Free Camping Near Williams | Bill Williams Loop Road

Bill Williams Loop Road is a great area to find nice dispersed camping near Williams. Located just off of I-40 in Kaibab National Forest there are numerous spots to choose from and the road is in great condition. This makes a great place to relax in the forest with opportunities to check out several lakes in the area, explore the dirt roads or take a hike. The area is peaceful and you may even spot wildlife. Less than an hour from Flagstaff, the town of Williams itself is a cool little Route 66 throwback town. As you can see, there’s plenty to do while camping near Williams. So read on to find out more about the camping conditions and what to expect.

spot in the woods while camping near williams

Quick Info: Camping Near Williams

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: Click here to get directions to dispersed camping near Williams

Solar: Good but it depends on the spot that you choose.

Water: None

Miles From Town: About 8 miles from Williams

Cell Service: Yes but again, depends on the spot that you choose.

Road Conditions: The dirt/gravel road is in great condition

Our Experience

After spending some time boondocking near Oatman, we were excited to be at higher elevation among the cooler temperatures and pine trees! There are several areas where you can find dispersed camping near Williams in Kaibab National Forest. This time we decided to check out the dispersed camping on Bill Williams Loop Road.

After we turned off I-40, we followed Bill Williams Loop Road/FR 108 to pick out our camp spot. There is no camping within the first one mile but after that there are numerous options to choose from. First, there are several spots in the woods that can accommodate large rigs. And if you continue further, there are a number of more open meadow spots with some trees scattered around for a bit of privacy. These spots have nice views of the vast meadows and Bill Williams Mountain.

Just past the meadow and over a cattle guard there are more dispersed camp spots among the tall pines. All along this dirt road there are spots that can accommodate any size rig. And the dirt road is in great shape. The further down the road you go, you may lose cell service.

A little past the cattle guard is the area that we decided to call home for about a week and a half while camping near Williams. We had a pretty spacious spot surrounded by tall ponderosa pines with decent solar and cell service. The next camp spots on Bill Williams Loop Road were about a quarter mile or so in either direction so we had plenty of privacy and solitude.

camping near williams in kaibab national forest

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While we were here camping near Williams we found that there was some usual daily traffic that included work trucks and Forest Service trucks. And every so often there were some OHV’s coming and going. On the weekends there was a bit more use by campers and OHV’ers but overall it was very quiet and peaceful here. After spending a lot of time camping in Flagstaff, we were surprised by how much less crowded camping near Williams was in comparison. We really enjoyed that.

As with any camp spot in the woods, there are plenty of places to get out for a stroll. There are several dirt roads in the immediate vicinity to explore as well as other recreation opportunities in the area. While we were here we spotted several deer and we were surprised to see adorable prairie dogs down by Evans Tank.

One of our favorite parts about camping near Williams was hiking to the top of Bill Williams Mountain! It’s a great opportunity to hike through conifers and aspen to 9,256 feet for beautiful vast views.

And as I mentioned above, the town of Williams itself is a cool Route 66 stop. We don’t usually partake in any “city” stuff like coffee shops, bars or dining. But we were impressed by the fun things to look at while we were driving through town. If you enjoy railroads, route 66 or just cute little rustic towns then be sure to drive to town while camping nearby.

Thanks for Reading About Camping Near Williams!

All in all, camping near Williams on Bill Williams Loop Road was a great experience. We live on the road full time and we have found a lot of great free camping spots along the way! Experiencing new areas is what keeps this lifestyle exciting. Check out the articles below to see some great places to dispersed camp:

While we are on the road we stay busy creating hand painted longboards! If you’d like to pick up a unique new longboard, head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop to see our latest lineup. We also design and screen print our own t-shirts and long sleeve shirts.

lost coast longboarding hand crafted longboards and apparel

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