Wow, yet another great place to boondock!! And it's FREE!! Love the way some of the longer term folks are making it nicer!! That shelter area with FREE charging ports, and a grill AND a microwave!! THIS will be on my list to visit!! Thank You for sharing!
Wow, what a cool park and how impressive that the people staying there keep up the bathroom. It is very nice to see the campground taken care of. We just learned of the Winter Differently Program last month when talking to someone at Lake Conroe. It sounds pretty nice for those with the camping pass. Enjoyed the video. Mary 💞 Fred
That's nice to drop in power into that pavillion that probably reduces some generator use in the daytime for folks just needing to charge a battery pack. I'd hope there's some type of donation box around there to help cover the cost of pizza and beer for the folks that maintain the restrooms.
Thank-you Lou. Your video showed up on my feed when I selected the "RV" category. You now have a new subscriber. Merry Christmas and happy Holidays to you and yours.
Ok so that’s cool. I just logged into my TT to see and yes, I can book it for free. I’d assume it’s for two weeks as I did t finish the reservation. The free park looks decent. Looks like the people there care for the place. I certainly would also especially for free. When I get there I will definitely be popping between those spots for a while. 👍🏼
Super great video. We love Falcon. Found it during Covid which was nice because no one was there. Always so much good detai in your videosl. Love the screen and Melody She is so gosh darn cute.
Just remember. Once you arrive for a winter stay, you can't leave without freezing. 😉 Winter sets in up north and blocks any warm exit. Gosh, you took a while to upload this video. Saw my sister's and my RV there that was 2 or 3 years ago.
I watch your videos! Useful and to the point! This was actually my second video on this location, but I decided to put a different spin on this video. Lou
I stared at Falcon in Jan 2021 for 2 weeks while getting teeth fixed in Mexico. lots of nice people there and a bus with solar on top and they had 2000W and told me they got panels in AZ for 65 . each.
For folks who may not know, those are mesquite (muh-SKEET) trees. They have thorns all over, are generally a dry, brittle tree and driving or bumping into them will break off twigs and branches with several nasty spike-thorns. Going barefoot or even thinly soled shoes (like flip-flops) may result in needle-like jabs. Mesquite wood can be prized, however, for campfires and cook-outs because it burns very hot, very quickly, and dries quickly too for those cookouts. It's less prized for slow-cookers and smokers, however, because of that extra heat it generates and being a thin wood, it doesn't produce a lot of smoke, but good flavors.
Another note about the mesquite thorns. They will penetrate bicycle tires, and cyclists can use 'goo puncture repairs' to prevent immediate flats. Car and truck tiers will pick up the thorns too, but a good pair of pliars can yank 'em out. There is a small bush in this area that folks may call "catclaws" with a thin growing out several feet, capable of tears that resemble a cat's claw marks. Very unpleasant. When we walk around, we pay attention to avoid walking between two catclaw bushes to avoid entanglements.
Glad I discovered your channel. But sorry you let the secret out about this campground. I stumbled upon this campground when we passed it going tent camping at Falcon State Park. Since then we have decided the free campground is where we will run to from Brownsville, Texas if there is a hurricane. While we stayed at next door Falcon State Park our biggest problem was poor cellphone service. Calls were hit and miss to go through and we were afraid to use our cellphone hotspot Internet because all our reception was from a Mexican cellphone tower. We were afraid we would get charged for International roaming data. Oh, and the Javelinas! They are a native wild boar looking animal. They got into our groceries. Bit of a long drive from there to get more groceries. It's impossible to live here most of the year without electricity and A/C. Even in December near Brownsville we use A/C some days. January and February you are probably ok. We do have a portable generator but we hate to depend on it. Thanks again. I will subscribe.
I’ll be hitting the road full time in a couple of years. I would love this. My concern about camping, Boondocking near the boarder is security. Please no hate. Just curious.
The same self-protection and anti-theft strategies employed everywhere you camp will work here also. As for the border, this area is heavily patrolled by the Border Patrol as the port of entry is just down the road. Lou
Hey Lou & Melody (and Milo of course). I don't understand why you do not have far more subscribers (I've been watching for a long time & saved many). Really appreciate your content & reviews. Would you please share how to care for Milo ,vaccinations, etc. We will be traveling with our cat, Churchill (My son is a WW1/2 fan) and would like your input caring for a pet travelling.
