Dispersed camping in the Ironwood National Monument, Marana Arizona

   32 28.412, -111 29.868


A BLM ranger stopped to say hello a couple of days ago. He was friendly and chatty, and mentioned the usual: 14-day limit and no dumping. After he had left, we looked around and our neighbors were GONE. I mean the long-timers. Vanished. 
The visit reminded us it was time to scout around for some fresh place. The Ironwood National Monument isn't it (for us), but it doesn't mean it couldn't be (for you).
The road we took into the Monument involves a one-lane bridge with a 6000 pound limit. That's the Prius on grocery day. There is also a dip in the road that we're pretty sure the Duck couldn't survive. So, no-go on that route. It's possible another road will take you around these obstacles; try coming in from I-10 at exit 226.
There may be phone reception, but there was no data coverage. That's the bad, now let me tempt you with the good.

 Big, wide-open, level site. Lovely views of Ragged Top Mountain (where bighorn sheep may be lambing AS I TYPE).

Get a load of the size of that foot.

I have urticating hairs! I will urt you! You are flirtin' with an urtin'.

My feet urt.

 I told you a while back that I had a phone interview. It went well, and he offered me the job. I thought about it for a couple of hours and then let him down easy. Told him it wasn't him, it was me.

How to camp for free in national forests and live to tell the story.

I've been thinking about fringe-living and settling down, and what it means to do what we do. To carry on this not-quite-legitimate life. The "how" is easy - I tell you more of that than you ever cared to know. Sometimes, it's the "why" that catches in my throat.

But then, there's this.

From National Forest Service Land. Your land.

From a boondocking spot. Not your cow.

Maaaaw! We got company!
Quick! Run and get me a clean muumuu!

Jail Trail, Old Town Cottonwood

Riparian area along Verde River

Some teenaged boys were fishing here, arguing about who tangled the line. I felt like I was in 1954, but only in the good ways. 

The sky always looks grainy up close. Ask an astronaut.

I can tell you how to boondock here, if you're interested. No? Okay, no problem.

I need your input on an idea. I've been thinking of putting together some boondocking spots - that we have seen or used personally - that work well for summer camping. They would mesh, rather than overlap, with Marianne's excellent fall/winter/spring camping series. [← You should get these.] 

I'm thinking maps, coordinates, and pertinent information (phone/data signal? elevation?). If you're expecting sparkling travel narrative, you should pick up some Steinbeck.

The same information would still be free here within the blog, so is there any point? Would you ever pay for something you could dig up for free with a little effort? [← Who would do this?]

If you're thinking of venturing into National Forest Service land to boondock, you'll love the apps. It's not a centralized process, so some forests have them and some haven't them. Coconino and Prescott have them, Kaibab has apps for the Williams and Tusayan districts, but not yet the North Kaibab. You can tell exactly where you are in reference to permitted camping sites, and cell service is not required.

