I have camped at Saddle Mountain multiple times over the years, and during different months of the year. It is great except for the insane amount of ever present flies. You'll get several inside your camper every time you briefly open the door
Nice locations across AZ (my home State!), and a good criteria list. I'd add the Lava Cave near Flagstaff (actually in Bellemont) and the Forest Roads right at the Grand Canyon South Rim entrance near Tusayan. With winter approaching (today is 09/29/2024) I'll start going towards Quartzsite soon. But, instead of the Kofa area, take a look at Bouse (northeast of the Q). The Roadrunner Market is there and has a pretty nice produce section. I wasn't impressed with the burger I ordered nextdoor at the Coachman's Cafe, but everyone's experience may differ. I've also had nice camping along the Colorado River near the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. And, I haven't been yet, but I hear there's a nice hot spring near Bowie (SE AZ south of Safford). I go to Roper Lake often and will have to make time one of these trips to look for it. Anyway, nice list and hope you are enjoying AZ. I'll subscribe to see where else you go and I'll probably chime in again here and there along the way. Cheers! Pete in Arizona - KI7LIL
As a tent dweller I value a camp spot with a windbreak and/or a good flat spot with enough room around it to position my SUV between the wind & tent. I like Mittry Lake (down in the "maze") near Yuma, as I can usually find a spot surrounded by growth. There are also some nice (Spring & Summer) spots north of Bellemont - right now they're getting lots of snow and temps are in the teens & 20s. Also, there are some nice spots around the Dragoon Mtns. For me, AZ is about the only place tolerable to my old bones in the Winter.
This was great. We have never been out west. It is so huge. Information like this is awesome. We are from West KY. Hoping to visit. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for posting this.I've seen a lot of videos about boondocking sites in Arizona, but the disperse camping sites or BLM land was really dangerous.Or impossible to get in and out of. This video was super helpful.I'm gonna go and check out each of the videos that you made on these sites
This is awesome! I definitely added the spots we haven't been to yet to our list! Our new favorite free spot is up at Big Lake. There are free spots just beyond the paid campgrounds at the lake that are nice, but even nicer is further down the 273 (2-3 miles) across from Brentwood Recreation Camp (which is also nice) is a beautiful, peaceful meadow. (More spots further down the road) We are maybe 25 min from Alpine in one direction or Greer in the other (in case you need supplies or cute Taverns) You should check it out 😁
Yeah, King of Arizona, camped there once and if you want to be out in the middle of nowhere in the beautiful desert that's it. We were totally alone when when we camped there and it was a little spooky but totally awesome.
Thanks for the information! I found Kofa/Palm last year and am looking to explore more before I leave the area this year! I found this vid at just the perfect time! It’s now moving day!!
went to rim road only made 2.5 days cause everyone that drove by threw up a ton of dirt from driving 40/60 mph past camp sites and unlike the dirt in the desert this red dirt just hangs around the trees and with some much traffic it almost never goes away
@@HolidayForTwo42 very nice and quiet here! It’s has been raining 4 days nonstop and so it’s very muddy but plenty of supplies on hand to hold me over til it dries up!
No, you’re correct it’s not officially a town but a “census designated place” with a population of around 6,000 people according to the Arizona state census. If it’s like other places in Arizona, it won’t be that way in about 10-15 years 😔
Schnebly Hill must have not been maintained well. I went down it with my future wife in a brand new 1969 GTO Judge --- at night --- in the rain! Great place to camp!
palm canyon road is another dirt flying road especially on the weekend when every 10/20 minutes cars come flying by to the palm trees and even faster going out only made 2 days here had to leave could hardly breath, suppose to be the only area of palm trees that survived the last ice age and sign says all of the palm trees after ice age came from these trees ?
