Reviews

Andrew Warner

Just got back from touring a bunch of parks in Tucson. Walked Desert Trails for a couple of hours with my wife and we both looked at each other and said “yep, this is the one.”Everyone here in town still calls it “the old water park.” If you grew up in Tucson you probably have pictures somewhere of you flying down the Cannonball or Blue Twister slides back when it was Justin’s/Wyatt’s Water World. Pericles Wyatt turned the place into an RV park in 2007 and it became legendary for concerts and good times. New owners have had it the last few years and you can tell they’re putting real money in, fresh paint, everything brought up to code, and the staff actually seems to care.We saw the sites (plenty big enough for our 45-footer), checked out the showers and laundry (spotless), peeked at the heated pool and hot tub, and then walked out the back gate straight onto the hiking trails in Tucson Mountain Park. Saguaro West and the Desert Museum are basically right there. Didn’t even need to unhook to do anything.Talked to a dozen residents while we were wandering around and every single one said the same thing: friendliest crowd in Tucson and the upgrades have made a huge difference. Rates look totally fair for what you get.We’re already planning to book for January through March. If you want trails, sunsets, and a park that actually feels special, this is it. Five stars, no question.

Lizane Mayer

The manager is unbelievable rude. I asked her some questions and she got really nasty on the phone and then hung up on me. Being in the hospitality business myself, it is shocking when you realize that who you hire can ruin your business.

Kat Knapp

A Hidden Gem in Western tucson. The management here is so friendly so warm and so welcoming I felt like I was a part of the family. With lots of amenities like pools Xtra laundry facilities washrooms and free ice I never have to leave. Management here is also open to making constant improvements and in welcoming people in to make it comfortable affordable and just an overall wonderful place to stay and live

Rely Kues

The husband and wife running desert trails are in way over their head and it shows. The facilities are not at all as advertised. Everything is neglected, derelict and in disrepair. Residents told me the pool is always closed due to bacterial infestation. The spaces are laughably small for the price compared to every other place, and if you feel like getting out too bad because traffic is BAD bad. And the owners are very RUDE, miserable people. Desert trails has all the trappings of a married couple jumping on board a "fun little project" before realizing there's actually going to be work to do and now they're trapped in their terrible investment.

Rely Kues

The husband and wife running desert trails are in way over their head and it shows. The facilities are not at all as advertised. Everything is neglected, derelict and in disrepair. Residents told me the pool is always closed due to bacterial infestation. The spaces are laughably small for the price compared to every other place, and if you feel like getting out too bad because traffic is BAD bad. And the owners are very RUDE, miserable people. Desert trails has all the trappings of a married couple jumping on board a "fun little project" before realizing there's actually going to be work to do and now they're trapped in their terrible investment.

David DeVilbiss

Cleanest bathrooms and laundry rooms we’ve encountered through 14 states this year. We’ll be back!

Susan Schwaderer

Nice enough park. Best feature is being right next to the trails for Tucson Mountain Park. No need to drive to hike. Our site - M-52 - was a little tight getting in, but we made it after 3 people moved their cars/trucks. Road was narrow by our site and the site was narrow as well. Park was pretty full, if not completely full. Didn't use the swimming pool - but it is small. Laundry facilities are conveniently located throughout the park and clean. We looked around the area at many other parks and didn't find one better than this one and the one next door. Our site was gravel with full hook-ups and 30 amp service. No road noise, plane noise or train noise. However, there was a shooting club nearby which allowed shooting Friday, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.. Constant distant popping sound during shooting hours. Stayed again in 2025 in site S-6 - It was easier to back-in. Decent park, friendly staff. Sites are a bit cramped and can be dusty - but it is the desert! Best advantage is the proximity to all the hiking trails through the desert. No need to drive, just head out your door to the trails - available for hiking or mountain biking. Nice that picnic tables are provided. Several laundry rooms available throughout the campground.

Shelton Braswell

Stayed here 2 times. This will be our last. We have 2 dogs that we walk on leashes and pick up after. We have noticed very few people here do the same. My dogs were attacked this morning by 2 dogs coming from what looks like permanent residents. (Not on leashes). If you have dogs I would go someplace else.

