Cactus Atlas

Reviewed: Jun 21, 2026

3 out of 5

I have mentioned in a review of site 15 (written as Campvue), that Bonita Canyon campground in Chiricahua is among my favorite campgrounds of all time. This review is based on a trip I took several years ago (my first time camping here), when I used to make campground reviews for the Cactus Atlas. That video review can even be seen on this Campvue website. As you'd see, I had a great time, and site 5 was nice. Just like other sites, it is great for tent campers, and I'd argue 5 is better suited as such, rather than for those towing a camper. It has the same nice amenities as other sites here, including a nice tent pad. The only difficulty with site 5's tent pad is it is under a tree, and chances are many tents will come into contact with the branches they hang so low. Even on my most recent trip, all these years later, it is still like that. I have joked that I should bring hedge clippers and trim it up some. Some in small tents will enjoy that though. The biggest nitpick with site 5 is the proximity to its neighbors, like site 7. They are pretty close, and during my stay in 5, the neighboring site on one night had two small children (two boys), who were a little loud. Not enough to ruin a nice stay, but at times, they could be rowdy. And, one of the sites behind site 5 (I think it is site 23 or 24), is literally feet away when you study it. The folks back there were in a rig and I never heard a sound, but there is definitely potential in site 5 to have some privacy concerns. Probably no worse than your average national park spacing, but worth mentioning.I personally would avoid choosing this one and go for a more private site (like site 15) if you can snag one. That said, if 5 is all that's left, its still worth a trip. Don't want to paint a bad picture, 5 is still nice, but you can do better. The bathrooms are pretty close by to 5, which is a nice convenience for some. They were in general clean, until the day the two small boys in site 7 showed up, and then I noted urine on the toilet seats each time I went into the restroom, as young boys will often do. Not a gripe against the kids, but if you are a parent, please note, there are others who need to use the restrooms too. If you are okay with pee on toilet seats at home, keep it there, and take responsibility for your kids when in a public setting please. Other than that, if you want to see the video version of all this, check out the campground review video from a few years back in the related videos section. I talk about all this and more there. But all in all, this campsite, and Bonita Canyon campground in general, is pretty magical, and the best place to stay in this region when enjoying all Chiricahua has to offer.