By:
Submission
From I-10 & Houghton Rd (exit 275), go 1 mi S on Houghton Rd.
This is a wonderful spot and the price is great! A warning for those who are not into Gem Jam! Don’t come during these days the music?, is like nails on a chalkboard and I love music! But to be fair they did warn us about the loud music and put us as far away as they could! Seriously the park and hosts are great!!!
Convenient for an overnight stay, but stay with caution. The place is loud. People sneak in late at night, and the premises can be booked for venues with no quiet hour enforcement.
We stayed to get out of the weather until our next reservations began. We were given a written notice that there would be a loud concert until at least midnight for numerous nights and wear ear plugs. We talked to other campers who said the music is so loud ear plugs don't work. We asked to cancel, and they apparently go through this all the time and said they do not give refunds. I asked why they didn't enforce quiet hours, and they said they are not a campground. I looked at the park guidelines posted online, and it lists quiet hours from 10pm to 6am. Not worth $40 per day, in my opinion.
This is a nice place to stay especially if you find it difficult to get a reservation in southern AZ in the winter. They have daily and weekly rates and have Good Sam and Escapees discounts. We paid $30/ night for full hookups with our Escapees discount. The Fairgrounds does not take reservations, although there are events that may limit camping options. Call ahead to be sure they can accomodate you. There's not much atmosphere in the actual camping areas, which is mostly gravel, but there are some really nice areas with grass and trees spread throughtout the grounds. The fairgrounds are pretty extensive and there is a nice exercise trail, with signs identifying the local flora, that goes around part of the perimeter. They have also added a paved trail that parallels the entrance road. There are two laundry facilities with a total of five washers and eight driers. Each machine is $1.50, which is pretty reasonable for laundry. You just need to time your washing around others. There is a cantina, which is only open for special occasions, when they may also have additional food trucks. Don't expect these amenities all the time, but it's fun when a special event brings them in. In addition to having lots of walking space, there are bike trails easily accessible. The office has a map of them available. It's reasonably close to Saguaro National Park on the east side and shopping is close across the interstate. We've stayed here three times and would stay again.
Really enjoyed our stay. We had a pull through and we were able to park our extra vehicle right beside. The staff were great and very helpful.
Amazing price compared to other places.
Highly recommend!
