Looking for a Free Place to Drop the Hook? How About Rent-a-Guest

Need a place to "settle in" for a little while but don't have the cash to pay high rates at RV parks? One enterprising RVer explains his methodology for developing leads for places to stay in his RV.

He hit a real-estate office in an area where he needed to sit tight. He explained he was an RVer, was basically self-contained, and would be happy to provide "on-site" security for home owners who needed to be away from their properties. He stressed that he wouldn't be sleeping in their beds, dirtying their dishes, or running up their phone bill. All he needed was a place to park his RV and keep watch.

Very soon the RVer not only had a place to park his RV, with free electricity. And since he was able and willing, he also fed the horses and kept the pool up. The owners loved it so much the threw in some nice financial compensation. At other times he's stayed by a farmer's stock tank free, "just to keep an eye out for trouble."

Friends of ours vend out of Quartzsite in the winter, but the summers are too hot for them to, 'earn their desert rat's merit badge.' So last summer they tooled back to the northwest and asked around. Soon they had a full hookup site at a small RV park. Once a week they vacuum the "rec room" and they make sure the swimming pool water is kept aright. They know for sure that the latter is--they get to go swimming whenever they wish. Next spring they'll make the "flip flop" and head back up to the land of golden opportunities.

Yes, you could opt to work through an agency that promotes "work camping." Many are reputable--ask around fulltime RVers, if they've had good or bad experiences, they'll tell you. When you "interview" for a job it's good if your rig looks clean, and the rest of you matches up with the story. Since you're self-contained, you can park just about anywhere you're needed.

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.