Tens of Thousands of People...
... Boondocking in the Arizona Desert
Yes, that's a lot of people and that's the number of "snow birds" that descend on the desert of southwest Arizona during the six months of winter each year. These snow birds escape the bitter cold of the frozen northern states of the U.S. and Canada during the winter months for the warmer climes of the desert.
The vast majority of these snow birds will settle down on the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) Land near the small town of Quartzsite, Arizona. BLM Land is owned and maintained by the Federal Government and Arizona alone has some 12 million acres that can be used by the public for recreation. This land is used extensively by RV'ers during the winter months. Quartzsite has a permanent population of approximately 3500, but during the winter months, the population will swell to near one million, according to the figures I've seen. That is a lot of people descending onto this small town.
Quartzsite is located on I-10 approximately 20 miles from the California border and happens to be surrounded by a very large quantity of BLM Land.
The major benefit of spending the winter in Quartzsite is the fact that it's very easy on your budget. There are quite a few RV parks in town and if settling down in a park is your cup of tea, you'll find the cost is usually less than in most other areas of the country. However, if your budget dictates a really good deal, you will want to set up camp on BLM Land. BLM offers the following:
You can spend up to 7 months in one of the LTVA's (Long Term Visitor Area) for under $180.**
You can get a 14 day permit for $40.**
** For these deals, you get access to an onsite dump station, a fresh water source, and trash dumpsters and some areas have toilets.
If you prefer to not spend any money at all for camping on BLM Land, you can do that too. Here's how that works:
You can stay in any number of other BLM areas around Quartzsite for up to two weeks for free, however, you will have no amenities at all; no fresh water, no dump station. After your 2 weeks are up, you will have to move to another BLM area at least 25 miles distant. A permit is required, but it's free, it's a way for Rangers to keep a head count and monitor BLM Land users.
So, now that you have a good idea as to what you can expect when camping on BLM Land, you might be thinking of what you will need in a desert setting with no amenities. Quartzsite, as I mentioned is a small town and supplies are limited and lines are long. The nearest Walmart is some 40 miles away in Parker, Arizona. Blythe, California is approximately 22 miles west on I-10, just across the Colorado River. There you will find some good places for shopping, but no Walmart.
Listed below are some things to consider and items you might want to put on your "to bring with you list." Remember - this is off-grid camping and there are no amenities.
If you're in a Class A, Class B or Class C motorhome, you'll most likely have a generator. The problems with generators is they can be noisy and an annoyance to any close-by campers. They use a lot of fuel if running for long periods of time. If you want air conditioning or like to watch a TV, then a generator will be necessary. If you don't have one of the aforementioned motorhomes, you can always pick up a portable generator that will power everything but air conditioning.
If you're in a small RV, trailer, 5th wheel or a van with no generator, perhaps you'll want to invest in solar panels. I have a converted cargo van with a refrigerator and my solar panels provide enough power for all my electrical needs which include my refrigerator, lights, power for my laptop and chargers for camera and phone, etc.
Don't forget about dumping your tanks. The LTVA's have a dump station, but with all the RV's staying there, there will be long lines and besides, you'll have to break camp to drive to the dump station. There are some entrepreneurs that come around with "roving honey wagons." The will come to your rig and for a small fee empty your tanks and dispose of the waste for you.
You can also empty your waste tanks in town at dump stations for a small fee. The advantage here is that there's usually no lines.
When you camp in the desert, expect the dust. Dust is just a fact of life in the desert, so just embrace it. Cover all vents and cracks with cloth, A/C filters and tape or whatever you have that will help. However, you can have your motorhome hermetically sealed and you will still have dust find its way inside. You may want to give your RV a good wax job prior to parking in the desert. This will help keep the dust at bay when the wind blows, then wipe down the outside whenever possible. You may wish to cover your furniture with sheets.
Boondocking, dry-camping, camping off-grid, whatever you want to call it; it's basically the same thing and can be simple and comfortable for weeks or even months at a time, depending on how well you prepare. Most everyone I meet and speak with are all into boondocking for one common purpose - to relax and enjoy nature. You can live this lifestyle and enjoy Quartzsite or one of numerous other BLM areas.
So what do you think? Do you have some suggestions that could help a fellow boondocker? Comments? Feel free to leave any suggestions and or comments so we call all share and learn something from each other.
Source: Most of the photos in this blog are provided courtesy of pixabay.com.
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