Kingman KOA Journey Blog
KOA Journey campgrounds offer the perfect oasis after a day on the road. Whether it’s along the way or a quick getaway, they’ve got you covered. Located near the highways and byways of North America with long Pull-thru RV Sites, they deliver convenience to the traveling camper. Pull in, ease back and take a load off.
KOA Journey campgrounds offer the perfect oasis after a day on the road. Whether it’s along the way or a quick getaway, they’ve got you covered. Located near the highways and byways of North America with long Pull-thru RV Sites, they deliver convenience to the traveling camper. Pull in, ease back and take a load off.
Eastbound and Westbound I-40: Take Andy Devine Exit 53. Go left 1 mile to Airway. Turn left on Airway, go 0.8 mile to Roosevelt St across from Coca-Cola warehouse. Turn right on Roosevelt.
Get Google Directions
By: Kingman KOA Team | Kingman KOA Journey | Published: July 2026 | Last Updated: July 2026
Route 66 is 2,448 miles long. Most of it is gone. The sections that survive in Arizona — some of the best-preserved stretches of the original highway — run through Kingman, a high-desert city at roughly 3,300 feet where the Hualapai Mountains meet the Colorado Plateau. The road west climbs through the Black Mountains toward Oatman. East, it stretches toward Seligman and open desert. Kingman is the middle of all of it.
That geography makes it the right place to spend two or three nights. This guide covers what you'll find at Kingman KOA Journey, what you can do from here in a day, and when to go.
Most people drive Route 66 at 60 miles per hour, stop for a photo and a burger, and keep moving. The travelers who get the most out of it pick a spot and stay for a few nights. Kingman is that spot.
158 miles of Historic Route 66 runs through or near Kingman — connecting Seligman to the east and Oatman to the west. That gives you genuine Route 66 driving in both directions without backtracking. To the west, the highway climbs through Sitgreaves Pass in the Black Mountains before dropping into Oatman, a former gold-mining town where a herd of wild burros patrols Main Street like they own it. They kind of do. The burros are descendants of the working animals released when the mines closed decades ago, and about half a million people a year make the drive out to see them. Oatman is 29 miles from Kingman — roughly 45 minutes on the original highway.
To the east, Route 66 runs toward Seligman through open desert with sweeping views and almost no traffic. It still has the original road surface in sections. That stretch is the kind of driving people come from other continents to experience.
Beyond the highway itself, the day-trip math from Kingman is hard to beat. Las Vegas is 105 miles north — about 90 minutes. Hoover Dam is inside that same drive. Lake Havasu City, where Arizona relocated the actual London Bridge, sits 60 miles south. The Grand Canyon's South Rim is 173 miles east — a committed day trip, but doable.
Downtown Kingman has its own reasons to stop. The Historic Powerhouse, a 1907 power plant converted into a visitor center and museum complex, houses the Arizona Route 66 Museum. Two blocks away, Locomotive Park is home to Santa Fe Steam Engine #3759 — a 1928 locomotive weighing close to half a million pounds, parked on a short stretch of track that's free to walk up to and photograph.
Kingman KOA Journey is a campground, not a resort. That's worth knowing going in. The goal here is a clean, well-positioned base for road-trippers — and it delivers that reliably.
RV sites are pull-through and accommodate rigs up to 70 feet. Full hookups include 30/50-amp electrical, water, and sewer connections. Deluxe Patio Sites go a step further with a shaded outdoor area featuring a fire ring, dining table, and BBQ grill — worth booking if you plan to cook outside and spend time at the site rather than just sleeping there. Tent sites are dedicated and private, with access to a group campfire area and clean restrooms.
Cabins come in two types. Standard camping cabins sleep four, include heat and air conditioning, a microwave, a small refrigerator, and a BBQ with picnic table outside. Linens are included and the cabins are pet-friendly. Deluxe cabins step up with a full bed and bunk setup, TV, mini-refrigerator, microwave, and a private outdoor patio with a swing, picnic table, and fire pit. A bathroom with shower and tub is part of the deluxe package. There are 9 standard cabins and 3 deluxe options — if you're traveling with family and need the bathroom, book a deluxe early.
Shared amenities include a free 18-hole mini golf course, a seasonal heated pool and hot tub, laundry facilities, and a camp store stocked with groceries and souvenirs. Wi-Fi and cable TV hookups are available at sites.
