03-30-2013-FREE BLM IN AZ

We have spent two winters now on BLM Land near Quartzsite, AZ.  There are four LTVA (Long Term Visitor Area) where you pay $180.00 to stay.  The season pass is good from 15th of Sept thru 15th of April (7 months).  This fee gets you free dump and water fill and dumpsters to throw your trash and you don’t have to move your rig anytime during those months.  Whether you stay the full 7 months or just 3 months, the fee stays the same.  You can purchase a two week pass for only $40.00, and some folks opt this way if staying less than the 3 months.


While staying on LTVA you have more rules to follow by, for example-generators can’t be run during the hours of 10pm -6am, you can’t just park anywhere, and at least 15 feet from your nearest neighbor-if you choose to be that close.


If one does not want to pay that $180.00 there are several BLM Land that are free in the surrounding  areas of Quartzsite, Parker and Yuma. 


Although we paid the $180.00 for the season pass and our time was not up yet, we wanted to check out some of the free area.  Now the rules are different; in the aspect that there are no rules, other than no gathering of firewood (which applies to all of the BLM Land in AZ).




In other words, folks can park as close as they want to you, can run generators all night long if they wish to, run ATV’s around you all day and night, party, play music or what ever they might choose to do.  Only thing a park ranger will tell you is if you don’t like your neighbor-move.


One thing that amazed us and was a bit surprise, is the fact that the grounds were not cluttered of trash and debris.  We did come across many old and new fire rings, and although gathering of firewood is prohibited, we saw few down and dead wood laying around; It has been scavenged.




Even though it’s Free to camp, you can only stay for 14 days in 30 day period and then you must move at least 25 miles.  You get no water, sewer dump or trash.  As I stated we didn’t see any trash just lying around, but many obvious siting's of both grey and black water that was dumped.




BLM requires you to registered with the host.  Only one problem that I see with their sign; It does not tell you where the host is located.  For example, we stayed at Plamosa Rd, we came off of HWY 95.  Just to the right of the entrance there is a bulletin board and a sign with a camper and a flag pole and a sign that does say host.  Now, the problem lies if you are coming off of HWY 72 onto Plamosa RD, and once entering the 14 day camping area, again it tells you to register with the host, but from this direction how would you located the host? 




since we were there during the very late month of March, campers were far and few between.  Our nearest neighbor at one point was at least a mile away.  but I’m sure during the peak of the winter months this place was booming with campers all over. 


They do have markers in varies areas as to where they do not want you to camp.  We did come across a few markers that need to be replace because at a glance from a vehicle, you cannot read what it says.  They are for day-use purpose only, no overnight camping.




the BLM has also spent lots of money putting up berms so that you just can’t drive off the roadway and make your own roads.  They have markers where they want you to enter the areas at.




All I can say is that while here we did find it to be peaceful and a different view.  
   
                                       

The land and rocks were different that from the LTVA area (a bit harder for walking).  We also noticed that it appears even though some of us pay the $180.00 in the LTVA area, the money is being spent in the Free area and the paid areas are being just a bit neglected as far as road surface and other maintenance is concerned.


With that said, I would not want to be here in the free area during peak time as I’m sure it’s a mad house around here with rigs coming and going and ATV’s running up and down and around you.

VIRGIN RIVER CANYON

As we are looking and researching about going to Zion National Park, we discovered an area that we thought we would like to spend a night at.   Knowing that we would be leaving the Lake Mead area and heading down the road early afternoon, we knew this place would be a nice resting spot for the evening.
It’s Called Virgin River Canyon and is run by BLM/Arizona Strip Wilderness.  It’s right off I-15, exit 18 and only half mile off the Interstate.  This section of the Interstate runs only about 27 miles across the Northwest corner of Arizona between Nevada & Utah.

Although Virgin River Canyon is only a short distant off the Interstate, once you are inside the park,you really cannot hear the Interstate noise what-so-ever.  But you will hear the Virgin river roaring across rocks, specially in the spring when run-offs makes the river muddy and high and rapid.


