Kofa Wildlife Refuge: Getting Away From Quartzsite Crowds

Going to Quartzsite this season? Sometimes the crowds are just plain oppressive. Need a little break? Not far south on Highway 95--the road to Yuma, is the Kofa Wildlife Refuge. A favorable boondocking spot is at Crystal Hill.

Crystal Hill was pretty popular among the rock hound set, as you could (and with persistence still can) find small crystal formations you can carry off. But more importantly, it's a relatively quiet place off the road, yet not too far from civilization. The refuge is home to desert bighorn sheep and the only place in Arizona where you can find native palm trees--the California fan palm.

The former have a tendency to roam around wherever it is that a sheep's fancy takes them; the latter are found in Palm Canyon--a short hike from the Palm Canyon trail head (clearly marked by signage on Highway 95). We've also been fascinated by rock formations like the one pictured here. This fellow surely reminds us of a bobcat getting ready to set about a little luncheon. Now some will tell you he's quite natural, but a local friend of ours tells us he results from the artistic efforts of Spanish explorers who carved him (and other formations) to point the way to gold mines and other hot spots.

You'll find the road to Crystal Hill between mileposts 95 and 96. Palm Canyon road is 18 miles south of Quartzsite, follow the dirt road to the trail head and thence hike from there--about a half mile. Best light is found around high noon.

Boondock the Colorado River--California or Arizona

The Colorado makes a long run from its birthplace until it crosses over into Old Mexico. Along the way it has its moods and mystery. For folks along the lower part of the Colorado, between Arizona and California, there's a few spots where you can boondock--some even for free.

Along the Arizona side, just below the booming Interstate 10, there's a little stretch of gravel road managed by the Bureau of Land Management called the Ox Bow Road (or variously, Oxbox depending on your maps). It doesn't offer much but an escape from the noise of civilization, and a good place to cool off with a quick dip, or a chance at a fish or two if you're so inclined. For several miles the Ox Bow runs with various places just to pull out and set up camp. On weekends when the weather is cool, you may run into a few noisy partiers, so be prepared.

The variety of sites is wide--you can find some to give you wide views of the surrounding countryside, stuck up on a bank above the Colorado; others are close enough to the wet to practically fish out your back door. Take your choice.

From I-10, jump off at the Ehrenberg exit, and take the frontage road on the south side of the interstate. Drive west pass the Flying J truck stop and keep your eyes peeled for a dimly visible, and equally dimly readable BLM sign. Or follow your GPS to the begining of the road at 33.603125N by 114.525405W. The road runs several miles south along the river, and allows for an eventual cross on the Cibola Farmer's bridge into California. A free dump station can be found in nearby Blythe, California at Lovekin & 14th Streets in Miller Park. Point your GPS to 33.602740N by 114.60533W.

Can You Boondock in an Arizona Summer?

Most of the "desert rats" have already deserted the BLM camping areas around Quartzsite. The "Long Term Visitor Areas" close out the winter season officially on April 15, and by that time, only the seeming "hard core" folks will be left.

Still, there are folks who really do love the dry, hot summers. Can you successfully boondock away from shore power and keep cool enough to survive? Altitude is the key: Not all of Arizona is low-down, overheated desert. Some have found the Chiricahua National Monument in south-centeral part of the state an excellent place to beat the heat, along with providing some stellar views. The monument has a developed campground (length restrictions apply, check out the monument website and click on the campground link under "camping") but some RVers stay free in the Coronado National Forest, just outside the monument.

At the other end of the state, near Flagstaff, where the average high temperature in July is 82 degrees, Uncle Sam offers yet more places to boondock. In the Coconino National Forest there are plenty of developed campgrounds (with associtated fees), visit the campground website here for more details. However, free camping is allowed in "dispersed" areas. As an example, take exit 326 from Interstate 17. A paved road leads south, and leads to dirt roads through the pines where dispersed camping is allowed at no charge.