Getting there from I-40: take Exit 53 (Andy Devine), turn left and head north, then turn left on Airway and right on Roosevelt Street. The campground address is 3820 N Roosevelt Street.
Two nights at Kingman gives you time for two solid day trips. Three nights opens things up considerably. These are the ones worth building your schedule around.
Take Historic Route 66 out of Kingman and climb through the Black Mountains. The pass itself is the draw — narrow two-lane road, sharp switchbacks, dramatic drop-offs on either side. Then the road descends into Oatman and there are burros standing in the street. It's genuinely entertaining, not manufactured. If you're towing or running a rig over 40 feet, skip Sitgreaves Pass. The grades and road width won't work for you. Take the highway route and drive back on 66 instead.
A wildlife sanctuary just outside Kingman with more than 140 animals — lions, tigers, wolves, bears, leopards, and primates. Guided safari tours run at 10am, 1pm, and 3:30pm (the 3:30 is a feeding tour). Open Wednesday through Monday, 9am to 5pm Arizona time. This is a strong option for families with kids or anyone who wants a half-day break from behind the wheel. Check keepersofthewild.org for current admission pricing and to buy tickets in advance.
A straight shot up US-93. Leave by 9am and you have a full afternoon and evening. The return drive across the desert at night has its own appeal.
Built during the Depression and still one of the most impressive engineering projects in the American West. The visitor center and dam tours are well done. Pair it with Las Vegas or do it as a standalone half-day — the drive from Kingman is under an hour.
Leave by 7am. The drive takes about 2 hours and 45 minutes each way. That gives you a solid 5-6 hours at the rim before you need to head back. Don't rush it.
Kingman's elevation keeps it cooler than the lower Sonoran Desert, but summer highs still regularly climb into the 90s°F. The seasonal trade-offs are real.
Spring is peak season for a reason. The Route 66 Fun Run, one of the longest-running classic car events on the highway, rolls through Kingman each spring and the campground hosts events during that stretch. It's worth attending if you can time it right. Sites fill fast. Reserve early.
Summer works if you start early. Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam trips before noon, pool in the afternoon, campfire in the evening when things cool off. Mid-week summer stays are easier to secure last-minute than holiday weekends.
Fall is underrated. September through November brings temperatures in the 60s and 70s during the day, thinner crowds, and excellent light on the desert and mountain terrain. October is a particularly good month.
Winter is quiet. Light frost is possible near Kingman and the campground occasionally sees snow at elevation nearby. Many attractions operate on reduced schedules. Full-time RVers and anyone specifically chasing quiet desert driving without the crowds will find it workable.
A few things that save headaches:
You can book online at koa.com/campgrounds/kingman, or call the campground directly at 928-757-4397.
Kingman KOA Journey is the strongest stop on the Arizona stretch for road-trippers who want to cover multiple destinations. Kingman anchors 158 miles of the original highway and puts you within a day-trip radius of Oatman, Las Vegas, Hoover Dam, Lake Havasu City, and the Grand Canyon South Rim. Full hookups, pull-through sites up to 70 feet, and cabin options cover most traveler types.
Yes. Full-hookup pull-through sites with 30/50-amp electrical, water, and sewer connections are available. Sites accommodate rigs up to 70 feet.
The Grand Canyon South Rim is 173 miles from Kingman — about 2 hours and 45 minutes each way. It's doable as a long day trip. Leave by 7am to get enough time at the rim before the drive back.
Oatman is 29 miles west on Historic Route 66. The drive through Sitgreaves Pass is one of the most scenic sections of original highway in Arizona. The wild burros that roam Main Street are a real attraction, not a fabricated one. Rigs over 40 feet should take the highway bypass rather than the mountain pass road.
The Route 66 Fun Run is held each spring and is one of the longest-running classic car events on the highway. The campground hosts events during the run and sites book up quickly. Check the current year's schedule before reserving if you want to attend.
That doesn't mean this area has to always be empty. When you start reviewing camping options, your history will display here to help compare sites and find the best stay. You will be able to share your stay information with friends or family and save it for a later time if you have a KOA Account.
Make checkout easy by booking all your reservations at once. Add your sites from different campgrounds into your shopping cart* and then choose checkout.