You are surrounded by beautiful canyons that the virgin river created millions of  years ago.  We were told by the host that the only creatures we will probably see are reptiles, birds, and chipmunks.  Long horn sheep's roam the area, but have been pushed farther north into the Zion National Park and surrounding areas.


There is no limit as to how long you can stay, camping fee is $8.00; 1/2 price if have Golden Age/Access or the America the Beautiful passports.  There use to be a dump station, but no longer exist.  There are two loops to the campground, with the upper one being open and the lower one used as overflow or group camping.  Day-Use fee is $2.00 per vehicle.  Clean restrooms through-out the park with water access only at the bathrooms.  When fire restriction is not enforced, the camp host will sell you firewood.  We paid $5.00 for 9 pieces; which did us a nice fire for our Anniversary.

We will remember this nice little spot in our travels, if we ever are in the area again.

Quartzsite AZ

Quartzsite is nestled in western AZ just about 17 miles from the California border. Highway 95 runs north and south while I-10 runs east to west through the town. During the hot summer months Quartzsite is a quiet sleepy little town with not much going for it. I think if it wasn’t for a few major truck stops and some fast food restaurant, Quartzsite would not exist during summer months.
As Fall time rolls around, Quartzsite slowly starts to come alive and then by Jan it’s a full blown little city. What attracts people to this area is the dry warm winter that many camp out on the BLM land for a minimal price. There are RV parks around the town that are very reasonable to stay in if you choose not to boondock in the desert.  When we arrived the first part of Nov to Quartzsite for the first time, it was already starting to show signs of folks temporarily staking their claims for the winter months. The BLM land around the sleepy little town was filling in with RV’ers from all over.  They come from the Northern colder states such as Idaho, Washington, Oregon, just to name a few  and of course, Canada.
So besides the warm dry desert winter months, what else attracts folks to this area?   Maybe it’s because of the huge Rock & Mineral Show, or the big RV and Tent show, or the Art & Craft show that follows.  Or just all the junk collectors that are in one area.  Many folks like to come and sell & trade many items.  Who knows what you just might find.  This is all spread out on both sides of the frontage road near Interstate 10.
On the South East Side (of I-10), you have the Rice Ranch.   No, it’s not a rice field, but just the name of the area where vendors set up to sell items. You will find many varies types of vendors selling anything from new to used items.   In this section you may find socks and other particular clothing items.  Maybe you are a biker in need of leather or accessory for you bike.   One one corner you might find someone selling regular speed  bicycles and accessories.  Or you are in need of an RV replacement part or accessories, the I suggest you visit the Gambler and again, no It’s not Kenny Rogers either.  But just the name of a huge outlet that sells anything RV in a huge pole building.
Hungry?  Well you have vendors that will sell you Ice Cream, Home Made Apple Pie (& other pies), breakfast items, along with Indian Bread and tacos.  If that don’t suit your fancy how about a pizza from a fire truck?  Yep, there is one!  It’s two couples, I believe they got the idea from a relative in Las Vegas.  So they purchased a recently retired fire truck  from NJ and turned it into a place to make and sell Pizza.  Of course our curiosity got the best of us, so we had to go and check it out.  What they did is keep the ladder truck in it’s original state, place a temporary shelter around it, and started doing home bake pizza.  Was it good?  You betcha.  I even think they chopped their onions, for it’s not too often you find red onions on a pizza.  Our first trip, they did forget to put my black olives on it, but on our second trip they made sure I had plenty.  The pizza are loaded with whatever topping you would like to put on and at a very reasonable price.  So I suggest if ever there and you see a Pizza hangin’ high in the sky from a ladder truck, go look it up and try it!

