Reviews - Parks, Campgrounds & Boondocking

Camp Davis, Bullhead City, AZ - Feb 05
Located on the banks of the Colorado River just north of town, this county park provides both full hookups & beach dry camping, the latter for $10 a day. Nice spot with barbeques & shaded picnic tables. River is said to be stocked with trout, but I will have to take their word. Laughlin, NV, is just across the river for those who like to hand over their money to casino operators.

Coconino NF boondock, near Flagstaff, AZ - Aug 06
Several spots just off US89 on FS418, 15 miles north of Flagstaff.

Cottonwood Campground, Canyon de Chelly, AZ - Nov 05
Nice campground at the mouth of Canyon de Chelly among tall cottonwoods. Dry camping only. Tables & barbeque stands, toilets, water & dump station available. Free! Very near to canyon rim drives, sight seeing & arranging tours.

Crazy Jug Motel & RV Park, Freedonia, AZ - Oct 05
This is the nearest RV Park to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon that is not on the Kaibab Plateau. Basic park. $19 full hookups.

Eagle View RV Resort, Fort McDowell, AZ - Jan 05
This new park was just opened in Nov 04. Facilities are very nice for a commercial, reasonably priced park. $27 per night, with weekly rate at $150 & monthly at $450, less discounts for Passport & Good Sam. Full hookups, wireless internet (at the time I stayed, the wi-fi only worked for sites closer to club house). Fort McDowell Casino is just across the highway & shuttle service is provided. Good Phoenix area location.

Gila Bend RV Resort, Gila Bend, AZ - Dec 05
Basic park in town on highway, full hookups $9.49 - cheap!

Horsepitality RV Park, Wickenburg, AZ - Jan 06
Nice RV park just south of Wickenburg. Caters to horse owners, but open to all. Game room, computer room, etc. Electric site $22. Call ahead for full hookups.

Kartchner Caverns State Park, Benson, AZ - Feb 06
This is a very nice state park southeast of Tucson. Nice RV sites with water and electric for $22. Two good hiking loop trails and the spectacular Caverns make for great activities.

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, AZ - Crystal Hill, Mar 05; Palm Canyon, Jan 06
Kofa is a very large refuge in the Sonoran Desert located southeast of Quartzsite, this area has no services at all, just quiet & remote desert camping for serious boondockers. Free, 2 week limit. As much room to roam as you could want with rock hound opportunities on Crystal Hill, though the hill has been pretty well picked bare of any real crystals. The 6 mile gravel road will give your rig a pretty good shaking. Palm Canyon at Signal Peak is another area with fascinating hiking. At least when we were there its road was a little better, with more dispersed camping available.

Lake Patagonia State Park, AZ - Feb 06
Nice state park in far south AZ. Great birding area. Boating & fishing also. Park provides sites with and without hookups (electrical & water), tables & firepits.

Lake Pleasant County Park, Maricopa County, AZ - Feb 05, Jan 06
Park provides sites with and without hookups (electrical & water only), each with shaded picnic table & fire pit at $18 per day, plus dry camping near the lake for just the day use fee of $5. Variety of water activities available (boating, fishing, etc) plus hiking & a good Sonoran Desert experience. Cheap solitude less than 30 minutes from Scottsdale.

Lost Dutchman State Park, Goldfield, AZ - Dec 05
Great state park located just east of Mesa. At the foot of the Superstition Mountains & within easy walking distance of Superstition Wilderness and many hiking trails. Dry camping only, water & dump available, also toilets & showers, 69 sites many pull thru. $12.

Point of Rocks Campground, Prescott, AZ - Feb 05
Nice RV park located just north of town in the beautiful Granite Dells, $20 a day before discounts, full hookups. Sites are tucked in among boulders, trees & shrubs for decent privacy & a nice natural experience. Great hiking in the Dells, leading to Watson Lake County Park.

Pumpkin Seed Point, Orabi, Hopi Indian Reservation, AZ - Oct 05
This is a wayside on one arm of Third Mesa, looking across at the Hopi village of Orabi. Picnic tables, but no other amenities or services. Hiking in open areas of the mesa. Convenient for visiting First & Second Mesa. Free.

