jim_H
I was out there over labor day and while I took my subaru, I have also owned an x3 and it wouldn't have had a problem getting to rustler at all. Came into rustler via wilcox and left via paradise and those roads were perfectly fine for pretty much any vehicle at this point.

OP, if you want to be near the park, head south on Piney Canyon road and there are a ton of dispersed camping options ~10-15 minutes or so down the road once you pass private property.

[Jim]

@Thoreau see the quote

@Jim_H
I was out there over labor day and while I took my subaru, I have also owned an x3 and it wouldn't have had a problem getting to rustler at all. Came into rustler via wilcox and left via paradise and those roads were perfectly fine for pretty much any vehicle at this point.

Good to know, but I won't be out there any time soon.

[Jim]

@Thoreau @ failed. see above