Just west of Casa Grande, AZ, on Hwy 84 there is the :

[DonTom]

Wild West RV Ranch RV park and another 5 miles west is the West Pinal RV Campground in the Sonoran Desert National Monument.

Has anybody here been to these places? I just now discovered them on my Windows 11 Maps. This could be my next RV trip. Sooner than later. In my Class A this time.

I like to extend my summers with motorcycle riding and hiking during the winter months. AZ is a great place for that.

-Don- in 45°F. Reno, NV

 

[tanglemoose]

No, but interested in what uou find out!

 

[DonTom]

No, but interested in what uou find out!

And I probably will need to be the guinea pig. And that could be in just a couple of weeks or so. I will report back here what I find.

I will probably first stay at the Wild West Ranch RV Park and then take my electric motorcycle to the West Pinal RV Campground to check it out. And then perhaps move my RV there for several days.

Then decide where to go from there. Perhaps Yuma as I have not been there for a while. As long as I have summer in the middle of winter (or at least spring-like weather) I don't care much about where I end up. Perhaps Salton Sea SRA again-- or Borrego Springs--Or Joshua Tree Park. Or . . . . . Or perhaps. . . . Or Maybe . . . . .

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Jackiemac]

I think someone on here recommend the West Pinal place to us but we stayed at Gilbert Ray.

Says there's a dwarf car museum close by.

From Gilbert Ray we drove down to Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge which was nice. Boondocking there.

Did you visit the Sonny Bono Wildlife Refuge at the Salton Sea? It's great for birds and probably some hikes. We've not been but I'm itching to go because of some of the photos I've seen by the lady who won the Annual Park photo competition - it's a collared lizard taken at Wupatki. Her photos are really stunning. I follow her on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/paulette.donnellon?mibextid=kFxxJD

 

[Jackiemac]

FYI

 

[DonTom]

I think someone on here recommend the West Pinal place to us but we stayed at Gilbert Ray.

Says there's a dwarf car museum close by.

From Gilbert Ray we drove down to Buenos Aires Wildlife Refuge which was nice. Boondocking there.

Did you visit the Sonny Bono Wildlife Refuge at the Salton Sea? It's great for birds and probably some hikes. We've not been but I'm itching to go because of some of the photos I've seen by the lady who won the Annual Park photo competition - it's a collared lizard taken at Wupatki. Her photos are really stunning. I follow her on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/paulette.donnellon?mibextid=kFxxJD

You just mentioned many places I have not been to but need to check out.

FWIW, there are collared lizards here in the Reno area. I saw a very large one last summer on top of a large rock by my parked car at the trailhead in Lockwood, NV, which is just off Exit 22 on I-80, around twelve miles from here. An area I sometimes hike in which is right next to the Truckee River. I have also seen a large CA Kingsnake and a large gopher snake during my few hikes there last summer.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[darsben]

I have been to West Pinal park many times. No hookups. dust/dirt road. Nice secluded spots. Quiet.
Wild West while I have not been there I believe it to be to close to the large, stinky cattle operations of which there are a few in the area. While the wind is predominately out of the west and should keep the smell down, I just do not know if I would chance it

 

[DonTom]

just do not know if I would chance it

I will take the gamble and I will let you know.

I have been to West Pinal park many times. No hookups. dust/dirt road. Nice secluded spots. Quiet.

Thanks for the info. I normally take my older Class C when I know I will be in dusty areas and on unpaved roads. It has higher ground clearance than my Class A and I don't care how dusty or how beat up it gets.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

it's a collared lizard

 

[Jackiemac]

View attachment 176911

I saw her photo in Wupatki visitors centre and they hadn't even put a notice up to say it had won the competition and was taken there and it didn't even have her name on it.

 

[ziplock]

Oh goody, another trip!

I love when you take trips and show us stuff out there!

 

[DonTom]

I saw her photo in Wupatki visitors centre and they hadn't even put a notice up to say it had won the competition and was taken there and it didn't even have her name on it.

Have you ever seen a collard lizard run? They run on their hind legs only, with their body near verticle, somewhat kangaroo style.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Luvolbikes]

I live in Tucson. If you're in the Casa Grande area look into camping about 20 miles south of Casa Grande on I 10 at Picaho Peak. State park. Spacious private sites with electric. No water at this time but will be available again soon. Dump at entrance. This is the best camping I have found. Beautiful Sonora desert and volcanic peak with hiking. Good for ebike commuting around area. I just got back form 2 week stay there. Have been going ther for 16 years now. Campfire every night. Quite except for highway. Friendly staff and volunteers. Book ahead for weekends in the winter. Too hot in the summer.
I used to do the "Yuma" Imperial dunes camping with OHVs. Some experience with the Yuma RV parks and storage.

