Families with little to no camping experience are invited to explore the great outdoors through the Arizona Family Campout program, which provides equipment and guidance from park rangers (photo courtesy of Arizona State Parks and Trails).
With the opening of fall registration on Aug. 5, Arizona State Parks and Trails announced increased capacity for first-time campers in its Arizona Family Campout program. Ten weekend campout events are scheduled across Arizona’s state parks from September through December.
The program introduces families with little to no camping experience to outdoor recreation, with all necessary equipment provided. Thanks to additional staffing by the agency and to increased equipment made possible by a $100,000 grant from the Governor’s Office of Youth, Faith and Family in fiscal year 2026, the program has nearly doubled the number of scheduled events available for registration this fall.
“The Arizona Family Campout program is one of best ways we can welcome new families into a lifetime of loving the outdoors and appreciating Arizona,” said program manager Jennifer Woodrum. “The staff, volunteers and parks we have lined up this fall – more than ever before – are a great opportunity for people to try camping in a safe and comfortable environment. We promise to help our camping families have a great experience.”
The 2026 fall locations include parks already popular for the program like Kartchner Caverns, Roper Lake, Buckskin Mountain, Picacho Peak and Lost Dutchman state parks. The fall events will also give participants the exclusive opportunity to camp at parks typically only open for day use, including Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, Oracle State Park and Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park. The program will host campout events for the first time ever at two state parks: Homolovi State Park in Winslow and Cattail Cove State Park in Lake Havasu City.
Participants are provided with all necessary camping equipment and park rangers provide instruction on camping safety and lead activities such as fishing, archery, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking, and geocaching, with all activity gear provided.
Each campout also includes a conservation project, such as litter cleanup or native tree planting, designed to encourage environmental stewardship in participating families.
The program costs $90-110 for a family of four, with additional family members at $5 per person. Children must be at least 6 years old to participate. Accessible campouts are available and group campouts are available for nonprofits, scout troops and other educational groups.
To learn more and register for a camping experience, visit www.azstateparks.com/family.
