Kentucky Camp Cabin And Headquarters Building
Kentucky Camp Cabin and Headquarters is located in the Santa Rita Mountains near Sonoita, Arizona in the Coronado National Forest. The five adobe buildings originally served as headquarters for the Santa Rita Water and Mining Company from 1902 to 1906. The facility also served as a cattle ranch from the 1920s through the 1960s. The Forest Service acquired the land in 1989 and it has since become an ideal location for guests seeking a unique lodging experience, rich in mining and ranching history.
For a more detailed look at Kentucky Camp's history and facilities, please click here
This facility consists of a cabin and headquarters building. The cabin can accommodate up to five people, and is equipped with two twin beds, a twin bunkbed and a full-sized futon. The kitchen has basic amenities including a small refrigerator, microwave, hot plate, coffee pot, dishes, utensils, cookware, and a table and chairs. Outside, there is a grill and picnic table for outdoor dining. A vault toilet, stall for solar showers, and an outdoor sink are located on site. Please note: Tent Camping is prohibited within the site boundary of Kentucky Camp.
The cabin has electricity and propane heat, but no indoor running water.
Guests MUST bring their own food, sleeping bags, linens, towels, dish soap, matches, a first aid kit, toilet paper, solar shower, and garbage bags.
Need to Know
Access to the cabin is via a driveway & locked gate from Forest Service Road 163, accessible by passenger car. The house key is located in a lock box on the back door near the grill. The combinations for gate and the lock box are provided once a reservation is made.
A cabin manual is located inside the cabin to answer specific questions during your stay as well as provide you with information on recreation opportunities in the area.
Maid service is NOT provided. Before leaving, renters are expected to clean the cabin; this includes washing dishes, sweeping and mopping floors, wiping down countertops, and removing ALL trash.
Guests MUST provide some of their own supplies including: food, sleeping bags, linens, pillows, towels, dish soap, matches, a first aid kit, toilet paper and garbage bags.
A vault toilet is located nearby (less than 100 feet).
- Keep the building and grounds clean to deter squirrel, mice, rats, bears, and other wildlife from area.
Cell phone coverage is usually available in the general area, but may be unreliable in the cabin.
Pets are permitted in the cabin, but owners MUST clean-up after their pets.
- The house is located in a desert environment; please be aware that scorpions, snakes and other insects may be present at any time.
- The access road leading into the cabin is passable by passenger car, but high clearance vehicles are recommended.
- Off-highway vehicles are also only allowed on designated roads and trails.
- The cabin is a no-smoking facility.
- Reservation dates subject to weather conditions.
- This cabin does not honor Golden Passport Discounts.
Natural Features
Spanning four life zones and several ecosystems between the Sonoran desert and the "Sky Island" mountain peaks, the area surrounding the camp and cabin supports abundant and biologically diverse plant and animal communities. Mountain peaks, high desert grasslands, and seasonal streams provide diverse habitat for the area's abundant wildlife. White-tailed and mule deer, rabbits, wild turkeys, and squirrels are commonly seen, along with numerous bird species. While black bear, Coati, foxes, ring-tailed cats, bobcats and mountain lions are more elusive.
Nearby Attractions
Numerous attractions are available nearby in Madera Canyon. Attractions within a one-hour drive include the Mining Museum, Titan Missile Museum, Whipple Observatory, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, San Xavier Mission, the Amerind Foundation, and Tumacacori National Historical Park.
Recreation
The area has popular hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding trails which range from gentle walking paths, to steep, strenuous trails leading to the top of 9,453-foot Mt. Wrightson and other nearby peaks. The Arizona Trail runs through Kentucky Camp. Two-track and dirt roads are available for off-highway vehicle travel around Kentucky Camp; however, off-highway vehicles may not be ridden within the site's boundaries. Birders congregate in southeastern Arizona as it is touted as one of the country's most revered birding areas. With fifteen species of hummingbirds, 36 species of wood warblers, and over 256 documented bird species, the area is a birder's paradise.
Contact Information
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NOGALES RANGER DISTRICT 303 OLD TUCSON ROAD NOGALES AZ 85621
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 520-281-2296
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
From Tucson, take I-10 east to Exit #281 (Highway 83 - Sonoita/Patagonia). Travel south on Highway 83 for approximately 21 miles to the signed turnoff for Gardner Canyon Road. Turn right on Gardner Canyon Road and continue 0.9 mile to Forest Service Road 163. Turn right on Forest Service Road 163 and continue approximately 5 miles to the entrance to Kentucky Camp. Stay to the left and continue to the parking lot and gate that marks the entrance to Kentucky Camp. There are signs to Kentucky Camp from Highway 83.