On the South West corner starts the Rock & Gem show and then the huge RV tent.  This really doesn’t get going until mid Jan, but other vendors will come in and start selling early.  Here you will find K & B tools; they carry anything you might need such as tools, mini solar panels, solar yard ornaments just to name a few items.  Out here in the desert we see many temporary tarp buildings put up by RV’ers.  This is the number one place to get all you will need to purchase your temporary tarp building!  Once again you will find more clothing and jewelry. 
You will also find a few vendors that will actually sell many outdated grocery items!  Nothing cold, but in boxes and in jars at a very reasonable price.  One vendor comes out here to set up just to sell buffalo sausage and specialty cheeses.  While another will sell specialty beans and nuts.

When you see the huge tents go up (there will be two), one is just full of vendors that sell nothing but Rocks and Gems from all over the world.  I never knew there was so many Rocks, Gems and Minerals that exist until I went to the show to check it out!  I can’t help but wonder if people do buy these things?  But I guess they do, or this show wouldn’t make it otherwise.  The sedond tent that goes up is behind all the other things going on, but trust me, you cannot miss this gigantic tent!  This is the RV show that goes for only one week in Jan.  This tent is filled with vendors of all sort and not just RV.  We found anything from pots & pans, to knives, rugs, ring cleaners, and one guys selling some kind of a unique tiny animal that lives in your pocket!  There were a few campgrounds trying to promote themselves, you also had Land & Leisure as well as Amazon.com.  LED lights are a hot things for several vendors trying to sell the best one on the market.

Thirsty?  You will find a beer garden amongst all the vendors, just follow the sound from the live entertainment and you will find it.  There are other vendors selling a quick meal if you need one.  Only one bad one sticks out in my mind, and that was when he had his food items sitting out along the ledge.  Whether the items were for show or actual sell, I wasn’t sure, but knew it turned me off and we just walked on by and didn’t stop.
Now on the North West corner is where you have the sell and trade vendors.  We call them the junk collectors.  Again you find more shops selling yet more tools and gadgets of all sorts.  We didn’t spend much time over here, for we don’t have room to buy and collect “junk”.  Sorry folks….but hey, if you like that kind of thing, then you will love this area!
The most thing you find around Quartzsite are RV’s!  new or used, 5th wheel, tongue pull, deisel pusher, you name it, it’s here!  Several large dealers come from near and far to try and sell their rigs.  One of the largest is LeMesa RV they have literally taken up the North East corner.  Once they have all their rigs in place inside this huge fenced in yard, then they begin to dish our free, yes, free pancakes everyday, but Sunday!  And if you didn’t get your fill from that, come back at noon and they will feed  you lunch-FREE!  Each day’s menu changes, and you never know what they will serve for lunch.
Each year there has been over two million visitors alone to this sleepy little town of Quartzsite!
All in all I was amazed as to the vendors selling their goods.  I didn’t know the demand for socks was such a huge thing, there were plenty of vendors selling just that-socks.  Tools, tools and more tools, at every corner, someone was selling some sort of tool or another. 
There were plenty of laundry mats around as well, one in particular and probably the most popular is in a pole building right on main street.  In past years, they close down by late April, but they are thinking of keeping it open year round this year.  Although it’s in this pole building, it’s kept very clean and always someone around to help you if you need it.  they also have a little restaurant adjacent to the laundry.
There is a convenient easy in, easy out place to get propane called RV Pit Stop right on Hwy 95 .  Very friendly and courteous.  There are other places to fill propane, but we found this one to always greet us with a smile.
Plenty of places to go and chow down if you don’t want to eat at the shows.  Silly Al’s seems to always carry a full house.  Although we never ate there, we were told the food and spirits are great.  They have Karaoke night, if you like to sing.
Sweet Darlene started out as a vendor at the shows, and now has their own place in town.  the food is excellent anytime you go there.
Quartzsite has a place called the QIA in town where they have plenty of things going on at all time.  They find entertainment, have line dancing, plus many other activities for the winter folks that come here to visit. 
You are sure not to ever get bored while visiting this sleepy little town of Quartzsite…