Traveling to Arizona this winter?

[Roger C H]

Here is our experience:

Be prepared for freezing temperatures at night. We had three days in Yuma where the fountain next to our rig froze. Low temps are generally at night.

I don't know how familiar you are with mountain effects on the weather, but elevation plays a big role in how low your temperatures go. We tent camped at Bryce Canyon, (almost 8,000 ft elev), in the middle of July and it got down to 25º F. A cousin of mine lived in Bisbee. One morning he woke up to 4 inches of snow. Bisbee is at 5500 ft.

We come into AZ from the west. We stay in Yuma, Quartzsite, Casa Grande, Phoenix, Sedona, and Tucson.

Casa Grande:

Home

We stayed here several times. It is nice, but dusty. Roads unpaved but sites well separated.

Las Colinas RV Resort

Nicer, but you are like sardines in a can. Also limited to 55+. This has a pool whereas BT does not.

Tucson: We stay with my cousin. Can't help you here.

Sedona: We stay with my wife's cousin. Can't help you here, either.

Phoenix: Stayed at 3 rv parks only once each, north Phoenix, and Mesa. The Phoenix parks require 'fully contained' rigs. If you ask, they will say no porta pottis. If you don't ask, well we have gotten along. We don't really have a 'favorite', yet. Point: Save your aluminum cans. There are machines that will pay you cash for them. We got 3¢ for two cans. LOL

Yuma:

HOMEPAGE

We like this because of the 'poolside' sites, electricity only for $22 per night.

Quartzsite:

Overview | Grapevine 7

Dusty, but nice activities. A place to change your oil and wash your rig, also out the back and under I-8 you can walk to Tyson Wells where many of the activities are.

The desert looks tempting, but we stayed there one night for the Egg Gathering and the temp in the rig in the morning was 42º!

There are BLM sites around Yuma and Quartzsite, but they are boondocking, no services. We have electric heat, so need a better place.

Here is a website to find rv parks:

RV Park Reviews :: Arizona

I hope this helps. Maybe we will see you there this winter.

[reeves99]

Roger,
The RV Park Reviews is a great site. I went to the home page and was able to find all kinds of places reviewed--even in my backyard up here on Vancouver Island. I've bookmarked it and will definitely be using it lots.
Thanks!
Phil

[Donna D.]

Phil what makes the RV park review have value is that people make comments... the more current the better. If you stay in any park that has a review, be sure to add your own comments. Future travelers would thank you

[Keith Williams]

Hey Roger. Shirley and I have had quite a bit of experience in Arizona over the last several years in the Wintertime. Mostly, we've stayed in the PHX metro area. Mesa @ Citrus Gardens (very nice place), Good life RV Resort (now Cal Am and "snooty"--won't allow little rigs anymore) and Roadrunner RV up in Scottsdale. Old, but nice.

I just made Reservations for January at Valvista RV in Casa Grande, AZ. They will allow us to set up our new Paha Que Screen room and welcomed our Casita. They sure sound nice. I hope so anyway.

Then we're going over to the desert in February and hang out for a while and do Dome Rock with the rest of the folks. We'll see what we do after that.

We just want to get out of the madness in the PHX Metro area and relax more.

Keith

[Loren G. Hedahl]

You mentioned low temps in the 20's and the fact that elevation affects temps.

When the weather in Arizona dips, the weather is usually much better in the Imperial valley in California. The Salton Sea is below sea level and often much warmer at those times.

In these modern times you can view weather maps via the internet and see which direction a cold front is advancing from. Then with your small, easy-to-tow FGRV it isn't difficult to pick up and move to the better area.

We've done it this way for years!