Southern Arizona Winter Camp Spots

davevickery

I am looking for suggestions. I planning a trip to some warm weather, which probably means Arizona this time of year. Any suggestions on good BLM style camping in interesting locations with maybe canyons, giant cactus, rivers, or lake front camping. Why not throw in some decent mountain bike trails and hikes. I saw a couple natural hots springs that looked neat too.

I googled a bit, but I bet you all have some great spots. Probably spend a couple weeks and maybe hit Buses by the Bridge on the way back.

Thanks,
Dave

BavarianWrench · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 6:28 pm Post subject:

Dave, why are you not outside working on your conversion tonight?
Just Kidding, Can I join you in AZ. This weather sucks!

hans j · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 6:41 pm Post subject:

I'm thinking the same thing, but only have 4 days this weekend. I was hoping to get about 8 hours away but even then I'm still at 20* nights. Which in all fairness, is warmer than the daytime temps, but I wouldn't mind a non freezing location to camp at...

I was considering Chaco Canyon this weekend but looks like all rain right now.

Scratch that, looks like snow and 13* night temps Rolling Eyes

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Ahwahnee · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 6:42 pm Post subject:

Like many of us - I seldom camp near home and I do not mountain bike, but here are a couple of ideas:

Cochise Stronghold has a quiet CG on the east side. Main hike here is to cross the stronghold - rocky chaparral.

Higher altitudes are very dependent on current weather conditions. For example, today it was 69° in Tucson so the areas at, say 5000-7000 ft would still be pleasant camping... but in two days it may be too cold for that altitude. The up & down temps will be the pattern thru the winter.

Chiricahua Natl Mon is a fine place if the weather is in the warm pattern. Nice old CCC campground and some interesting hikes (Heart of Rocks, Echo Canyon, etc). They have a shuttle bus every morning so you can leave the Westy in the CG, ride to the top and spend the day hiking back to camp.

Organ Pipe Natl Monument is scenic and probably the warmest camping area in the winter. It sits on the border so hiking has been (in theory) restricted in recent years though still some good spots. The Border Patrol is very active in the area so one is unlikely to encounter border crossers (I never have).

Side note -- in years gone by the Quitobaquito cienega was a popular spot in Organ Pipe NM for visitors from both sides of the border. So popular that the National Park Service gave up mending the fence and put in a gate so the picnickers could come over from Mexico, have their picnic and return home. Now, of course, that area is off-limits to everyone.

Near Tucson, the USFS CG at Molino Basin in the Catalinas is low enough to be great winter camping and only 10 miles or so into town. Several lower elevation hikes around here (Prison Camp, Milagrosa, Sycamore Reservoir and the Bug Spring trail from Bear Canyon to the highway come to mind).

Camping at large (aka dispersed camping) is also on hand in the Catalinas but those areas are higher (7000-9000) and thus probably too cold for most folks overnight tastes. At the moment the snow level in the Catalinas is about 7000'.

No camping at Sabino Canyon (in Tucson) but good winter hiking -- Blackett's Ridge is my favorite here and the Phoneline trail is a good one too.

No camping at Ft Bowie but a pleasant hike to an interesting 19th century western fort.

Saguaro National Park has 2 units,, one east of Tucson and another west. Both have good trails. The east side is mostly desert rambles (great scenery and cactus) and some longer trails up towards the Rincons.

The west side unit of Saguaro NP is more mountainous with the trail to the top of Wasson Peak being my favorite. Four ways to get to the peak, King Canyon, Sweetwater and High Norris being the most popular.

There is no camping at the National Park but Gilbert Ray CG is near the west unit and Molino basin is possibly the nearest non-commercial CG to the east unit.

North of Tucson is Picacho Peak State Park. Some easy desert hikes but the highlight here is one of the very few Via Ferrata trails to be found in the US. Approaching the peak as you drive north on I-10 you will be amazed to think there is a trail that goes to the top.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

The opportunities for (officially) camping in remote areas is somewhat limited as the military (bombing), Indian reservations, private land and a lack of roads makes access difficult, impossible or illegal.

I am sure I have forgotten something important but this is a start.

davevickery · Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2014 7:43 pm Post subject:

BlueGrasser

The Imperial National Wildlife Refuge and Picacho State Recreation Area is amazing for winter camping. I did a four night canoe trip down the Lower Colorado River through there, and it was spectacular.

Most of the camping along the river is organized pay campgrounds (Lower Picacho campground actually has a shower), but one night we cut off the river and stayed on the banks of Ferguson lake and there was a nice couple from Canada there that had car camped the night before. No services whatsoever, but it's free dispersed camping that is legit (that is to say, legal).

It's on the California side of the border, but if you are in the area you may want to check this spot out:

**Edit**

It didn't like my google maps link for some reason. Just search for Ferguson Lake, and down near the bottom across from where it opens up to the Colorado River there is a dirt road called Ferguson Wash. The dispersed camping is where it bends over to the lake. Switch to satellite mode and you'll see a car camped right on the shore. I reckon there is at least three or four good camp spots there, but we had the whole area to ourselves (after the friendly Canadians left). I think it was early February when we camped there. Great weather there that time of year!
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BlueGrasser · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 10:13 am Post subject:

BTW, here is my trip report for the area. It's canoe camping, not camper van camping, but it'll give you an idea of the area. The night sky on or near the new moon is amazing!

http://alwaysjanuary.blogspot.com/2011/02/lower-colorado-canoe-trip.html
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WestyBob · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 12:16 pm Post subject:

davevickery · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 12:32 pm Post subject:

Thanks, that area looks good. My search kept turning up the Senator Wash area which is apparently near there too. I was hoping to find warm areas closer to the east side. It is a couple hundred more miles to get to the CA border and it is already 900 just to phoenix. Lower Colorado and back with lots of exploring is probably 2400 miles to be on the safe side. That's almost 100 gallons of gas with my 1.8T Very Happy

But if I plan to hit BBB in Lake Havasu I would be all the way over there anyway.

P.S. That canoe trip looks great.

kamzcab86 · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 1:33 pm Post subject:

davevickery · Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2014 5:11 pm Post subject:

Hi Kam, I would say 60s is nice, 70s would be great. 50s isn't worth leaving Colorado for. A day in the 50s if there is something cool to check out like a natural hot spring would be o.k. too.

Looks like a longer drive is the only way to do this in January.

davevickery · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 5:41 pm Post subject:

Sonoran desert national monument
Overnight stay between Tucson and Yuma right on I-8

Ahwahnee · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:16 pm Post subject:

Orpy (aka Organ Pipe)?

bonebrake · Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2015 6:19 pm Post subject:

Welcome!!
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davevickery · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2015 2:07 pm Post subject:

North Senator Wash reservoir
No one here. Hundreds of rvs on the south side.
Heading over to lake havasu city tomorrow.

davevickery · Posted: Sat Jan 24, 2015 9:02 am Post subject:

Ferguson Lake (Past Senator Wash Reservoir). Cool looking site, but probably the only decent place to camp on the water.

Probbaly shouldn't feed the wild donkeys in the area. But they were obviously getting handouts.

No where in particular just a stop over. It was a long drive to get to find the warm weather.

Typical sunset.

Hot Well Dunes State park, Eastern Arizona. More like BLM camping, $3/night for a campsite or dispersed in the dunes. 2 great soaking tubs here, well worth the overnight. (tubs only work till dusk as the pumps are solar powered)

Hit Buses by the Bridge on the way back.

2880 miles


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