I glad you noticed. I know why! I do this as a hobby and don't create my videos for the expressed purpose of monetizing the content. If I wanted to make a lot more money, I'd target the videos I produce to a much larger audience. Aiming for the much larger audience often results in much more generic content. I have to make videos I'm passionate about and free and affordable camping really hits the spot for me. I'm so glad you noticed!!! If you are on Facebook, contact Melody and she can share our Milo care routine. Lou
Wow, thank you both again. lived in VT, presently NE Ohio, so your travels are very close to home (also have a large sailboat..contemplating the Great Loop) Anyway, I will check in with Melody, I sure do not want to be unaware of issues down the road..or on the water.@@LivingOurDreamNow
to get to this part of the state near the border do you have to go thru checkpoints and sniffing dogs? last time I got within 20 miles of the border I had to on the way back out.
This is not a heavily used border crossing. One of the reasons for building this campground for the dam construction workers was that there was not sufficient support resources in the local area on each side of the border.
"Border checkpoints and sniffing dogs" are only for northbound traffic....and if you aren't breaking the law, it's a just small inconvenience.... twue thang 😎
Deeper into these comments, Lou pointed out that "Roma, Texas" is a resupply location. Rio Grande City used to have a surprising number of Caribbean restaurants. And molé (moh LAY) is a cook's specialty that has any variety of flavorings starting with chocolate, peanut butter (think of the Thai moo-satay) and chiles. I prefer the less-chocolate more-peanuty recipes but it's our goal to try molés from San Antonio to all along the Rio Grande. I don't know if Lou likes the stuff OR if he's found a favorite eateries.
Verizon cellular service clocked in at 108 Mbps download speed and 7.04 Mbps upload speed. AT&T cellular service clocked in at 104 Mbps download speed and 29.2 Mbps upload speed. T-Mobile cellular service clocked in at 3.11 Mbps download speed and 3.16 Mbps upload speed.
We are thinking about a winter stay in the Rio Grande Valley and places to boondock there. Have you encountered any problems with the immigration surge that is taking place down there?
Verizon cellular service clocked in at 108 Mbps download speed and 7.04 Mbps upload speed. AT&T cellular service clocked in at 104 Mbps download speed and 29.2 Mbps upload speed. T-Mobile cellular service clocked in at 3.11 Mbps download speed and 3.16 Mbps upload speed.
You can't book a thousand trails campground for two weeks. They say you can but in reality there is never more than 3-4 days available in my experience. This is why I let my camping pass expire. The upgrades were more than I was willing to pay, too many other options available for that kind of money.
You have to know how to use the membership, even the camping pass. We stayed at many Thousand Trails preserves for more than a week using just a camping pass. There is nothing that is even remotely comparable to a Thousand Trails Membership in terms of value. We've looked! Watch our video on Thousand Trails Getaway Cabins. In that video I explain why some folks completely miss the boat. Lou
Nothing wrong with the border and I bet it hasn't moved since my last visit. We had a great time camping in this area. Texas is a big place, don't be fooled by generalizing "the border". Lou
Highlighting it on TH-cam is not going to help that situation any. They'll be more people there than ever. Which always brings trouble.@@LivingOurDreamNow
The border is a big place. This portion of the border with Mexico is remote, so much so that they had to build this camp when the dam was constructed to house the workforce. Lou
Dec-Feburary are citris harvest seasons typically. Pick your own or buy the best fruits and veggies from the back of pickups along roadsides. And in daylight, many landscapes look boring at a distance but the kajillion star nightlights are fantastic.
➡ View our complete Texas playlist here: th-cam.com/play/PL8M1n1k-9xvn1HcDS_Uvwe-nnEigcFtW3.html
That’s great that the people are keeping it clean. That’s how it should be.
Free camping with no limit is an excellent idea gives people an avenue to travel cheaply Spend locally good for all
the garbage takes itself out🎉
Wow, yet another great place to boondock!! And it's FREE!! Love the way some of the longer term folks are making it nicer!! That shelter area with FREE charging ports, and a grill AND a microwave!! THIS will be on my list to visit!! Thank You for sharing!
Our pleasure! Make sure you POUND the like button and make Melody happy! Lou
Ditto
Can always count on you to share some "hidden gems". Thanks Lou ...and safe travels.
