Can you reserve a site at North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area?

No. North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area, Arizona — sites, fees and cancellation alerts

The 63,200-acre North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area lies in the Sonoran Desert National Monument in southwestern Maricopa County, about 12 miles east of Gila Bend and 20 miles southwest of Phoenix.

The wilderness provides outstanding opportunities for solitude and primitive recreation, including hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, camping, wildlife observation and photography. The Margies Cove and Brittlebush Trails take you through the heart of the North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness.

The North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness contains a 10-mile section of the Maricopa Mountains, a low-elevation (1,000 to 2,813 feet) Sonoran Desert range, and extensive surrounding desert plains. The North Maricopa Mountains are a jumble of long ridges and isolated peaks, separated by bajadas and washes. Vegetation includes saguaro, cholla, ocotillo and other Sonoran Desert plant species. Desert bighorn sheep, desert tortoise, coyotes, bobcat, fox, deer, Gambel's quail and raptors live in this wilderness.

Getting there

You can get to the North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area from the west via State Route 85 and BLM route 8001 to Margies Cove West. From the south, off of State Route 238/Maricopa Road, BLM route 8004 connects to the Brittlebush Trailhead. BLM route 8002 parallels the east side of the wilderness and connects to Margies Cove East on route 8002A. Download a map.

33.10301, -112.52864 · 33°6'10.9"N 112°31'43.1"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Official map for this area

Typical weather

Typically 109°F in Jul, down to 70°F in Dec.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	71	75	82	90	98	107	109	109	104	93	80	70
Low °F	41	44	49	55	63	72	81	81	74	60	48	40
Precip in	0.8	0.9	0.7	0.3	0.3	0.1	0.6	0.9	0.3	0.4	0.5	0.6

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 14.4 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Fees and stay limits

There are no permits, passes, or fees required to visit this wilderness area. It is free. However, commercial, competitive, and large organized group events require a special recreation permit. Contact the local managing field office for more information about special recreation permits. Recreational activities on any nearby state trust land require a permit from the State of Arizona.

From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.

Common questions about North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area

Can you reserve a site at North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area?: No. North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area is not reservable through Recreation.gov, so sites are first-come, first-served or booked elsewhere.

Camping near North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area

Painted Rock Petroglyph Campground 30.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
Margies Cove West Trailhead 3.5 mi · Facility
Margies Cove West Campground 3.5 mi · Campground
Margies Cove East Trailhead 3.8 mi · Facility
Brittlebush Trailhead 7.6 mi · Facility
South Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area 14.4 mi · Facility
Gila Bend Visitor Center 16 mi · Visitor Center
Box Canyon Recreational Shooting Site 22.7 mi · Facility
Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and Campground 30.4 mi · Campground
Hotel San Carlos 35.6 mi · Facility
West Valley Art Museum 39.3 mi · Facility
Challenger Learning Center of Arizona 43 mi · Facility

Contact

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-03-03.

North Maricopa Mountains Wilderness Area