Rim Lakes Recreation Area, AZ - Sep 06
Designated camping sites along the Mogollon Rim. Picnic tables & fire pits, but no services. Large sites & well spaced. .Free.

Snyder Hill BLM Site, near Tucson, AZ - Feb 06
This is an unhosted BLM site about 6 miles west of Tucson. No facilities or services. Free.

Usery Mountain Regional Park, near Mesa, AZ - Dec 05
Great park just north of Mesa, tables, fire pits & barbeques, showers & dump available, water & electrical hookups $18. Lots of room for hiking, good view of greater Phoenix.

Adelanto City Rest Area, Adelanto, CA - Dec 05
This is a humble rest area within the small Mojave Desert city of Adelanto. Room for a handful of RVs, overnights allowed, free. Good place to stopover when traveling to or from Los Angeles and points south, either via US395 or I40.

Black Rock Campground & Indian Cove Campground, Joshua Tree National Park, CA - Mar 05
I've lumped these together since the are both campgrounds on the north side of & run by Joshua Tree National Park. Neither has any hookups, both charge $10 per night. Black Rock has more large RV parking, many with drive-throughs, with water & dump facility available. But it's kind of crowded, with narrow driveways. Indian Cove has more to offer scenically & with better hiking, but few sites suitable for larger rigs. Water available at ranger station. I liked it for dry camping. Most weekends it fills up early, but it's very quiet during the week.

Buena Vista Aquatic Park, Bakersfield, CA - Mar 05
Great park for campers looking for water recreation, particularly boating. Fairly inexpensive in off-season for overnighting with or without hookups, but not a good deal the rest of the year.

Crossroads BLM Campground, near Parker, AZ - Jan 06
This small campground on the California side offers Colorado riverside camping at the BLM rate of $4 a day. Has tables, barbeques, toilets and garbage service. It's sandwiched in between larger RV parks whose wide sandy beaches are open.

Diaz Lake County Park, Lone Pine, Inyo County, CA - Mar 05
Nice park just south of Lone Pine, lots of room, lakeside camping. $10 per night, tables & firepits, no hookups, a little run down. Fishing in the lake. Good overnight along US395.

Green Creek Road, Bridgeport, CA - Oct 05
This is a dispersed camping area just south of Bridgeport. We stayed at a site less than 1/2 mile from US395, but there are several much nicer spots starting about 5 miles farther up the road. It's rough washboard & a little steep in places, so not suitable for all rigs. Fishing along the creek and in nearby Bridgeport Lake.

Holtville Hot Springs LTVA, near Holtville, CA - Dec 05
This is a BLM operated Long Term Visior Area just off I8, 10 miles east of El Centro. Dispersed camping, $30 for 2 weeks, dump available. Sandy desert terraine. There is also a hot pool for soaking off the miles.

Joshua Trees National Park, CA - Jan 05
This is a great park for winter dry camping. After the $10 entry fee, it's just $5 a day, with a 14 day limit; each camp site includes picnic table & grill or fire ring. Lots of variety in sites, though availability for larger coaches & trailers can be a problem. Ranger recommended Jumbo Rocks campground for my 30' fifth wheel & there were only a couple open when I got there. Lots of hiking, nature trails & great desert scenery. I'll be back.

Kings County Fairground, Hanford, CA - Mar 05
A little off the main San Joaquin Valley freeways, but for $20 with hookups, it's an inexpensive overnight near Fresno. Friendy host, room to walk around, it's not bad.

Lake Jennings County Park, Lakeside, CA - Dec 05
Nice park about 20 miles east of San Diego, high up in the western San Diego Mountains. Road in is narrow & a little steep. Limited accommodations for larger rigs. Full hookups $18. Restrooms, play areas, tables ,fire rings, walk to the lake, lots of hiking trails. Good base for visiting the county.