More to come! Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. Lou
Great information! Always good to know about free camping. -Michelle
I’ve stayed there and was great.
Thanks for sharing, like finding gold at the end of the rainbow.
You bet Roy! Make sure you POUND the like button! Lou
I was there for a month a few years ago. Great place to stay for awhile and rest up from the road. A lot of nothing nearby.
Wow, what a cool park and how impressive that the people staying there keep up the bathroom. It is very nice to see the campground taken care of. We just learned of the Winter Differently Program last month when talking to someone at Lake Conroe. It sounds pretty nice for those with the camping pass. Enjoyed the video. Mary 💞 Fred
Im in quartzsite at the ltva.
That's nice to drop in power into that pavillion that probably reduces some generator use in the daytime for folks just needing to charge a battery pack. I'd hope there's some type of donation box around there to help cover the cost of pizza and beer for the folks that maintain the restrooms.
Just found your channel. Thanks for putting out the content you do. Have fun and stay safe. Hope our paths cross someday.
Welcome aboard! Feedback like this encourages us to keep making our videos. Lou
Thank-you Lou. Your video showed up on my feed when I selected the "RV" category. You now have a new subscriber. Merry Christmas and happy Holidays to you and yours.
This is awesome feedback. We love it when TH-cam recommends our videos! Welcome. Lou
Ok so that’s cool. I just logged into my TT to see and yes, I can book it for free. I’d assume it’s for two weeks as I did t finish the reservation. The free park looks decent. Looks like the people there care for the place. I certainly would also especially for free. When I get there I will definitely be popping between those spots for a while. 👍🏼
Awesome . . . I love it when a plan comes together! Where is my cigar? Do you hear the A-Team theme song playing in the background . . . Lou
@@LivingOurDreamNow thanks Hannibal 😂. I want to be Face but I’m more of a Murdock 🤣
and the dumpsters are always running over too. LOL
Thanks for the tip. We spent last winter around Del Rio and Terlingua.
Hey Lou, you always have some of the best info. Your tips will definitely help me when i get on the road next year. Thank you! ☮️❤️😎
Happy to help! Make sure you POUND the like button. Lou
Super great video. We love Falcon. Found it during Covid which was nice because no one was there. Always so much good detai in your videosl. Love the screen and Melody
She is so gosh darn cute.
Glad you enjoyed it! POUND the like button and Make Melody Happy! Lou
Good To Know!
Just remember. Once you arrive for a winter stay, you can't leave without freezing. 😉
Winter sets in up north and blocks any warm exit.
Gosh, you took a while to upload this video. Saw my sister's and my RV there that was 2 or 3 years ago.
I watch your videos! Useful and to the point! This was actually my second video on this location, but I decided to put a different spin on this video. Lou
@@LivingOurDreamNow you had more to show and talk about than I did. So that helps.
Hi Lou! Just came across this video so I subscribed as you have great info! Thanks for sharing it with us! Ok...now to go watch more of your videos😉.
Welcome! Really appreciate the feedback. Lou
This is a dam good deal....
Another good one how many border crossers did you see
Here is my response: th-cam.com/video/-oule2vxPV8/w-d-xo.htmlsi=oD_7dX-oI008KHwN
I stared at Falcon in Jan 2021 for 2 weeks while getting teeth fixed in Mexico. lots of nice people there and a bus with solar on top and they had 2000W and told me they got panels in AZ for 65 . each.
Very cool! Lou
San Tan, used panels from Canada.
For folks who may not know, those are mesquite (muh-SKEET) trees. They have thorns all over, are generally a dry, brittle tree and driving or bumping into them will break off twigs and branches with several nasty spike-thorns. Going barefoot or even thinly soled shoes (like flip-flops) may result in needle-like jabs. Mesquite wood can be prized, however, for campfires and cook-outs because it burns very hot, very quickly, and dries quickly too for those cookouts. It's less prized for slow-cookers and smokers, however, because of that extra heat it generates and being a thin wood, it doesn't produce a lot of smoke, but good flavors.
