Last Updated: May 2, 2026
If you’re road-tripping through Arizona and looking for a laid-back base camp between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, Black Canyon City, Arizona is worth a longer look. Located about 45 miles north of Phoenix along I-17, it’s easy to overlook — but we spent a week here and discovered it punches well above its weight for outdoor activities, wildlife, and relaxation.
After Petrified Forest National Park and Sedona, our goal was simple: soak up some warmth before heading north to the Grand Canyon, restock at a nearby Costco, and wait on a few Amazon deliveries. What we got was fresh-squeezed juice every morning, daily hot tub soaks, a trip to a world-class botanical garden, and a visit to the largest public shooting facility in the United States. Sometimes the practical stops turn into the best ones.
Black Canyon Ranch RV Park: Citrus, Spa & Solitude
Black Canyon Ranch RV Park turned out to be one of our favorite stops of the entire 2018 Arizona trip. The park sits right in Black Canyon City with a character all its own — nearly every camper seemed to arrive with an ATV in tow, and the surrounding desert is laced with trails that beg to be explored.
What really set this park apart was the citrus. The property is dotted with mature pink grapefruit, orange, and tangelo trees, and the owners actively encouraged guests to pick the fruit — the trees were past peak ripeness and already bursting into the next season’s blossoms. We took full advantage. Fresh-squeezed orange and tangelo juice became our morning ritual. Sandy discovered that fresh grapefruit also makes an excellent martini. Michael, always looking for the best light of the day, found that early morning among the citrus trees — dew still on the fruit, blossoms just opening — made for some of the most unexpectedly beautiful photography of the trip.
The park also maintains a well-kept pool and spa that was, surprisingly, almost always empty — so we treated it as our own private hot tub each afternoon. After weeks of desert hiking and road miles, daily soaks in a quiet outdoor spa surrounded by the Sonoran Desert felt like an extraordinary luxury.
Black Canyon Ranch RV Park visitor details: Located just off I-17 in Black Canyon City, AZ, about 45 miles north of downtown Phoenix. ATV trail access directly from the park, mature citrus grove, pool and spa on site. Ideal for RVers wanting a relaxed stopover between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon or Prescott.
Ben Avery Shooting Facility: The Largest Public Range in the USA
Just a short drive south of Black Canyon City sits the Ben Avery Shooting Facility — and if you’re a shooter, this place is jaw-dropping. Managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the facility sprawls across 1,650 acres and holds the title of the largest publicly operated shooting facility in the United States. We first discovered the scale of Arizona’s public shooting infrastructure at the Tucson Mountain Park shooting range and the Prescott Trap and Skeet Club — but Ben Avery puts both in perspective.
The sheer scale is staggering — 67 ranges in total, including rifle, pistol, 5 dedicated archery ranges, clay target shooting, and even a 99-site campground for those who want to make a full weekend of it. They host regional and national shooting events throughout the year, so it’s worth checking their calendar before you visit. We strongly believe in knowledge, safety, and skill when owning a firearm — and facilities like Ben Avery make responsible, enjoyable practice accessible to anyone.
Ben Avery Shooting Facility visitor details: Located at 4044 W Black Canyon Hwy, Phoenix, AZ 85086, managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The facility has 67 ranges across 1,650 acres — rifle, pistol, archery, and clay target. A 99-site campground is also available. More information at azgfd.com/shooting/basf.
Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix: Worth Every Mile of the Drive
About an hour south of Black Canyon City, the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is one of those places that fully earns its reputation. Founded in 1937, the garden covers 140 acres in Papago Park and feels more like a living museum of Sonoran Desert ecology than a traditional botanical garden — 50,000 plants representing 4,000 species, with a particular emphasis on cacti, succulents, and arid-land plants from around the world.
We visited in late March — arguably the best time to go — when the cactus were just beginning to bloom. The air was heavy with the fragrance of flowering desert trees, and color was everywhere: hedgehog cactus in deep magenta, prickly pear opening in soft yellow, barrel cactus glowing in the afternoon light. For Michael as a photographer, this was one of the most productive few hours of the entire Arizona trip — the combination of extraordinary subject matter, beautiful desert light, and a landscape designed with visual flow in mind made every composition feel almost inevitable.
