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.
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.
