RV travel in Southern Arizona raises questions. Where can I go? What are the best times of the year to visit? Are there RV-friendly campgrounds or boondocking sites recommended for active travelers seeking remote and scenic locations? What safety tips or precautions should I consider when heading out on outdoor adventures in Southern Arizona? You have questions. We have answers in our newest eBook, Embrace the Adventure: Your Guide to Active RV Travel in Southern Arizona.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something from one of our affiliates, we receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. Thanks for helping to keep our blog up and running!
Table of Contents
How can I plan an itinerary that combines outdoor activities with cultural experiences and visits to local attractions?
You’re in luck! We’ve done the legwork for you and compiled a sample itinerary travelling west to east across Southern Arizona in our new eBook: in Embrace the Adventure: Your Guide to Active RV Travel in Southern Arizona.
Most of these chapters began as posts on this blog. You can read at Quartzsite geoglyph adventures here; Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument hiking adventures here; Patagonia paddling here; and Chiricahua National Monument exploration here.
We compiled it all into a two-week to two-month journey – how much time do you have? It highlights nine destinations: Quartzsite & area, Kofa National Wildife Refuge, Yuma, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Buenos Aires National Wildife Refuge, Patagonia Lake State Park, Tombstone & area and, Chiricahua National Monument. The eBook includes a variety of hiking, mountain biking, and paddling adventures as well as museums and historic sites worth exploring.
The route is laid out as a starting point for you to create your own Southern Arizona RV travel itinerary. You can follow it as is or mix and match to pull together a trip that meets your own criteria.
We’ve traveled to each location in this eBook – some once, many more than once, and some dozens of times. Each recommendation for outdoor adventure comes from our personal experiences.
Planning your own Arizona adventure? Check out our list of printable resources!
What are the best times of the year to explore Southern Arizona outdoors?
There are three appendices in this little adventure travel eBook. The first one addresses this very question. It includes differences season by season, temperature changes by elevation, and discusses average seasonal temperatures in Yuma versus Tucson. There is also a link to the NOAA National Weather Service for current conditions and forecasts.
We travel in the winter months for a couple of good reasons. First of all, it’s not as hot as the stifling summer months. Secondly, it’s warmer than our Canadian home! Third reason is related to the second point – it’s warm enough to get out and hike and bike and paddle. Triple win in our books.
Are there specific RV-friendly campgrounds and/or boondocking sites recommended for active travelers seeking remote and scenic locations?
Appendix II in Embrace the Adventure: Your Guide to Active RV Travel in Southern Arizona covers RV Parks, national parks, state parks, and boondocking in Southern Arizona with specific suggestions for each of the nine major destinations.
How can I get started hiking and mountain biking in Arizona’s rough and somewhat prickly landscapes – especially if I’m a beginner?
Each chapter offers suggestions for biking and hiking and paddling adventure – if available in that area. There are usually options for easier, beginner trails and short paddles. In addition, Appendix III answers this specific question and includes three gear checklists, one each for hiking, biking, and paddling.
Are there any safety tips or precautions to consider when heading on outdoor adventures in Arizona?
As beautiful as Arizona’s deserts are – they hold more things that will scratch, poke, bite, and sting than any other of my favourite landscapes! This eBook touches on many of the hazards one might encounter while out and about in the desert – as well as tips and tricks for avoiding and dealing with them.
One of the most common questions we get from people curious about travel in Southern Arizona is proximity to the U.S./Mexican border.
“Is it safe?”
That’s the #1 question we are asked. Nothing is ever 100% safe. When you travel, you assume a certain amount of risk – from driving your vehicle on a road to hiking in the desert to adventuring in areas with potential for illegal immigrants. We talk about it all and offer our point of view on everything – which boils down to “use common sense and know how.”
We’ve included relevant tips throughout the book where applicable – such as carrying tweezers to pull out cactus spines because, yes, if you spend any amount of time in the Sonoran desert, you will have a brush with these prickly plants!
Check our take on RV travel in Southern Arizona!
That’s it, that’s our 89 pages (from start to finish) offering a glimpse of RV travel in Southern Arizona. Go ahead and check out the eBook on Etsy. You’ll also find dozens of other RV and outdoor adventure-related printables – all designed to help you get out and explore more.
Adventure on!
Leave a Reply