The garden schedules regular events, workshops, and live music throughout the year, so there’s always something extra happening depending on when you visit. Evening events during the summer months — when the desert air finally cools after sunset — are particularly popular and transform the garden into a completely different experience.
Butterfly Exhibit
The garden’s butterfly exhibit is small but remarkably well done. Despite its size, the number and variety of species is impressive — Monarchs, Pipevine Swallowtails, Zebra Longwings, White Peacocks, and Great Southern Whites drifted through a dense environment of flowering plants. It’s easy to spend 30 minutes in there without realizing it. As a photographer, Michael found it offered the same close-access opportunities as the butterfly gardens at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum — the combination of willing subjects and rich botanical backdrops makes for compelling images even with a basic camera.
Wildlife Throughout the Garden
Beyond the butterflies, the grounds teem with wildlife. Goldfinches, hummingbirds, and Gilded Woodpeckers were active throughout our visit — the botanical plantings attracting birds that would otherwise require desert hiking to encounter. Round-tailed ground squirrels darted between the cacti with characteristic frantic energy, and we were warned that warmer nights had already stirred the rattlesnakes — though we didn’t spot any. A good reminder to watch where you step once temperatures climb.
Desert Botanical Garden visitor details: Located at 1201 N Galvin Pkwy, Phoenix, AZ 85008, in Papago Park near the Phoenix Zoo. Founded in 1937, the garden covers 140 acres with over 50,000 plants. Late February through April is peak season for cacti and wildflower blooms. Arrive early on weekends — it gets busy by mid-morning. Evening events and summer night hours are offered seasonally. More information at dbg.org.
Jake Gets a New Toy
Jake got a new toy from Costco. He was enormously pleased with himself. Some things in life are simple and perfect.
Practical Tips for Visiting Black Canyon City
Getting there: Black Canyon City sits directly on I-17, about 45 miles north of downtown Phoenix — making it an ideal first or last night stop on a Grand Canyon road trip, or a comfortable overnight between Prescott and Phoenix. Stocking up: A Costco in the Phoenix metro is a short drive south, making this a great resupply point for full-time RVers heading north. Best season: Spring (March–April) is ideal — warm days, cool nights, and desert wildflowers and cactus beginning to bloom. Wildlife note: Rattlesnakes become active as nighttime temperatures climb above 60°F — watch your step on evening walks and keep Jake on leash. Day trips: The Desert Botanical Garden (1 hour south) and Ben Avery Shooting Facility (short drive south) are both worth the drive and can be combined in a full day.
Frequently Asked Questions About Black Canyon City, Arizona
Where is Black Canyon City, Arizona? Black Canyon City is located in Maricopa County, Arizona, approximately 45 miles north of Phoenix along Interstate 17. It sits at the southern edge of the Bradshaw Mountains at about 2,000 feet elevation — cooler than central Phoenix but warmer than Prescott.
Is Black Canyon City worth visiting? Yes — especially for RVers and road-trippers. It offers easy highway access, proximity to the Phoenix metro for resupply, great ATV trails, and is a convenient overnight stop between Phoenix and the Grand Canyon, Prescott, or Sedona.
What is the Ben Avery Shooting Facility? The Ben Avery Shooting Facility is the largest publicly operated shooting facility in the United States — 1,650 acres and 67 ranges managed by the Arizona Game and Fish Department, located just south of Black Canyon City near Phoenix.
When is the best time to visit the Desert Botanical Garden? Late February through April is peak bloom season when the cactus and desert wildflowers are at their most spectacular. Arrive early on weekends. The garden also offers popular evening events during summer.
Have you stopped in Black Canyon City on an Arizona road trip? Drop a comment below — we’d love to hear what you discovered!
Awwww, what a sweet face (Jake Huntley!) 🙂
He loves new toys!
I recognize the Monarch Butterfly (first one in the row on the left-orange). Monterey Pacific Grove as a Monarch Sanctuary and they show up in October when they have the Butterfly festival. I had to paint a large wooden one for an art event.
I have yet to witness them gathering/migrating in large groups. Hopefully one of these years!