The American public is ruining these pristine areas because they do not clean up their garbage. It's so bad some areas are being shut down. It's no longer desirable and are so over crowded. Lots of noise, dogs and disrespectful campers. 😢
Yes, unfortunately all it takes is a few. The most common problems we've encountered have been trash dumping on BLM land (and its not necessarily campers doing it) and then occasionally discourteous campers (loud, stirring up dust etc.) we all have to pitch in together and one way is to report it - (800) 637-9152 is the BLM 24/7 hotline number to report dumping etc. and then there is a great group at AZbackroads.com of retired folks who go out in groups and actually will clean up spots! I've contacted them a couple of times myself. 90% of campers and folks are very nice and take care of things - its the 10% who abuse it.
@@HolidayForTwo42 Greer is a perfect area for summer but some of the sites want $40 a night. I like to camp two weeks or longer at a time so that is crazy. Thanks for the info.
The two areas you might encounter bear are Schnebly Hill Road and Rim Road 300, stay as close as you can to the main roads and you should be fine - always be prepared though with bear spray just in case!
Definitely bring bear spray in those areas. Also, staying by the main roads does not keep bears away - we camp the Mongolian rim area at least once a month, often way off the highways, I’ve only seen bears twice and both where when I was driving the highways just above Rim Rd 300, not when we’ve been camping even deep in the woods. Just be aware & prepared… happy camping!
I see you have a Class C. Can you tell me what your mpg is ? I’m looking at used rigs from reserve America, but there Fords, I’d rather have a Chevy engine. They don’t list the mpg on them, only the miles which are all over 100K , I’m not sure of the lifespan in this case but I’d like to hear your thoughts being an owner, thanks in advance 🙂
Sure thing - basically it’s two different types of gas mileage I get, towing or not towing. If I am towing something behind me, I average around 9-9.5 mpg. If not, I will average around 10.5-11 mpg. (Climbing hills will of course, lower the mpg every time) 😉 I have the Chevy 6.0 V8 vortex engine. It took me all the way through New Mexico, Colorado, Montana etc no problems climbing hills while pulling a Jeep Wrangler! Oh, I keep it around 65 on freeways with cruise control on. If it’s a steep climb, I keep to the right, and around 45-50 mph. As far as odometer mileage… it really depends on how well it was maintained.
Right now, anywhere in the mountains (7500 ft or higher) 300 Rim Road had many nice places for tents and you can get to them in a Prius too! Just make sure you don’t get too far off Main road and prepare for thunderstorms as well.
I plan on it! My dad lives in Tucson so I try to hit a few places around there - but this last winter we did a trip to Tombstone but I want to try a few next season around the Chiricahua area! Never been there😉
Vegetation in Cochise is the ugliest. Same as where I grew up in El Paso. I chose Apache County which is primarily juniper and pine. There is also free private camping at Ridge Valley Ranch.
Hello - I just subscribed to your channel. It' is exactly what I was looking for. Do you know about places that you can pay a very reasonable fee and stay for an extended period of time? I heard about them, but do not know where to find them. Thank you very much!
Hi there and I’m glad the videos are helpful for you. The place you seem to be describing might be the BLM long term visitor areas near Quartzite or Yuma (LTVA), they charge a fee for staying 6 months $180 which helps the BLM provide water, dumps and garbage collection. There are BLM areas where no fee is required as well, but farther from town. I have several videos on Quartzite that explain more about it. But remember, these places are best in the cooler months. It’s going to start getting hot soon so you will want to look around areas in the northern areas of the state soon (Flagstaff, Show Low, Heber etc.)
There's an old saying, maybe you've heard before - "better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it." I keep a brand new 5 Ton bottle jack loaded in the storage bay of my motorhome, never have used it yet... however there might be that one time...😉
Depends on what part of Arizona you plan to see - lower elevations areas usually will be very nice (Lows 45-Highs 75) but sometimes we can also see rain and snow even (like today for example) statewide last year we had an unusually wet /cold January and February - then Spring came and we warmed up fast!
I’ve never had a problem with having to lock up my gear when we’ve been out camping 🏕️ of course we don’t usually crowd in close to others, unless we know them so that helps, but we have seen trash left behind at some places from other campers - that really gets me mad 😡 like used diapers, old clothes and you name it!
