Good Sam Park of the Month: Verde Ranch RV Resort
An Amazing Campground Located in Arizona's High Desert
Image Caption: Photo Credit: Verde Ranch RV Resort
Whether you’re content to kick back and watch all the action from your comfy camp chair or you’d rather participate in one activity after another, Verde Ranch RV Resort in Camp Verde, Arizona, is the place to enjoy it. The Good Sam 10/10*/10-rated resort opened in 2019 and has almost 400 RV sites, from pull-throughs to back-ins to big-rig friendly options, and Wi-Fi and cable are included. Minutes from historic downtown Camp Verde, Verde Ranch sits at an elevation of more than 3,000 feet and is surrounded by the Prescott National Forest, giving the area a unique climate.
Photo Credit: Verde Ranch RV Resort
Family-friendly Verde Ranch sports year-round activities such as Wild Tie-Dye Friday, kids’ crafts, scavenger hunts, trivia nights, bingo, potlucks, and “dive-in” movies with seating around the pool deck, as well as adults-only events like wine and beer tastings and paint-and-sip nights. The pool is heated year-round and there are two hot tubs as well as a splash pad for the kiddos.
Burn off some calories playing pickleball at the fitness center or by heading out on a trail for a bike ride or hike right from the resort. Verde Ranch’s clubhouse has shuffleboard, bocce ball, a ping pong table, a billiard table, poker tables, and horseshoes, but if you’re inclined to work, pull up a chair at the business center where you’ll have access to high-speed Wi-Fi.
Photo Credit: Verde Ranch RV Resort
There’s plenty to do in the area, from exploring ancient cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle National Monument to experiencing the ultimate animal adventure at Out of Africa Wildlife Park, where animals can be viewed in their natural habitat. Once you’ve seen the animals up close, soar over them beside friends on the wildlife park’s three parallel zip lines. Or paddle your way down the Verde River with one of the local winery’s “water and wine” kayaking tours.
Photo Credit: Wildsam
National Park: Grand Canyon
The spires and walls above the Colorado River are an actual must-see. Wildsam Field Guides’ Grand Canyon book explores this American wonder.
Sightseeing Hike
The North Rim’s Cape Final feels like the end of the world, in the best way. Stroll casually through open ponderosa pines, knee-high grasses, and blooming lupines. Then it all drops away, leaving the canyon, the distant Painted Desert, and an eternity of sky.
Photo Credit: Getty
Culture Stop
Desert View Watchtower, a 70-foot cylinder dating to 1932, captures architect Mary Jane Colter’s rustic style and debt to Native American building techniques. The murals inside, some by noted artist Fred Kabotie, depict ancient tales like the Snake Legend.
Village Day
The epicenter of all things GCNP, Grand Canyon Village becomes a true global crossroads during busy days. For the best of this unique rim-side habitation, check out the Kolb Studio museum to learn about the Canyon’s brave early photographers, take a stroll in the contemplative Pioneer Cemetery, hit Mohave Point for sundown, and wrap up with a nightcap in the vintage Arizona Room.