Pay no heed to my melancholy. The Sun hasn't shone through for hours.

~~~~~~~

Make our Amazon link your shopping bookmark!

Flagstaff, Arizona.

It's autumn here in the High Country, and you know what that means! Yep, Canadian RVers are warming up their engines and not coming anywhere near Flagstaff.

The weather is still lovely here - perfect, in fact - but that won't last forever. We'll be sliding back down the plateau soon to meet friends who want to tent-camp in Arizona, but still want digits intact in the morning. That seems a little finicky to me, but they're guests.

You guys have been giving us great ideas for winter boondocking, and there's no particular reason we can't use all of them. We have wheels, and the winter is long.

[It isn't.]

Here in Flagstaff we've been doing family stuff, which is fun, but not for you guys. That's why I'm not posting pictures. Oh wait! I have leftovers. Let me warm them up and serve them like they're fresh.

Petroglyphs from Angel Canyon - Kanab, Utah

This may not be a petroglyph, but can you prove it?

Maybe horned owls.

I just got a Juror Qualification questionnaire! Have you all gotten one from your home county while full-timing?

Big-rig dispersed camping (boondocking) at the North Rim, Grand Canyon

  View Boondocking North Rim 4 in a larger map
This is the last of this year's installment of "Big-Rig Boondocking on the North Rim." Enjoy, but maybe wait until next year.

Where to boondock in Kanab, Utah

Here are a couple of ideas:


View Kanab,Utah in a larger map
The BLM site where we stayed was great. We could hear (but not see) occasional traffic on 89 during the day, but traffic stopped altogether at night. It was peaceful, and there was very little traffic on BLM 106, where we parked. Beautiful views during the day, and no artificial light at night.

The Peekaboo Trailhead is a big, open space with one shady spot and picnic tables. It gets more day use, though, and is popular with ATVers. ATVs weren't a problem for us further up the road.

We're not there, so first-come, first-served! Temperatures are still really good at that elevation.

More big-rig boondocking at the North Rim

View Boondocking North Rim 3 in a larger map
No time for words - we have internet and 3G! Here's another great spot for big rigs (and small) to park near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. This is probably the quietest spot we have ever camped. 

We're in Utah tonight, waiting for some repairs to happen tomorrow. Which means we get to explore Kenab tomorrow, and the Internet tonight! We did get a little antsy amid all the grandeur of the North Rim, wanting to see what was happening on Facebook. Yes, it's very high; I'm losing track of Twitter.

If you were tracking our dwindling groceries, let me assure you we won't have to eat beans tomorrow. We may choose to eat beans.

 I will keep posting dispersed camping sites until my supply is exhausted. If you happen to know of any good boondocking around Kenab that isn't in a service station parking lot, I'd be grateful. Not grateful that you know - grateful that you're about to share.

Camp for free at the North Rim, Grand Canyon.

View Boondocking North Rim 2 in a larger map
Our time has come. To leave the North Rim, I mean. This place is crazy-special, and I hope you'll make a way to visit.

We'd stay longer and like it, but we're running out of groceries and we haven't juiced in a week. Every day's question is what kind of beans today? Annie told me this morning that some beans are more discomfort-inducing than others, but that may be something for you to Google. Teaser: pinto beans are your tiny friends.

We have an appointment for some Duck work in Utah on Thursday. Please send low-$$$ vibes. Or, send $$$.

The meadow we're camped in has been great. We're outstanding in our field every day. It's an excellent site for solar power, and I'll give you the location later. For sheer density of cool places to pull in, I'd choose 611, but 22 is a main-ish road, and you'll find plenty all along it, too. The sites I list are all on good roads, places we'd be willing to take the Duck.

Boondock on the North Rim, Grand Canyon

Most RVers just aren't interested in dispersed camping, and that's okay. We're sitting down here by the campsite at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, and it is full, full, full. Reservations are required well in advance of your trip. It is also dry camping everywhere. It's also not free.

If you're still not intrigued by the idea of cruising on in on your own schedule, choosing a quiet section of the Kaibab National Forest, and putting out a couple of lawn chairs, I've added a picture of the Canyon for you to enjoy while I have nothing interesting to say.

But, you protest, I want to be near the Grand Canyon while I camp! I can't do that if I'm camping for free in the quiet forest!

In fact, you can be ON the Rim, if that's your desire. Looking out your windows to the other side of the Grand Canyon. On a good gravel road, just a few easy miles from the main road. Just outside Grand Canyon National Park. But, I'll save that for another post.

For now, here are a few campsites we admire. I've added the main Park complex for perspective, in the south of the map.


View Boondocking North Rim in a larger map
If you're still not interested, sorry the photo wasn't better. 

Bison at the North Rim

Guess what we saw??? D'OH! I always do that. Pictures later, but pretend to be surprised, okay?

We saw a Kaibab squirrel this week, but all of us were too excited for portraits.




















 

Angel's Window. From a point on the trail, you can look through it and see the Colorado River. Thanks, Teri!

The ledge above the window area is about 30" wide. What you can't see from this angle is that the window is reinforced with concrete. For your safety and confidence.

I have some great boondocking spots to tell you about, but I need to do it quick before I run out of juice. The first one - oh man! you won't believe it! - is off Forest Service Road

Things to do while boondocking in a National Forest. And RSS feeds. And our cameras.

 You've been very gracious and flattering about my photos. My camera is an unassuming Pentax Optio RX18. I have no knowledge about real photography, and so I'm glad to have a camera that knows stuff for me.

Reading Cherry's tutorial on template tweaking, I realized that my feed settings need to be on "full" to enable threaded replies. We'll see how that worked.

Which raised another question: how do you like to get your feeds?

