2023 Trip Plan
Summary
Lincoln National Forest
Fort Stanton National Conservation Area
San Lorenzo Canyon
Elephant Butte Reservoir and Rio Grande Rvr @ Truth or Consequences, NM
Gila National Forest
South Happy Camp Canyon
Tombstone AZ
Sierra Vista AZ: Fort Huachuca Base and Museum, AZ Trail, San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area
Coronado National Forest
Tucson AZ
Ironwood Forest National Monument
Sonoran Desert National Monument
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
Saddle Mountain
Quartzsite, AZ
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
ghost town (Castle Dome Mine
Dome Rock Mountain
Joshua Tree
Big Bear Lake
Mojave Trails National Monument
Kelsey Dunes
Mojave National Preserve
Parker AZ (off-road races)
Spring Mountains National Recreation Area
Death Valley National Park
Desert National Wildlife Refuge
The “Lost City” museum
Lake Mead
Kingman, AZ
Kaibab National Forest
town of "Two Guns" and Apache Death Caves
Winslow, AZ
Holbrook AZ
Route 66 Junkyard Brewery in Grants NM
El Malpais National Conservation Area
Route 66 Auto Museum in Santa Rosa
Mesalands Dinosaur Museum
Cadillac Ranch
Palo Duro Canyon (Armillo TX)
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Silverton, TX
Lake Elk City
Oklahoma Route 66 Museum
American Horse Lake
Ouachita National Forest
Hot Springs National Park
Mike Freeze Wattensaw WMA
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
George Washington & Jefferson National Forests
Shenandoah National Park
Climate
My primary resource is USA Climate Data I prefer to be at locations where the average monthly temperature low is above 40°F and below 85°F. Leaving late December / early January, we will experience cold temperatures for six days. We don't really start the "fun" part of our trip until we reach Carlsbad NM. (Dec 28/50°F) After that, we head SW in 29/58°F weather, with it improving to 34/61°F as we approach Sierra Vista AZ. Very south AZ will be 28/65°F in January. The Phoenix greater area will be 46/67°F late January. Quartzsite will be 40/66°F late Jan. Our excursion into CA will see 37/60°F early Feb to 46/73°F mid Feb. Late Feb 18/49°F near Gallup NM, just prior to passing through Albuquerque NM late Feb (30/53°F). Late Feb, Amarillo TX will be 30/60°F. On the slow return home, expect 41/63°F, 33/61°F, 32/57°F, and finally 29/49°F when we get home.
Destinations
Take Interstate 40 mostly when traveling east to west (parallels and overlays historic Route 66).
Socorro, NM
Walmart Socorro NM ONP | Gordy's Hill OHV Trail
Ruidoso NM
Optional stop. West Mesa Road Dispersed Camping. 33.517, -105.5153 Takes you into the Lincoln National Forest.
Safford AZ
Tanque Road Dispersed Camping ONP @ 32.6084, -109.6782; BLM;
Bowie AZ
Indian Bread Rocks ONP; Unique surrounding geography.
Tombstone AZ
Patagonia AZ
Harshaw Road @31.51492119,-110.70365824 Patagonia, AZ (4 miles from the Coronado National Forest) Campendium WE LOVE THIS CAMPING AREA!
The small town has several shops, grocery, and gasoline. Great trails nearby to hike and several off-road Jeep trails.
South west of Patagonia is Patagonia Lake State Park, with 250 acre lake that offers boating, fishing, and camping. It also had dump stations. $15-20 per vehicle park entrance fee. RV campsites start at $30/nite with power and water.
Florence, AZ
East 96 Ranch Road is a dispersed camping location on State Trust Land at 32.8574, -111.2107. $15 permit for 14 days available online. | 62.8-mile loop off-road trail. AllTrails off-road experience. old adobe house on the route.
Phoenix AZ
BREWERIES: Arizona Wilderness Brewing Company (drivinvibin.com) | Four Peaks Brewing Company (drivinvibin.com) | SanTan Brewing - Downtown Chandler @ 33.323988,-111.963075 (drivinvibin.com) | Sonoran Brewing Company (drivinvibin.com) |
Camelback Mountain | Superstition Mountains | Echo Canyon Recreation Area | McDowell Sonoran Preserve | Desert Botanical Garden | Piestewa Peak Summit Trail | Canyon Lake | Tortilla Flat | Salt River Canyon Wilderness Area |
Hiking
Camelback Mountian via Echo Canyon Trail | Piestewa Peak Summit Trail #300 | #10 - Hieroglyphic Trail | | | | |
Apache Junction AZ
Wolverine Access ONP. East of Phoenix.
Ajo AZ
Sonoran Desert National Monument
This is a preserve with no official hiking trails or sights.
Lost Horse Tank @ 32.8411, -112.3244 FREE BLM-8009 | FREE camping for up to 14 days in Sonoran Desert National Monument. Turn NW at 33.001458, -112.422491 (Estrella Road Parking Area) and drive 1.3 mi up road. Camp within 100 ft of the lone access road off of SR238 (W Maricopa Rd). |
Quartzsite AZ
La Posa Long Term Visitor Area @ 33.65165, -114.2169 is a BLM managed area that has water, dump and trash services (but no hookups). The LTVA short-visit permit ($40) allows use for any 14 consecutive day period from September 15th to April 15th ($2.86/day). The LTVA long term permit ($180) allows use continuously from September 15th to April 15th (a total of 7 months). Pay at the Yuma Field Office, on site, or online.
