We spent the majority of the first half of our winter escape in Nevada, with a couple of weeks in California. After leaving Nevada we headed to Arizona to spend a month (and now more) before heading back north.
We knew we didn’t want to spend our whole winter in Nevada (we are nomads, after all) and we also had plans to catch a couple flights out of Phoenix, so at the end of February we made our way to some BLM lands north of Phoenix.
Agua Fria National Monument
Our first stop after leaving the Las Vegas area was just outside of Agua Fria National Monument. The national monument is managed by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and contains 71,000 acres of semi-desert landscape.
How to get there
There are three access points into the monument by way of I-17, either at the Cordes Junction exit, Bloody Basin Rd (exit #259), or the Badger Springs exit (#256). We chose to take the Bloody Basin Rd exit and headed west down Crown King Rd. Note that the area west of Interstate 17 is not part of Agua Fria National Monument, but it is managed by BLM and camping is allowed per BLM regulations, so that is where we set up camp.
Amenities
This entire area is dry camping only. If you need to dump your tanks or fill fresh water, you can do so at the Cordes Junction Motel and RV Park. You can also fill water for free at the Pilot Flying J truck stop.
You can fill propane tanks at the Pilot Flying J, at the 76 station on Hwy 69 towards Mayer, or at the Shell station just north of New River. Out of the four times we asked to fill propane at Pilot we were only able to have tanks filled once, so beware. We found the 76 station to have the lowest price.
There are a few small markets in nearby Cordes Lakes and Mayer, but none of them were to our liking. We ended up driving to Prescott Lakes for groceries and other household supplies. There you can find Safeway, Tractor Supply, and WalMart, and just outside of Prescott you can also find Target, Petco and PetSmart, and many other retail stores. If you don’t wish to drive that far, groceries and other supplies can be found in Black Canyon City to the south.
What to do
Agua Fria National Monument has great hiking and camping, as well as fishing, bird watching, wildlife viewing, and hunting, and the use of OHVs is also permitted here. We were glad to see that most OHV users were respectful of road speed limits and quiet hours.
Many historical sites can also be found in the area, which include pueblo home sites and rock art panels. However, many of the areas are remote and nearly inaccessible, and 4-wheel-drive vehicles are strongly recommended.
Snyder Hill BLM
We stayed our two weeks along Crown King Rd. and then continued south to Tuscon, Arizona. We stopped at a small RV supply store on the north side of Tuscon to empty our tanks and take on water and then headed to an area known as Snyder Hill to set up camp. This area is also managed by the Bureau of Land Management.
During our second week here we met our very first full-time family just like ours! Our kids were all happy to play with each other and we adults were happy to share ideas, experiences, and advice with a fellow RVing family.
How to get there
Snyder Hill BLM is an easy drive from Tuscon along W Ajo Hwy (State Hwy 86). The easiest access to the sites is either the very first approach north of the junction of W Ajo Hwy and S San Joaquin Rd, or one of the approaches off og W Old Ajo Hwy along the north of the Snyder Hill. Camping is permitted on either side of the hill between W Ajo Hwy and W Old Ajo Hwy, and on either side of W Old Ajo Hwy between S San Joaquin Rd and S Camino Verde. We chose a site on the west side of Snyder Hill.
Amenities
The area is entirely dry camping. We found that the best place to empty holding tanks and fill our water tank was at Merrigan’s Arizona Road-Runner RV. The service is free, but it is good practice to visit the store if you happen to stop by during the business hours. Propane can be filled at the Speedway station during daylight hours just a few miles back toward Tuscon.
What to do
The main activities here are camping and hiking, and it’s a great place to set up as a base camp for exploring nearby Tuscon Mountain Park and Saguaro National Park – Tuscon Mountain District West.
Saguaro National Park – Tuscon Mountain District West
The first full weekend we were in this area we spent visiting Saguaro National Park. The Saguaro cactus is protected by the national park and there are thousands of them to see within in the park and the areas surrounding Tuscon.
Saguaro NP has two districts, Rincon Mountain District to the east and Tuscon Mountain District to the west. Both districts offer Ranger programs and guided hikes, scenic drives, and over 150 miles of hiking trails. The views at the top of the Valley View Overlook trail (in Tuscon Mountain District) were spectacular and the kids really enjoyed completing their Junior Ranger booklets and acquiring their badges.
Right after we left Snyder Hill we headed back to Phoenix with plans to stay east of Apache Junction. We found some camping along Hackamore Rd and left after a few days. The OHV activity here was constant, even at night, and many of the riders were disrespectful of space and quite hours. Instead, we headed back to Aqua Fria National Monument to ride out the rest of March.
I have to be honest here. As beautiful as this part of Arizona is, and as much as we thoroughly enjoy the weather, the desert is not our favorite place to be. But we look forward to exploring more of what the state has to offer in the years to come.
I know many full-timers and snowbirds spend their winters in Arizona. Are you one of them? What are your favorite places to stay and explore? Please let us know in the comments, or feel free to contact us and let us know your thoughts.