The Frugal Fulltimer: Benson Arizona - Cochise Terrace RV Resort Review

Our plan was to stay at the Escapees Co-Op Park here in Benson - but we were told they had a 3 pet limit and only had dry camping available. We had two other parks on our list that seemed to have good reviews - Butterfield RV Resort and Cochise Terrace RV Resort. We called Butterfield from the road and were told they were completely booked so we ended up at Cochise Terrace.

Sometimes finding a great campsite is just a matter of serendipity - and this is one of those times. The resort is perched up on a terrace overlooking Benson and the surrounding area. The streets are paved and the property is well maintained. The office staff were extremely friendly and even tried to find us the best possible spot with the nicest view even though we were using our Passport America discount. We were escorted to our site (#261) and our escort was even willing to get his personal vehicle to help us move our Tandem Tow dolly if we couldn't fit it behind us. It didn't end up being an issue because the spot was deep enough for us to back in without disconnecting it. (Keep in mind our motorhome is 37' and a Tandem Tow dolly is much bigger than a normal car dolly because of the area for the motorcycle or golf cart - so any normal car dolly should fit with room to spare)

We immediately could feel a good "vibe" from this place. Everyone was out walking....people were genuinely happy.....there were beautiful views....no highway noise....and the weather was fantastic!

After being in Benson for a couple days and driving around to look at all the other "resorts" in town - we were so happy we ended up at Cochise Terrace. Most of the other resorts are in the valley near the highway or train tracks. We were not impressed with Butterfield's location - it was right behind a major shopping area and the general area seemed "commercial" and noisy. Other places were too close to the train tracks - and with trains running every 30 minutes or so - that could get old fast.

Pros:

Well kept roads and lots
Very friendly staff
Great views
No highway or train noise
Easy access to/from the highway on nice open smooth roads
Good base location for sighseeing (Tombstone, Bisbee, Kartchner Caverns, Cochise Stronghold, Saguaro National Park, etc)
60+ Cable TV channels
Street lights at night
Nice facilities (including pool, putting green, basketball area, hot tub, hiking trails, etc)
Did I mention the views??????

Cons: (although we consider most of these to be minor)

The only pet area is in one corner outside the wall of the park (outside of spots 252-254 - see map below) and is just an area with dirt. Keep in mind - this is the dessert so very few places have grassy areas for pets.
The dumpsters seem to allways be full.
Tengo Wi-Fi is hit or miss and is expensive (best to have your own internet capability)
Short term pull-throughs are just a paved parking lot and aren't very big. They are also right next to the Barn and noise from live entertainment can be an issue

The best short term spots are #250-255 and #262-259 if you want a view of the mountains (all back-ins and each spot is about 50' deep x 40 feet wide with a picnic table)

Our rate was $185/week including tax, cable and electricity using our Passport America discount. We saved $132 compared to the normal rates for the week. Passport America is $44/year so we're already ahead $88 on this stay alone. (Note: Monthly rates are $435 + electricity)