Another note about the mesquite thorns. They will penetrate bicycle tires, and cyclists can use 'goo puncture repairs' to prevent immediate flats. Car and truck tiers will pick up the thorns too, but a good pair of pliars can yank 'em out. There is a small bush in this area that folks may call "catclaws" with a thin growing out several feet, capable of tears that resemble a cat's claw marks. Very unpleasant. When we walk around, we pay attention to avoid walking between two catclaw bushes to avoid entanglements.
Thank you for adding this useful contextual information here. Lou
Cool!😊
Glad I discovered your channel. But sorry you let the secret out about this campground. I stumbled upon this campground when we passed it going tent camping at Falcon State Park. Since then we have decided the free campground is where we will run to from Brownsville, Texas if there is a hurricane. While we stayed at next door Falcon State Park our biggest problem was poor cellphone service. Calls were hit and miss to go through and we were afraid to use our cellphone hotspot Internet because all our reception was from a Mexican cellphone tower. We were afraid we would get charged for International roaming data. Oh, and the Javelinas! They are a native wild boar looking animal. They got into our groceries. Bit of a long drive from there to get more groceries. It's impossible to live here most of the year without electricity and A/C. Even in December near Brownsville we use A/C some days. January and February you are probably ok. We do have a portable generator but we hate to depend on it. Thanks again. I will subscribe.
Milo our dog was fascinated with the Javelinas.
Thank you for this excellent information! I just wanted to add that the Thousand Trails Park you mentioned, Alamo, is age qualified.
The isolation and the free anything these days is a plus, how about necessities, like a food store?
Roma is your point of resupply and it has a cute downtown. Lou
I’ll be hitting the road full time in a couple of years. I would love this. My concern about camping, Boondocking near the boarder is security. Please no hate. Just curious.
The same self-protection and anti-theft strategies employed everywhere you camp will work here also. As for the border, this area is heavily patrolled by the Border Patrol as the port of entry is just down the road. Lou
Hey Lou & Melody (and Milo of course). I don't understand why you do not have far more subscribers (I've been watching for a long time & saved many). Really appreciate your content & reviews. Would you please share how to care for Milo ,vaccinations, etc. We will be traveling with our cat, Churchill (My son is a WW1/2 fan) and would like your input caring for a pet travelling.
I glad you noticed. I know why! I do this as a hobby and don't create my videos for the expressed purpose of monetizing the content. If I wanted to make a lot more money, I'd target the videos I produce to a much larger audience. Aiming for the much larger audience often results in much more generic content. I have to make videos I'm passionate about and free and affordable camping really hits the spot for me. I'm so glad you noticed!!! If you are on Facebook, contact Melody and she can share our Milo care routine. Lou
Wow, thank you both again. lived in VT, presently NE Ohio, so your travels are very close to home (also have a large sailboat..contemplating the Great Loop) Anyway, I will check in with Melody, I sure do not want to be unaware of issues down the road..or on the water.@@LivingOurDreamNow
to get to this part of the state near the border do you have to go thru checkpoints and sniffing dogs? last time I got within 20 miles of the border I had to on the way back out.
This is not a heavily used border crossing. One of the reasons for building this campground for the dam construction workers was that there was not sufficient support resources in the local area on each side of the border.
"Border checkpoints and sniffing dogs" are only for northbound traffic....and if you aren't breaking the law, it's a just small inconvenience.... twue thang 😎
Deeper into these comments, Lou pointed out that "Roma, Texas" is a resupply location. Rio Grande City used to have a surprising number of Caribbean restaurants. And molé (moh LAY) is a cook's specialty that has any variety of flavorings starting with chocolate, peanut butter (think of the Thai moo-satay) and chiles. I prefer the less-chocolate more-peanuty recipes but it's our goal to try molés from San Antonio to all along the Rio Grande. I don't know if Lou likes the stuff OR if he's found a favorite eateries.
Thank you for adding this useful contextual information here. Will have to check out some eateries in Roma during our next trek through. Lou
Nice!!! Thx
Be sure to pound the LIKE button and make Melody happy! Lou
hey lou, so staying at these remote campgrounds....how do you dealt with trailer security when you leave it unattended?
Don't leave stuff out you can't do without, lock your rig, and carry a BIG stick. Lou
Excellent question.
New subscriber, just found you! Are the illegals a problem around there or is that where the big stick comes in? Fire stick?
We had no issue with undocumented migrants here.
So these campgrounds allow camper vans, camper SUV’s etc?