Mmmm thats not entirely true. Theres.some blm land that actually has water and toilets available. You gotta get the maps online that shows what utilities are available.
@@kimdagnillo8246 Here are a couple of websites I recommend for finding "free" camping (or cheap at least!):freecampsites.net/ and this one: www.campendium.com/ - hope this helps! Also, Google Maps is the best for finding locations and directions!
I have camped at Saddle Mountain multiple times over the years, and during different months of the year. It is great except for the insane amount of ever present flies. You'll get several inside your camper every time you briefly open the door
I guess we were lucky - flies weren’t too bad on the times we stayed there.
I lived in AZ for 40 yrs but did not know about the Schnebly Hill or Marana campsite areas. Great additions to my collection. thank you
Glad you have enjoyed the videos - I am like you and still discovering new places to see in Arizona!
Nice locations across AZ (my home State!), and a good criteria list. I'd add the Lava Cave near Flagstaff (actually in Bellemont) and the Forest Roads right at the Grand Canyon South Rim entrance near Tusayan. With winter approaching (today is 09/29/2024) I'll start going towards Quartzsite soon. But, instead of the Kofa area, take a look at Bouse (northeast of the Q). The Roadrunner Market is there and has a pretty nice produce section. I wasn't impressed with the burger I ordered nextdoor at the Coachman's Cafe, but everyone's experience may differ. I've also had nice camping along the Colorado River near the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. And, I haven't been yet, but I hear there's a nice hot spring near Bowie (SE AZ south of Safford). I go to Roper Lake often and will have to make time one of these trips to look for it. Anyway, nice list and hope you are enjoying AZ. I'll subscribe to see where else you go and I'll probably chime in again here and there along the way. Cheers! Pete in Arizona - KI7LIL
As a tent dweller I value a camp spot with a windbreak and/or a good flat spot with enough room around it to position my SUV between the wind & tent.
I like Mittry Lake (down in the "maze") near Yuma, as I can usually find a spot surrounded by growth. There are also some nice (Spring & Summer) spots north of Bellemont - right now they're getting lots of snow and temps are in the teens & 20s.
Also, there are some nice spots around the Dragoon Mtns.
For me, AZ is about the only place tolerable to my old bones in the Winter.
We’ll have to check some of these out soon. Great tips, Thank you!
This was great. We have never been out west. It is so huge. Information like this is awesome. We are from West KY. Hoping to visit. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much for posting this.I've seen a lot of videos about boondocking sites in Arizona, but the disperse camping sites or BLM land was really dangerous.Or impossible to get in and out of. This video was super helpful.I'm gonna go and check out each of the videos that you made on these sites
Thanks for sharing, I'll add these to my notes so I can stop by when I'm in the vicinity!
This is awesome! I definitely added the spots we haven't been to yet to our list!
Our new favorite free spot is up at Big Lake. There are free spots just beyond the paid campgrounds at the lake that are nice, but even nicer is further down the 273 (2-3 miles) across from Brentwood Recreation Camp (which is also nice) is a beautiful, peaceful meadow. (More spots further down the road)
We are maybe 25 min from Alpine in one direction or Greer in the other (in case you need supplies or cute Taverns)
You should check it out 😁
Glad you guys are having a great time up at Big Lake area 👍catch you later on
Thanks for the info! We’ll definitely be checking out the individual videos.
Yeah, King of Arizona, camped there once and if you want to be out in the middle of nowhere in the beautiful desert that's it. We were totally alone when when we camped there and it was a little spooky but totally awesome.
Thanks for the information! I found Kofa/Palm last year and am looking to explore more before I leave the area this year! I found this vid at just the perfect time! It’s now moving day!!
Glad you found it helpful - I appreciate the feedback!
went to rim road only made 2.5 days cause everyone that drove by threw up a ton of dirt from driving 40/60 mph past camp sites and unlike the dirt in the desert this red dirt just hangs around the trees and with some much traffic it almost never goes away
Nice video, just came across your chanel. Im retiering to AZ and look forward to camping
Ofcourse number 1 is exactly where I’m camping right now 😂 this is definitely a gem 💎
Enjoy yourself, it’s so nice out there! Hope the weather isn’t too bad today though..
