Walmart Overnight Substitute

[SRD]

I discovered today what might be a good substitute for an overnight stay while traveling through Kingman, AZ. A few miles south of the Stockton Hill Rd. exit on I-40 there is a small BLM campground called Hualapai Peak Ranch. Maximum stay is the usual 14 day limit at BLM sites. There are no facilities but the night time views of the city are incredible and it's free. In my opinion it sure beats a Walmart parking lot, which I've never done.

[Bob Miller]

Sounds like you are knocking Wal-Mart parking without ever trying it out.

Actually it has a lot of advantages, some of which are:

1. Free when available
2. Close by shopping including RV supply/parts.
3. Free WiFi if needed
4. Easy Parking
5. Bathrooms if needed
6. Better security than most "Rest Areas"
7. Quick arrival and departure, after all, all you are doing is taking a snooze.
8. You can pull in and/or leave in the middle of the night without disturbing everyone else in the campground (a biggie).

I have stayed at the Wal-Mart in Kingman, AZ and for an overnight sleep break it's hard to beat. As far as a Camping experience, that's not what's offered.

[SRD]

Just offering an alternative Bob. But you're correct that I probably shouldn't have offered my opinion about staying overnight at Walmart without trying it myself. FYI though, Kingman now has an ordinance that prohibits overnight RV parking at Walmart.

[Kevin K]

SRD
Could you look at this site and tell me what it is?
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...-az-63365.html
Thanks

[Bob Miller]

Kingman had the same ordinance when we stopped there about two years ago, but the Wal-Mart peeps said go ahead and stay because it wasn't enforced unless the store made a complaint. There were at least 6 RV's staying that night.

[SRD]

Originally Posted by Kevin K

SRD
Could you look at this site and tell me what it is?
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...-az-63365.html
Thanks

Most likely this Mercator Minerals Ltd. - Mineral Park Mine - Thu Mar 20, 2014 or the turquoise mine nearby.

[Kevin K]

Thanks

[Joe MacDonald]

Stayed at walmart once just outside Sault MI. worked for me, i was dead beat. However, my wife never got more than 15 minutes without being woken by a door slam, or a car horn, or people talking and yelling as they passed our trailer. we parked at the far back corner of the lot by ourselves, 2 hours later there were 4 other rv's, a couple of trucks/cubevans, and a lot of cars. This was at 1:00 am.
Don't think we'll try it again, I might if I'm cruising solo,, But not with Donna.

Joe

[Bob Miller]

I find noise to be a problem only occasionally when using WalMart parking lots. Usually they have the RV's park well away from customer parking. If it's a real small lot that's sometimes difficult.

But ya get what you pay for.... and one bad example doesn't make the rule.

[MyronL]

Thanks, SRD. Next time we're in Kingman we absolutely will check out Hualapai Peak Ranch. Have overnighted at many WalMarts and find them to be extremely convenient, safe, welcome sights, true beacons in the cold dark night. This pix taken Oct of last year.

[trainjunkie]

FWIW, I've noticed lately that several Walmart locations I've visited have imposed a no overnight parking policy on the property, especially at new locations. If this policy gains more traction, suggestions of alternatives will likely be more welcomed.

[Bob Miller]

The increase in NOP (No Overnight Parking) at Wal_Mart seems to come from three different sources:

1. Local pressure, when a new Wal-Mart is being permitted there is always someone that shows up at a public hearing touting that Wal-Mart parking lots become Hobo camps full of run down campers, and gets the permit to include NOP as a requirement. (Chelan, WA) There have been some suggestions that local campground owners may be behind that, but, while it has happened, that seems to be more urban myth than fact.

2. Site owner requirements. Used to be that Wal-Marts were built on their own property. Now that more and more are on shared parking lots in shopping centers it's often the management company for the entire shopping center that imposes the rules about OP. (Chino Hills, CA)

3. Overnight parking being abused. There are many cases where the same peeps either returned night after night and/or stayed for days at a time. In a few cases the parking lots did start to look like Hobo camps. (Brea, CA) As the store managers don't want to also become the parking lot police, they would just post NOP....period.

Soooo we enjoy it while we can, and the good news is that the smaller towns along the way are still more apt to welcome RV's.

[floyd]

We've stayed at lots of Walmarts over the years, and only once or twice has it been a "hangout" for the noisy crowd. Even that would be on a Friday or Saturday from after the shows let out until midnight. We've never felt threatened and have never seen even one Emit Kelly type.
Our rig looks respectable even when parking alongside the mostly high dollar motorhomes which frequent the lot, adding a touch of class to an already comfortable neighborhood.
No sign yet of oldfashioned "Hoovervilles" ( or would that be "BOvilles" today).

We consider the "smaller towns" to be those not big enough for a WalMart!...
As for the cities...we don't speak Babel!
As for a "free" overnight stay... That usually means something north of $25!

[David Tilston]

You should see the Walmarts in Calgary during the Stampede. Full of RV's. Many with their awnings extended and the slides extended.

[knighth001]

We crashed a walmart parking lot for the first time on our big trip last fall. We much preferred it to the truck stops we were used to crashing at (truckers always roll out so dang early). No one bothered us and it was quick to find a parking spot. Move the sleeping little ones to their bunks and then crawl in and go right to sleep. I can't ever see setting up camp there. Just crashing the night. It was close to midnight when we rolled in and we were up and rolling at 7am.

Do you guys recommend any sites for knowing where free camping is available? or what Walmarts may object to you parking overnight?

[Bob Miller]

First: never "Set Up Camp" at a Wal-Mart. Even putting out chairs or awnings is considered poor form and can lead to customers and neighbors complaining, which leads to NOP.

Second: the yahoo group: walmartrving@yahoogroups.com maintains a data base about Wal-Mart parking, join up and you can access the data base. It's free.

[sokhapkin]

Originally Posted by knighth001

Do you guys recommend any sites for knowing where free camping is available? or what Walmarts may object to you parking overnight?

Allstays | Campgrounds | RV Parks

The web site also maps truck stops, rest areas and wallmart locations.

[Ed Harris]

Originally Posted by SRD

I discovered today what might be a good substitute for an overnight stay while traveling through Kingman, AZ. A few miles south of the Stockton Hill Rd. exit on I-40 there is a small BLM campground called Hualapai Peak Ranch. Maximum stay is the usual 14 day limit at BLM sites. There are no facilities but the night time views of the city are incredible and it's free. In my opinion it sure beats a Walmart parking lot, which I've never done.

This just might be my favorite post ever?

[SRD]

I tried to take a picture of the Hualapai Peak Ranch campsite but these guys got in the way.

[SRD]

I think the horses are open range. The 3 of them were in front of a motorhome when I arrived. Here's a badly taken picture of the city lights that does not capturethe beauty of the site.