Local sights: Arizona Peace Trail | The Fisherman Intaglio | Hi Jolly's Tomb | Bradshaw Trail | Hauser Geode Beds | Opal Hill Mine | Humco/Hedges Ghost Town | Every year during the last 2 weeks of January, over 100,000 RVers converge on the sleepy little town of Quartzsite, AZ for the annual Quartzsite Sports, Vacation and RV show. | Drivin' & Vibin recommendations |
OHV Jeep trails in the immediate area to enjoy. Dome Basin Mine OHV Trail | Jasper Spring and De la Ossa Well OHV Trail | Dripping Springs | Palm Canyon, Kofa Queen Canyon OHV Trail | Several more trails...
Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
South of Quartzsite.
Joshua Tree National Park CA
33.6745, -115.8019 ONP FREE at scenic Joshua Tree South Dispersed Camping (BLM) at Joshua Tree National Park south entrance.
Big Bear Lake / San Bernardino National Forest
ONP for free at 34.1648, -116.8457 at Jenks Lake East Dispersed Camping in San Bernardino National Forest. | WARNING: considerable elevation change for many miles from highway, around lake, and to this camping spot (to 80000 ft). Alternative is
Mojave National Preserve
Camp free at Black Canyon South 34.9352, -115.412 | Drivin & Vibin recommendation: @ 34.7012, -115.6763 |
Sights: Mojave Desert Lava Tube @ 35.21632, -115.75149 (trailhead: 35.21431, -115.75321) | Castle Mountains National Monument @ 35.32358, -115.13677 | Spirit Mountain / Avi Kwa Ame National Monument @35.27499, -114.72385 | | |
Lake Havasu City AZ
Camp for free at Craggy Wash Dispersed Camping, north of Lake Havasu City AZ |
College Street Brewhouse
Parker AZ
Shea Road Dispersed Camping ONP. Beware of Parker races. Parker 250 race (1 Jan 2022) and Parker 425 race (jeep off-road) in Jan 20-23 2022. |
Las Vegas NV Area
Best free camping option is Lovell Canyon Dispersed Camping at 36.0609, -115.5599 in Spring Mountains National Recreation Area. |
Blue Diamond
Very small town 20 mi from Las Vegas. Elevation 3,383 ft at the foothills of the Spring Mountain Range. | Breakfast at Cottonwood Station | Hike 5.9 mi Old Spanish Trail into the Spring Mountains.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Death Valley National Park CA
Plan to camp at Death Valley National Park. Camping available for $11 to $14/nite. The Widrose campground at 4100 ft is FREE (no reservations), 23 sites. The private campground Fiddler's Camp costs $24/nite and has 31 sites at an elevation of -218 ft. See the newspaper for camping and details on what to do. | A free alternative to evaluate on the way in is The Pads at 36.3391, -116.5996. These are cement pads that may have been for an old RV park. No electricity, water, or dump. |
Jamestown AZ
Six Mile Canyon Dispersed Camping ONP @ 35.4776, -108.4622 in Cibola National Forest
Show Low AZ
Rim Road South Dispersed Camping ONP @ 34.1994, -110.0769; Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest; FREE; Scenic.
Albuquerque NM
Visit Adam & Brook
When leaving Amarillo, stop at Cadillac Ranch @ 35.18742, -101.98710
Amarillo TX
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Best Things To Do In Palo Duro Canyon
SE of Amarillo TX at 34.97924, -101.69154. Known as the “Grand Canyon of Texas". Stop at the Ghost Horse Gallery in Silverton. While in Claude, you can mountain bike or take a Jeep offroading at the rugged Merus Adventure Park. River Road traces through striking West Texas landscapes from the “ghost town” of Terlingua to Presidio. | $8/pp entrance fee. Campsites with electric are $26/nite.
Rosita Flats OHV Area ONP
35.4687, -101.8778; FREE ONP in off road / atv area.
Big Texan Steak House & Brewery
Kitschy, saloon-style steakhouse open since 1960.
Cathedral Gorge State Park NV
Several trails, including a slot canyon.
Utah
Zion National Park
Kanarraville Falls
Quail Creek State Park
Snow Canyon
Sand Hollow Reservoir / Sand Hollow State Park
| | | |
Monument Valley AZ; Oljato-Monument Valley AZ/UT
New Mexico
Santa Fe National Forest
Montana
Whitefish | Blankenship Bridge | Glacier Nat'l Park
Wyoming
Devils Tower
Cheyenne
South Dakota
Wind Cave National Park
Colorado
Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve
Idaho
Utah
Capitol Reef National Park
Goblin Valley State Park UT
Green River UT
Dead Horse Canyon UT
Strawberry Reservoir
Wedge Overlook at Little Grand Canyon UT
Buckskin Gluch near Kanab UT (very long slot canyon). Full day hike.
Nevada
Great Basin National Park
Cathedral Gorge State Park
California
Josha Tree National Park
Big Bear Lake
Texas
Friends in RV Spaces 32.86574301084131, -97.55801487080917 is a small, private homestead farm in Azle, TX (near Fort Worth) with full hookup campsites, near town but country quiet. It’s a working farm that offers tours after the workday is finished. $28/nite.
Tennessee
Chattanooga
Smokey Mountains (Newport)