Lake Shastina Recreation Area, Weed, CA - Apr 05, Sept 05
Free camping a few miles northeast of Weed off US97, close by the lake in juniper & pine woods. About 30 spaces for rigs of various sizes, some drive throughs. Tables, fire pits, water & toilets. Boating, fishing, birding, room to roam. Views of Mount Shasta & the Siskiyou-Trinity Mountains.

Los Banos Wildlife Area, Los Banos, CA - Mar 05
Free camping about 3 miles north of Los Banos off SR165. The main parking lot is fine for an overnight & you can head into the wildlife area on the levees for more secluded camping. No facilities except for toilets at the headquarters area. Good hiking, fishing & birding in the wildlife area.

Nevada County Fairgrounds, Grass Valley, CA - Oct 05
About 50 sites in an open pine woods adjacent to the fairgrounds in California's gold country. Full hookups $26, electric & water $21. Toilets & some tables. Good recreation & sight seeing opportunities nearby.

Oroville Wildlife Area, Oroville, CA - Apr 05
Free camping about 5 miles south west of Oroville off SR162, overlooking the lower Feather River. There is room for about 6 rigs of any size. No facilities except for toilets. Fishing, birding & lots of room to walk & explore. This is a reclaimed gold dredging area.

Panamint Springs RV Park, Death Valley NP, CA - Mar 05
Rough camping sites, but a good place to stop on the way to Death Valley proper. $15 for dry camping, $25 for hookups. No real attractions.

Pinto Lake Park, Watsonville, CA - Jan 05
This is a city park on the outskirts of Watsonville. Has 28 sites with full hookups, little privacy, but easy access to Pinto Lake for fishing & boating. Pleasant hosts. When I was there it was virtually deserted. $25 a nite plus $2 for Timmy, no discounts. We had a nice stay under the circumstances.

Pismo Beach State Park, Oceano Campground, Oceano, CA - Jan 05
This is part of an extensive state park that includes miles of wide vehicular accessible beach, extensive dunes, lagoons, nature walks & two separate campgrounds. The park was a little run down, but very nice otherwise. Has 82 sites, 42 with water & electrical hookups, all have barrel type fire pits & picnic tables. Dump at North Pismo campground. $29 per night, no discounts. Space available on weekdays in Jan, but filling on MLK weekend. Great beach despite considerable vehicular use; good hiking in the dunes. I would go back, but probably try to avoid crowds.

Red Rock Canyon State Park, CA - Mar 05
Very interesting area, with sculpted sandstone formations around the park. Limited number of sites suitable for larger rigs. $10 per night, tables & firepits, no hookups, but water & dump available. There is also an overflow area that can accommodate large rigs, but no individual sites. Good hiking. Good overnight spot along SR14.

Stine Cove Recreation Area, Lake Isabella, CA - Mar 05
Free camping in the Sequoia National Forest, no improvements except for vault toilet. Fishing, but boating may be problematic as there are many snags in the lake & permits required. Quite scenic, but generally exposed to strong winds. There are additional free camping areas not far up the north fork of the Kern River.

Coming soon...

Indian Creek Campground, Pallisades Reservoir, ID - Aug 06
Small Forest Service campground on a high bench above Palisades Reservoir. Nice, well maintained sites with tables, fire rings, & toilets. Fishing & boating. $12.

Redfish Lake Overflow Campground, near Stanley, ID - Jul 05
Free dispersed camping is available throughout the Stanley Basin & Sawtooth Valley. At the Redfish Lake Overflow Campground there are fire rings & a pit toilet, no other amenities. Swimming & boating at Redfish Lake, fishing & hiking everywhere.

Apache Creek FS Campground, NM - May 06
Nice camp in tall Ponderosa pines & in a favorite rockhounding area. Grills & pit toilet. No other services. Free

Burro Peak FS Camp, NM - Apr 06
No services, no facilities, just a nice place to dry camp for free, right on the Continental Divide off SR90 & a few miles from Silver City. Free.

Cactus RV Park, Tucumcari, NM - Nov 05
This park is on the grounds of & partially within the courtyard of an old Rt 66 motel right in Tucumcari. Basic park. Full hookups $17. Good locale for exploring old Rt 66 & other local attractions.