Jeanette Hill

My husband and I planned a trip to see some National Parks and enjoy the Southwest of AZ and NM. After staying in some pretty desolate RV parks, we found Dexter Trails to be full of native plants and charm. We were lucky to be on the outer edge where the hiking trails and views of the mountains were great! If you call for reservations, just let the park staff what you are looking for as far as slide outs. Because we booked so close to our arrival, there were no drive through spaces left. The RVs are pretty packed in, but we had plenty of space with a view! This park is close to Saguaro Nat'l Park and the fabulous Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. We visited in late March just before the weather got hot. We'v been to some fabulous RV parks (in the Redwoods), but this park was the best park on our trip!!!!

Jeanette Hill

My husband and I planned a trip to see some National Parks and enjoy the Southwest of AZ and NM. After staying in some pretty desolate RV parks, we found Dexter Trails to be full of native plants and charm. We were lucky to be on the outer edge where the hiking trails and views of the mountains were great! If you call for reservations, just let the park staff what you are looking for as far as slide outs. Because we booked so close to our arrival, there were no drive through spaces left. The RVs are pretty packed in, but we had plenty of space with a view! This park is close to Saguaro Nat'l Park and the fabulous Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. We visited in late March just before the weather got hot. We'v been to some fabulous RV parks (in the Redwoods), but this park was the best park on our trip!!!!

Janice Brojas

We had an amazing experience staying at Desert Trails RV Park, from the moment we arrived, the staff was friendly, Jesse the Park Manager is very welcoming, helpful and always greets everyone with a smile. Check-in was smooth, and we were given a spacious, well-maintained site with easy hookups. The park itself is clean, quiet, and beautifully maintained. The amenities were clean, restrooms and showers, a well-kept laundry facility, and our site had a strong Wi-Fi, which was a huge plus! The dog park was a great bonus for our pup, and we loved the walking trails nearby. One of the highlights was the sense of community—everyone was friendly, and there were fun activities to join. The location was also perfect, with great access to local attractions, restaurants, and scenic views. Overall, we highly recommend Desert Trails to anyone looking for a comfortable and enjoyable stay. We will definitely be back!

Janice Brojas

We had an amazing experience staying at Desert Trails RV Park, from the moment we arrived, the staff was friendly, Jesse the Park Manager is very welcoming, helpful and always greets everyone with a smile. Check-in was smooth, and we were given a spacious, well-maintained site with easy hookups. The park itself is clean, quiet, and beautifully maintained. The amenities were clean, restrooms and showers, a well-kept laundry facility, and our site had a strong Wi-Fi, which was a huge plus! The dog park was a great bonus for our pup, and we loved the walking trails nearby. One of the highlights was the sense of community—everyone was friendly, and there were fun activities to join. The location was also perfect, with great access to local attractions, restaurants, and scenic views. Overall, we highly recommend Desert Trails to anyone looking for a comfortable and enjoyable stay. We will definitely be back!

Sabra

Look s like it needs work some needs needs to give it some time

Barbara Swansen

I’m giving Desert Trails 5 stars for the following reasons; location to hiking and biking trails right out from the park with gorgeous desert & cactus, beautiful surrounding mountains, a feeling of remoteness from traffic and busy roads (yes, San Joaquin Road can be noisy so getting a site farther from there is necessary in my opinion), and very dog friendly. But the number 1 reason we keep coming back every winter is the community! These are healthy, active, laid back, welcoming people who make this feel like our 2nd home. Jesse, the manager, does a great job of trying to accommodate everyone. It is an aging park with quirks and issues from time to time but the pluses fully negate the minuses in our opinion. If you like the feeling of being in a park with access to amazing trail systems and wonderful people, this is your place. If you prefer sitting in your RV in a fancy fully paved park, this probably isn’t your style.

Barbara Swansen

I’m giving Desert Trails 5 stars for the following reasons; location to hiking and biking trails right out from the park with gorgeous desert & cactus, beautiful surrounding mountains, a feeling of remoteness from traffic and busy roads (yes, San Joaquin Road can be noisy so getting a site farther from there is necessary in my opinion), and very dog friendly. But the number 1 reason we keep coming back every winter is the community! These are healthy, active, laid back, welcoming people who make this feel like our 2nd home. Jesse, the manager, does a great job of trying to accommodate everyone. It is an aging park with quirks and issues from time to time but the pluses fully negate the minuses in our opinion. If you like the feeling of being in a park with access to amazing trail systems and wonderful people, this is your place. If you prefer sitting in your RV in a fancy fully paved park, this probably isn’t your style.