 

[DonTom]

I live in Tucson. If you're in the Casa Grande area look into camping about 20 miles south of Casa Grande on I 10 at Picaho Peak. State park. Spacious private sites with electric. No water at this time but will be available again soon. Dump at entrance. This is the best camping I have found. Beautiful Sonora desert and volcanic peak with hiking. Good for ebike commuting around area. I just got back form 2 week stay there. Have been going ther for 16 years now. Campfire every night. Quite except for highway. Friendly staff and volunteers. Book ahead for weekends in the winter. Too hot in the summer.
I used to do the "Yuma" Imperial dunes camping with OHVs. Some experience with the Yuma RV parks and storage.

Welcome! I see that was your first post here.

I am in Tucson fairly often, last month for example. One of my favorite places to visit.

I am also a motorcycle nut. I own 11 of them. Be sure to show off yours here. My oldest is my 1971 BMW R75/5, purchased new in May 1971, which runs better than new today, but is somewhat non-stock. Mukuni carbs, electronic ignition, dual plugged and more.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Luvolbikes]

Welcome! I see that was your first post here.

I am in Tucson fairly often, last month for example. One of my favorite places to visit.

I am also a motorcycle nut. I own 11 of them. Be sure to show off yours here. My oldest is my 1971 BMW R75/5, purchased new in May 1971, which runs better than new today, but is somewhat non-stock. Mukuni carbs, electronic ignition, dual plugged and more.

-Don- Reno, NV

I am a collector , restorer of old vintage and classic bikes be they American, British or jap. Started collecting around 35 years ago. Harley, Indian, Vincent, Ariel, Norton, Triumph, Ducati, and some jap bikes from the early 70s of collectable type. I owned kickstart grill in Tucson from 98 to 2003 and displayed several of the collection. Recently I've been selling off many of them after I retired.
I also have a current Triumph Thruxton RS and 2015 Norton Commando.
Those old BMWs run forever. We have a BMW dealer Iron horse whose original now deceased owner was quite well known in the BMW community. Marty Cohen.

 

[DonTom]

If you're in the Casa Grande area look into camping about 20 miles south of Casa Grande on I 10 at Picaho Peak.

I must have driven by it a dozen times not realizing it was a good RV place to stop for a few days. Looks like I will need to get back to AZ again soon, as I recently discovered many new places to check out.

AZ has been my favorite state to RV in yet I have missed a lot of places and that was one of them. Thanks. That will be handy also as I have friends in Casa Grande as well as in Phoniex. I used to have a friend there in Tucson I used to visit but he got some type of acute leukemia and died a couple of years ago. He lived near McDonald Park.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Luvolbikes]

Good to see you are into evs. I do not have any electric motorcycles but have 3 e bikes (bicycles) a Chevy Volt, and just bought a Rivian truck.
I'll check out your referenced motorcycle thread later today and contribute and look at some of your bikes.

 

[DonTom]

I am a collector ,

The bikes that I own today:

1971 Black BMW R75/5
1984 Red Yamaha Venture
2002 Yellow Suzuki DR200SE
2013 Blue Triumph Trophy SE
2016 Org/Blk Kaw Versys 650 LT
2017 Blk/Gold HD Road Glide Ultra
2017 Org Zero DS ZF 6.5
2017 Red Zero SR ZF13 w/ Pwr Tank
2020 Blue Energica SS9
2023 Bormio Ice Energica Experia
2023 Green Zero DSR/X

The last five on the list are electric motorcycles. The ones I ride the most. I take the "2017 Org Zero DS ZF 6.5" on my RV trips. In my avatar here. The perfect bike for such trips, IMO.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[DonTom]

a Chevy Volt, and just bought a Rivian truck.

I own a 2018 Blue Tesla Model 3, AWD, LR (Long Range), and a red 2022 Chevy Bolt. I purchased both of them new.

If I decide to buy an EV truck (but I have no need for one since my 1999 ICE Dodge Ram just sits in my driveway here). It will probably be this one. It is not a hybrid but carries its own gas DCFC to charge up with.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[Luvolbikes]

Had this 2000 Dodge Ram V10. Sold it a few years ago. Was useful at the dunes.