Winter Camping in Arizona

[455lark]

Went out winter camping in the Az desert this weekend. Boon docking with my Daughters family and a few other Friends. Barnhardt trail area near Rye Arizona. Great hiking area in the High desert at 4000 feet elevation. Desert was very green with more century plants then I have seen in one area. High 60s in the day, 40s at night, perfect around the campfire under the stars in the Arizona desert. Love this state.

 

[JackandJanet]

Yup - this is a "friendly" time of the year on the desert. Glad you had a good time!

- Jack

 

[PaulS-HILO]

I wanna go...

 

[sam-HILO]

Camping in the Arizona desert.

Nice pictures,thanks for taking the time to post. Anybody have hitch itch?

 

[Rolff]

Nice pictures,thanks for taking the time to post. Anybody have hitch itch?

Funny - never heard that term. I was thinking i was Jonesing.

 

[CampingTrailer]

Hello

nice pictures i also wana go there... please let me something more about it..

Thanks

 

[455lark]

The turn off is 3 or 4 miles past the lake Roosevelt turn off on the way to Payson. There is a sign that say Barnhardt trail head or hiking area.,. It is all dirt road but not bad , I have a two wheel drive truck . no problem. Go back 4 or 5 miles and start looking for a spot. we love the area. Not a lot of people go there.

 

[Randy8283]

Whenever it starts getting cold out, all I can think about it how I wish I could more advantage of the summer.

Thanks for sharing the pictures!

 

[sam-HILO]

I hate winter.

Today was our daughters horse back riding lesson. The weather forecaster told us we were going to get rain,sleet and one inch of snow. It also was 26degrees. Hubby drove the 45minutes each way. It was really slick with blowing and drifting snow. Made me really nervous. Wished I could just hitch up and head for warmer climates. Getting too old for this!! So slick on our side streets that DH put the truck in 4x4. We couldn't get up our drive way if we didn't have 4x4. Did I mention that I hate winter!!

 

[bishop65]

Arizona is a big state with endless camping possibilities. Higher heights will be chilly, but temperature ranges in the deserts will still be very warm days with cool night-time. The KOFA National Wildlife Place south of Quartzsite, AZ has a specific campsite in a distant setting.

 

[hilltool]

The turn off is 3 or 4 miles past the lake Roosevelt turn off on the way to Payson. There is a sign that say Barnhardt trail head or hiking area.,. It is all dirt road but not bad , I have a two wheel drive truck . no problem. Go back 4 or 5 miles and start looking for a spot. we love the area. Not a lot of people go there.

So- is that BLM land you all are camping on in AZ? I've got land in TEXAS as I have mentioned before, but desert camping would be down in BigBend Nat park and I think boon docking off the beaten path in a National park is likely a No NO. Just curious how it works. In the upper Midwest there is national forest land which, technically, you can camp on anywhere though I would be hard pressed to find somewhere I could just go with the trailer other than the designated NF campgrounds. I have camped out west quite a bit over the years though, mostly, Colorado and Wyoming. I know it can sort of work different...... however I do not get the sense Texas has that much public land to hang out on. Just dreaming back here and trying to get through February (my most unfavorite winter month....)

Rick

 

[455lark]

Yes . It is BLM managed public land.

 

[miniceptor86-HILO]

Big bend national park has designated remote camping sites, both walk in and for vehicles/rv's.

 

[hilltool]

I know BIG BEND has designated walk-in camping but when I have been there I only saw vehicle camping in the designated campgrounds-one down along the river and one up in The BAsin.

Rick

 

[miniceptor86-HILO]

Hi, Check out the following:

Backcountry Roadside Campsites - Big Bend National Park

 

[hilltool]

Sure n'uff. Thanks for that.

They are so careful with the delicate nature of the desert down there I just got the sense that the designated campgrounds were it. But I stand corrected ( and I will even accept correction sitting...).

Have you tried it yet down there?

Rick

 

[miniceptor86-HILO]

I have been there three times. The first time I stayed two days one November tent camping at Rio Grande Village on a motorcycle whorl wind tour of Texas, 4 thousand miles in ten days. The second time I drove down in February again tent camping at Rio Grande Village, stayed 6 days and put 800 miles on my dual sport and only about 100 of that was outside the park boundaries. The third time the wife and I stayed in a bunk house just north of the park for 5 days. At the bunk house the vehicle went in the corral and the horse and donkey had free range including walking in the door of the bunk house if you didn't close the door. I love the desert, she likes the beach so we took the HiLo to Corpus this year and probably next 'cause if the wife's happy your happy.

 

[hilltool]

miniceptor86

I sent you a pm.

Rick