The video demonstrates a wide range of camping configurations. Lou
What is the quality of cell phone service there?
Verizon cellular service clocked in at 108 Mbps download speed and 7.04 Mbps upload speed. AT&T cellular service clocked in at 104 Mbps download speed and 29.2 Mbps upload speed. T-Mobile cellular service clocked in at 3.11 Mbps download speed and 3.16 Mbps upload speed.
Any reason your logo has the crossed arrows that are the US Army Special Forces branch insignia?
I’m a former Army Officer- not exactly, but I suppose one could see a resemblance. Lou
Where is the water?
Did you watch the video? Location relative to the water is covered in detail. Lou
We are thinking about a winter stay in the Rio Grande Valley and places to boondock there. Have you encountered any problems with the immigration surge that is taking place down there?
In a word: over hyped.
@@LivingOurDreamNow
Lol, not in Chicago and Denver.
do you have a lat and long for this campground?
Campendium is a great resource. You’ll find the grid coordinates there. Lou
@@LivingOurDreamNow thank you for the quick response.
How does Verizon work there?
Verizon cellular service clocked in at 108 Mbps download speed and 7.04 Mbps upload speed. AT&T cellular service clocked in at 104 Mbps download speed and 29.2 Mbps upload speed. T-Mobile cellular service clocked in at 3.11 Mbps download speed and 3.16 Mbps upload speed.
@@LivingOurDreamNow Ah ha! The REAL stats!! Thanks, mucho.
❤👍
The biggest rattlesnake I have ever seen was in this area. Keep an eye out for them.
Do you know if there are any pharmacies across the border there?
No idea - a more popular border crossing for dental, pharma, and shopping would be further south at the Progreso International Bridge.
Another slab city like in California?
No not at all. Slab City has permanent structures erected to homestead. Still - Slab City has it's own unique history.
is there any free/unlimited camping near port aransas tx
Check out our playlist on Texas. It takes very little time to scroll through all our videos recorded in any particular state. Lou
You can't book a thousand trails campground for two weeks. They say you can but in reality there is never more than 3-4 days available in my experience. This is why I let my camping pass expire. The upgrades were more than I was willing to pay, too many other options available for that kind of money.
You have to know how to use the membership, even the camping pass. We stayed at many Thousand Trails preserves for more than a week using just a camping pass. There is nothing that is even remotely comparable to a Thousand Trails Membership in terms of value. We've looked! Watch our video on Thousand Trails Getaway Cabins. In that video I explain why some folks completely miss the boat. Lou
Great review but this is close to the border…
Nothing wrong with the border and I bet it hasn't moved since my last visit. We had a great time camping in this area. Texas is a big place, don't be fooled by generalizing "the border". Lou
no stay limit is a really bad idea. wonder how long that will last
Years my friend. It has lasted years. Lou
Highlighting it on TH-cam is not going to help that situation any. They'll be more people there than ever. Which always brings trouble.@@LivingOurDreamNow
It's been that way for the last 30 plus years
The heat half the year is high enough to discourage year round stays.
@@kennethkilpatrick3758 dig a hole for your tent. Nice cool floor. Add sun shade tarps over the top.
I don't get why you'd want to stay anywhere more than a couple weeks......Nomads roam, dig?
not everyone has the same situation. dig?
I would be worried about people coming across the border
The border is a big place. This portion of the border with Mexico is remote, so much so that they had to build this camp when the dam was constructed to house the workforce. Lou
Words out now that you told the whole world and so close to the Mexican border does not appeal to me at all.
Yea, I suppose the border didn't move. No big deal. We really enjoyed this area. Lou
Issues with illegal immigrants?
None at all. We enjoyed our visit immensely.
I understand it is no cost camping but the scenery is...boring.
All in the eyes of the beholder. Watch our video on Falcon State Park and you'll be surprised just how beautiful the Rio Grande Valley can be. Lou
most of the free campgrounds aren't fantastic......the reason they are free.
Been to Quartzsite? Place is packed in the winter and not exactly the Rocky Mountains..
thats why its free.... it would be over crowded if it was a nice area.
Dec-Feburary are citris harvest seasons typically. Pick your own or buy the best fruits and veggies from the back of pickups along roadsides. And in daylight, many landscapes look boring at a distance but the kajillion star nightlights are fantastic.