@@HolidayForTwo42 very nice and quiet here! It’s has been raining 4 days nonstop and so it’s very muddy but plenty of supplies on hand to hold me over til it dries up!
Thank you, appreciate your you tube channel, which is very helpful!
We don't have a rig, yet, but you're making me want one, more and more.
2:52 Avra Valley is not a little town. It is a 50 mile long valley, west of Tucson.
No, you’re correct it’s not officially a town but a “census designated place” with a population of around 6,000 people according to the Arizona state census. If it’s like other places in Arizona, it won’t be that way in about 10-15 years 😔
thank you- great video!
Really nice job on your videos! It would be awesome if you could mention any cellphone connectivity at these sites.
Thank you, I know, I know lol! I am trying to remember to mention that every video I make on campgrounds ⛺️ that and television reception!
Thank you
Thank you for posting this video, you think you could drive a dually 4X4 on Schneble Hill Rd?
@@robertjosan you should be fine, good ground clearance is more important than 4x4 - so many rough spots and rocks between the view point and Sedona.
@@HolidayForTwo42 thank you for the feedback 🙏
Schnebly Hill must have not been maintained well. I went down it with my future wife in a brand new 1969 GTO Judge --- at night --- in the rain! Great place to camp!
Wow, dang I bet you wish you still had that car 🚘! No, it’s not been graded in years - to keep the allure of a rugged trail for the Jeepers 😉
What do you think of Craggy near lake Havasu?
Thank you!
palm canyon road is another dirt flying road especially on the weekend when every 10/20 minutes cars come flying by to the palm trees and even faster going out only made 2 days here had to leave could hardly breath, suppose to be the only area of palm trees that survived the last ice age and sign says all of the palm trees after ice age came from these trees ?
The American public is ruining these pristine areas because they do not clean up their garbage. It's so bad some areas are being shut down. It's no longer desirable and are so over crowded. Lots of noise, dogs and disrespectful campers. 😢
Yes, unfortunately all it takes is a few. The most common problems we've encountered have been trash dumping on BLM land (and its not necessarily campers doing it) and then occasionally discourteous campers (loud, stirring up dust etc.) we all have to pitch in together and one way is to report it - (800) 637-9152 is the BLM 24/7 hotline number to report dumping etc. and then there is a great group at AZbackroads.com of retired folks who go out in groups and actually will clean up spots! I've contacted them a couple of times myself. 90% of campers and folks are very nice and take care of things - its the 10% who abuse it.
Great Video. Do you have a list of cool places to stay in the hot summer months. Free or close to it.
Yes in fact I uploaded one on my channel a few weeks ago on my “five favorites for summer camping in Arizona.”
@@HolidayForTwo42 Greer is a perfect area for summer but some of the sites want $40 a night. I like to camp two weeks or longer at a time so that is crazy. Thanks for the info.
Are there bears in those mountains ? I've had 3 bear encounters while hiking or camping.
The two areas you might encounter bear are Schnebly Hill Road and Rim Road 300, stay as close as you can to the main roads and you should be fine - always be prepared though with bear spray just in case!
Definitely bring bear spray in those areas. Also, staying by the main roads does not keep bears away - we camp the Mongolian rim area at least once a month, often way off the highways, I’ve only seen bears twice and both where when I was driving the highways just above Rim Rd 300, not when we’ve been camping even deep in the woods. Just be aware & prepared… happy camping!
Super video 😊
Glad you liked it!
New subcriber here from AZ. Thank you.