Chama River Canyon Wilderness, NM - Jun 06
Great boondock location, about 5 miles west of US84 & just north of Ghost Ranch. Larger rigs should not take FS road down into the canyon. There are several nice dispersed sites above.

Clear Creek FS Campground, NM - May 06
One of 2 very nice campgrounds in the beautiful Santa Fe National Forest, San Pedro Mountains east of Cuba. Grills, tables, pit toilets & hand pumped water. $10.

El Malpais BLM Campground, NM - May 06
On the eastern edge of El Malpais NM among sandstone cliffs, convenient for exploring the monument. Nice desert site with grills, tables & pit toilets. Water available a couple of miles away at the El Malpais Ranger Station. Free.

Forks Camp, Gila Hot Springs, NM - May 06
No services except pit toilets. This campground is right along the Gila River, about a mile from the Hot Springs. Some beach camping. Very nice & free.

Gila NF Boondock, NM - Apr 06
No services, no facilities. This is a true boondock site 6 miles north of Silver City off Little Walnut Rd. Nice, quiet.

Hachita, NM - Apr 06
If you find yourself in this desolate near-ghost town in southwestern NM, pull into Elizabeth Larkins's lot just south of the Catholic church. A place to park for $2.

LoW-HI RV Ranch, Deming, NM - Nov 05
This park is run by the Loners on Wheels Club, but open to all including couples. Four miles south of Deming with a scenic desert view across to the Florida Mountains, it is a good I10 stopover. Reasonable rates, pull through sites & dry camping for $5 a day.

Oliver Lee State Park, near Alamogordo, NM - Nov 05
At the mouth of Dog Canyon below the Sacramento Mountains with a commanding view of the Tularosa basin, White Sands NM & the San Andreas Mountains beyond. All sites with water, tables & firepits. Base fee $10, $14 for electrical hookup. Great base for exploring the Alamogordo area attractions.

Outside Inn RV Park, Roswell, NM - Nov 05
This is your basic RV park, on the western edge of Roswell. Full hookups $15.

Pancho Villa State Park, Columbus, NM - Apr 06
If you're staying near the Mexican border in central NM, this is a good place to park. Dry camping $8, $14 for water & electric. Nice sites. Extensive cactus gardens. Historical points of interest from the US Army's 1916 campaign against Pancho Villa.

Range RV Park, Lordsburg, NM - Nov 05
Another basic RV park, in Lordsburg & near busy railroad. Full hookups $15.

Storrie Lake State Park, Las Vegas, NM - Nov 05
This large state park stretches along the eastern shore of Storrie Lake, a reservoir just outside of Las Vegas, NM. There are developed sites (covered tables) & electrical hookups available. Restrooms & dump also. In addition primitive camping is available for $8. Fishing, boating & lots of room to walk. Santa Fe mountains across the lake.

Taos Valley RV Park, Taos, NM - Jun 06
Full service RV park at Ranchos de Taos. Recommended for the Taos area.

Twin Rivers RV Park, Chama, NM - Jun 06
Basic RV park in Chama, $18; dry camping available for only $6 a day. Includes shaded picnic table & fire ring. Water available. Nearby Little Creel RV Campground is a little nicer, with fishing access to the Chama River; $22.

Bull Bend Campground, Deschutes River near La Pine, OR - Jun 05
This US Forest Service campground is contained within a large looping bend in the river. Twelve camp sites are all pull through, with tables & fire pits; pit toilets but no water or other services. Roomy sites with decent privacy: $5 a day. Good access to the river for fishing & floating. No other activities. There are similar campgrounds nearby, eg, Pringle Falls.

Camp Nehalem, OR - Sept 05
This is an "unofficial", ie dispersed, camp site in Tillamook State Forest, near the Nehalem River, 21 day limit. There are 3 sites, but 1 was occupied by what appeared to be long-term campers when we stayed there. Located 6 miles up Foss Road, just before Nehalem Falls Campground. Scenic & quiet, probably good fishing in season.