I switched my setting to "short" a while back, for a couple of reasons. But, Camille makes a great point about full feeds. Reading blogs at work! How could I have become so quickly out-of-touch with work life?!? Not everyone has the luxury of filling their computer histories with RV travel blogs. Although, it looks better than ShirkingForDummies.biz. And other possibilities, not that I've ever been to those sites.

If you get this blog by feed (email or reader), please come over and state your preference. Do you just like to be reminded by email or reader, or do you read the whole thing there? Or, do you read the whole thing? [eyebrow raised] Bloggers, how do you feed, and why?


When we go to a new place, I like to explore by volunteering for Find-a-Grave. I just change the zip code in my settings. The Pioneer Cemetery inside the Park reminded me.

We geocache. It's fun to see what might be hidden within walking distance of our campsite. Often, lately, I don't use a GPS; I study the landscape by Google Maps and then use my geosense.

I'm especially fond of benchmarks, of which the South Rim has several.

Several days ago I messed up my jaw in a situation involving an avocado pit (don't ask - I'd tell you, and then we'd both be embarrassed). Can you suggest some self-help?

Excellent boondocking location...nah, I shouldn't say.

On the other hand, I'm going to. This is the first place we've stayed our full 14 days and still weren't tired of the spot. Ajo doesn't count, because we didn't stay 14 days.

• Route 17 (Arizona) to exit 298. 
• Go east on Forest Road 618. [If you go west, it's Rte. 179 into Sedona.]
• 0.4 miles past the first cattle guard, you come to a four-way stop. Go left (north). This is Beaver Creek Road and Forest Road something something.
• 1.3 miles later, you're there.
• Coordinates roughly  34.697493,-111.723889

We covered this road in the Duck (38.5'), but never did it with the toad attached. That was just circumstance, though, and Annie says she'd do with the car and dolly.

You could spend two weeks in this area without ever needing to go to town for entertainment. Beer, yes. If you parked at the green arrow, you could hike down the left tine of that fork, turn left at the edge of a canyon, and follow a road right down around to the floor. There are said to be petroglyphs there, but I didn't find them. FREE

 









If you want something a little further off the trail, explore the right fork. The road is better, and we considered a few camping sites down there, too.

The Arizona Safari jeeps passed us every evening at 7PM. Feel smug knowing you're seeing the sights for free. [Arizona Safari: NOT FREE]

 Or, you could follow F.R. 618 down to the same draw (Red Tank), park at a turnout, and take a few steps to more petroglyphs. FREE

 Or, tour V-V Ranch and see a huge and well-preserved collection of glyphs. Bring your lunch and eat under a big tree along Wet Beaver Creek. FREE, needs Interagency Pass or Red Rock Country pass to park.

 Or, Visit Montezuma's Well. FREE

 Or, pad on down to the creek and cool off. Bring your lunch to the shady picnic tables and your garbage to the big garbage cans. FREE

Park at the trailhead off FR 618 and take any trail. There are two strenuous trails, and one moderate. I took the easy trail to the pit toilet. FREE

Best of all, this campsite is on a dead-end (sort of). A few hundred feet down the road is a gate that serves as a cattle guard. People have to stop to open and shut that gate, and first-timers often just turn around there. Feel smug knowing you've hiked on the other side of that gate. Smug: FREE

You may see cowboys. You will probably hear cows. I never, ever knew there were so many cow-sounds. If you think they only moo, you're living in a fool's paradise. Fool's paradise: FREE

Head toward Sedona on Rte. 179, and you'll come to the USFS Ranger station. This is a worthwhile stop, because here is where you can get a copy of the new Motor Vehicle Use Map for this area. A ranger will want to explain it to you if you tell her you're interested in dispersed camping; let her do it.  The map itself is a little less than self-explanatory, as well as being actual-size. Will the rig fit in this spot? Let's pull up onto the map and see. So, a little help is a good thing.



The map is also good because you will be AMAZED at all the dispersed camping there is available in the local forests. I hated to settle without seeing all of them. Pick an altitude, then pick a site.

We've taken on fluids and headed for higher altitude and lower temperatures. That's one thing that will chase you out of town, but the hardier souls are now enjoying the quiet of a not-very-touristy Sedona, and perfect nighttime temps. And remember, it's a dry heat.

Suggest at will.

We're leaving here (Ogilby Road area outside Yuma) and headed towards the Verde Valley (Sedona/Rimrock/Cottonwood).  It's over five hours, so naturally we'll want to give ourselves several days to get there.

Do you have a favorite boondocking spot between here and there that you'd share with us?  We'll leave it all tidy, promise.

I wanted to tell you about Sidewinder Road, off Ogilby Road.  The address is officially Winterhaven, CA, if you want to Google.  I won't look.  There are a lot of big, level, open sites along this road.  You can even spend fourteen days next to an archaeological site, and I mean NEXT TO.  When you turn onto Sidewinder from Ogilby, you are right at the busiest railroad crossing I have ever experienced.  Keep going down the road;  the further you go, the fainter the "whoo" at the crossing.

I like how this is so round without being perfect.

Take a quick look here.  We just walked in, even though it's most likely private property.

Or, check out American Girl Mine Road.  On the right, just past Sidewinder Road.  Same deal with the train;  keep on keepin' on until you get a decent distance from the train.  The difference between a raucous, rumbling railroad and a melancholy, lonesome whistle is at least a quarter mile.  After a while, American Girl Mine Road diverges from _____Road.  _____Road is your best bet for parking.  Stay left.  The further you go, the iffier your Verizon signal will be.  ATT?  Don't make us laugh.  No, do!  

Ogilby Road has a bunch of level sites of its own that go on for miles.  Pass the "fee area," like I have to tell you that.  We smirk and snort when we pass the people paying.  There aren't any amenities there, either.  Unless they're parking and not paying ... park on, dudes.

So, I'll be sitting up tonight waiting for your boondocking suggestions.   Annie is boiling me a pot of coffee right now.