Patagonia Lake State Park — Attraction in Four Corners States

Patagonia Lake has always been one of my favorite spots in Arizona, a peaceful place to fish, swim, and enjoy the outdoors. But since the fee increases in 2025, the atmosphere has changed noticeably, and not for the better.

The camping spots jumped from $30 to $50, a staggering 66.7% increase! This is a huge hit for working families or anyone on a tight budget. What used to feel like a lively mix of families, kids playing by the water, and locals enjoying the weekend now feels more like a high end RV park for snowbirds and their pets.

I have been going for many years, and this year there were noticeably more older, retired folks and far fewer young families. The energy just is not the same, and as someone who RVs with a child, I relied on that vibrant family presence to help with socialization. There were weekdays where I did not see a single family with children at the beach.

To make things worse, the visitor center seemed to be permanently closed every day we were there, with no signage or explanation. That meant no coloring activities or indoor learning opportunities for kids, which used to be a fun part of the experience.

I understand that parks need funding, but sharply prices during tough economic times only pushes out the people who need public recreation the most. Public parks should be for everyone, not just those who can afford to absorb the higher costs.

It is still a beautiful place, but it has lost part of what made it special. I hope Arizona State Parks reconsiders the impact these changes are having on accessibility, families, and the local community. Perhaps a solution would be to offer a discount reflecting the old prices for year round for Arizona residents, helping keep these places accessible to the...

Stayed overnight Sat to Sunday. Camping area was clean and everything was working as it should. Patagonia is a great opportunity for some time with the family in the afternoon but come night time is a different story. Camping is strictly for a quiet and relaxed time. I would like to stress quiet. Sound carries like few places I have ever been to and staff runs the campgrounds like jailers. Music however low is not permitted whatsoever and strictly enforced. Children will be quiet or you risk being asked to pick up your camp leave the premises. Camping is mostly old folks with little to no tolerance for noise and are expert “Karens”. Imagine camping in the middle of a retirement community on a Wednesday night before their 4:30 am wakeup time. Yes, extreme. Staff is unreasonable due to a supervisor who is better served at a private military school for delinquent juveniles. She refused to see us when we asked to speak with her as if she was not a public servant. She uses the threat of calling the rangers as if they were her private enforcers. Being a public servant myself and a federal officer there is no option to try to reason with someone who refuses and risk repercussions at work. Best to find another...

There is NO wi-fi. Let me amend that. Yes, you will pick up park wi-fi, but NO - it is not connected to the internet, so it is useless! Perhaps they will get that fixed soon. Also - FYI - cellular connectivity is very spotty within the campground. We have AT&T and could not get a signal at our site. But - down by the beach and sites 47, 48 & 49 we had a good signal. Maybe other places too. But - this is still one of our favorite Arizona State Parks. Many sites have lake views and the lake is lovely. There are ranger-led activities too. The park is a haven for birds and thusly, bird watchers. It is also cool that the park offers boat-in campsites - no other way to get there than by boat. As the park is located on a hill going down to the water, many sites are unlevel - most sloping to the water. Not a big problem - just be aware you are likely to need some leveling blocks. The staff is helpful and friendly. We took the birding boat tour which was worthwhile. There are also nice trails to hike in the park and in adjoining Sonoita Creek State...