@@usaman7358 thanks and welcome 😀
I see you have a Class C. Can you tell me what your mpg is ? I’m looking at used rigs from reserve America, but there Fords, I’d rather have a Chevy engine. They don’t list the mpg on them, only the miles which are all over 100K , I’m not sure of the lifespan in this case but I’d like to hear your thoughts being an owner, thanks in advance 🙂
Sure thing - basically it’s two different types of gas mileage I get, towing or not towing. If I am towing something behind me, I average around 9-9.5 mpg. If not, I will average around 10.5-11 mpg. (Climbing hills will of course, lower the mpg every time) 😉 I have the Chevy 6.0 V8 vortex engine. It took me all the way through New Mexico, Colorado, Montana etc no problems climbing hills while pulling a Jeep Wrangler! Oh, I keep it around 65 on freeways with cruise control on. If it’s a steep climb, I keep to the right, and around 45-50 mph. As far as odometer mileage… it really depends on how well it was maintained.
i'M TRAVELING ALONE AND TENT CAMPING....MY MAIN ACTIVITY IS METAL DETECTING FOR GOLD NUGGETS... WHERE DO YOU RECOMMEND?
Right now, anywhere in the mountains (7500 ft or higher) 300 Rim Road had many nice places for tents and you can get to them in a Prius too! Just make sure you don’t get too far off Main road and prepare for thunderstorms as well.
Check out Cochise county, lots of BLM land and stuff to do or see.
I plan on it! My dad lives in Tucson so I try to hit a few places around there - but this last winter we did a trip to Tombstone but I want to try a few next season around the Chiricahua area! Never been there😉
Vegetation in Cochise is the ugliest. Same as where I grew up in El Paso. I chose Apache County which is primarily juniper and pine. There is also free private camping at Ridge Valley Ranch.
Hello - I just subscribed to your channel. It' is exactly what I was looking for. Do you know about places that you can pay a very reasonable fee and stay for an extended period of time? I heard about them, but do not know where to find them. Thank you very much!
Hi there and I’m glad the videos are helpful for you. The place you seem to be describing might be the BLM long term visitor areas near Quartzite or Yuma (LTVA), they charge a fee for staying 6 months $180 which helps the BLM provide water, dumps and garbage collection. There are BLM areas where no fee is required as well, but farther from town. I have several videos on Quartzite that explain more about it. But remember, these places are best in the cooler months. It’s going to start getting hot soon so you will want to look around areas in the northern areas of the state soon (Flagstaff, Show Low, Heber etc.)
Should we take a fire arm?
There's an old saying, maybe you've heard before - "better to have it and not need it, then need it and not have it." I keep a brand new 5 Ton bottle jack loaded in the storage bay of my motorhome, never have used it yet... however there might be that one time...😉
Is it cold there in February?
Depends on what part of Arizona you plan to see - lower elevations areas usually will be very nice (Lows 45-Highs 75) but sometimes we can also see rain and snow even (like today for example) statewide last year we had an unusually wet /cold January and February - then Spring came and we warmed up fast!
Awesome info ... thanks! >
You're welcome - Glad you enjoyed it!
Lock up your stuff at night and pack out what you pack in
No one talks about that .
I’ve never had a problem with having to lock up my gear when we’ve been out camping 🏕️ of course we don’t usually crowd in close to others, unless we know them so that helps, but we have seen trash left behind at some places from other campers - that really gets me mad 😡 like used diapers, old clothes and you name it!
More of an issues than yu know
Mmmm thats not entirely true. Theres.some blm land that actually has water and toilets available. You gotta get the maps online that shows what utilities are available.
Good to know I will check them out, thanks 😉
Where do I find those maps online ? Thanks in advance.
@@kimdagnillo8246 Here are a couple of websites I recommend for finding "free" camping (or cheap at least!):freecampsites.net/ and this one: www.campendium.com/ - hope this helps! Also, Google Maps is the best for finding locations and directions!
👏👏👏👍👍🫡
It's great that you show where to go! Have you seen any 👽🕳 out there? 😀
Lol! 😂 no, and I’m not looking for any either.
Elevations....??? I'd like to hear about BLM's at different elevations so that we can escape the heat.
Great suggestion - thanks!
IN A PRIUS
Thank you
You’re very welcome 😊