Cape Lookout State Park, OR - Sept 05
Very nice state park includes a very extensive beach area, not far south of Tillamook & on the Three Capes Scenic Drive. Has 37 sites with hookups ($20), 176 without ($16). Fairly private grassy sites with tables, firepits. Dump available.

Fort Stevens State Park, near Astoria OR - Sept 05
This is a large state park at the far northwest tip of Oregon. Very popular & busy in season, reservations required. Full & partial hookups available, $22 for water & electric. Well maintained & nice setting in the Sitka spruce forest. Extensive beaches, miles of trails, areas of historic interest including batteries & a ship wreck, viewing of the Columbia River bar crossing & historic Astoria.

Halfway RV Park, Halfway, OR - July 05
This small park on the outskirts of Halfway has full hookups & laundry. It's basic, but fairly nice & reasonably well maintained. 16 sites, $18.50 per night, weekly rate available. Near Hells Canyon & southern Wallowa Mountains with lots of recreational opportunities.

Maupin City Park, Maupin, OR - May 05
This is, as you might guess, a city run park. Located on the banks of the famous Deschutes River, it is clean & well maintained, if a little cozy. Very reasonably priced at $21 for full hookups, $16 for over 55. Fishing & river rafting are the main attractions in this small town. Large SFBN freight trains pass by across the river several times a day, including at night.

Oasis Campground, Deschutes River near Maupin, OR - Jun 05
One of several small, rough campgrounds along the lower Deschutes, Oasis can handle a couple of larger rigs, but many of these campgrounds would be limited to smaller Class B or C rigs. No services except for toilets. Tables & firepits, but no campfires or even charcoal cooking permitted after June 1. $8 a day, half price with Golden Age Passport. Great fishing, but little else. As with Maupin, several times a day freight trains pass by on the far side of the river.

Wallowa Lions RV Park, Wallowa, OR - July 05
This is a smallish city park run by the Lions Club. Free camping (14 day limit) on the outskirts of the town of Wallowa. It has firepits, tables, water & toilets & is mostly grass with a scattering of Ponderosa pines. There are only a few sites. RV dump located 1/2 block away. Gateway to Joseph & the Wallowa Mountains. Fishing, hiking & various other outdoor activities nearby. Very nice, especially at the price.

Riverside Campground, Dinosaur NM - Aug 06
One of two camgrounds at Dino, both along the Green River. Walk-in, back in & pull throughs, all have fire pits & tables. No hookups but water & toilets available. Boating, fishing & hiking. $12.

South Campground, Zion NP - Oct 05
This is one of two fairly large camgrounds just inside the southern border of Zion. Sites range from tent only to pull through; all have fire pits & tables. Water, toilets & RV dump available. $16, first come, first served. Specacular scenery, short walk to visitor center & shuttles to all points in the park. Many hiking trails.

Thompson Canyon BLM, Thompson Springs - Aug 06
Boondock area just beyond BLM day use area at pictograph site, 3 miles north of I-70. Only room for one large RV. No services. Free.

Gifford Pinchot National Forest, near Mount St Helens, WA - Sept 05
Camping choices abound in this national forest, including commercial & NF campgrounds as well as dispersed sites. The latter are free with 14 day limit. Many are more suitable to Class C & pickup campers; big rigs need to be cautious off of main roads. Hiking, fishing & volcano recreational opportunities.

Ike Kinswa State Park, Mayfield Lake, WA - Sept 05
Very nice state park on the shores of Mayfield Lake, a large reservoir on the Cowlitz River. About 100 sites, with ($22) & without ($16) hookups, some pull thru. Tables, water, fire rings, toilets. Very shady among big leaf maples, cedars & firs. Walking trails, fishing, boating.

Seaquest State Park, WA - Sept 05
Nice state park on the western entry to the Mount St Helens National Monument & close to Silver Lake. Shady sites in tall old growth woods, tables, firepits, with ($22) & without ($16) hookups.

Coming soon...