So my wife and I were planning a trip from amarillo down to Roswell then going down to route 10 to 8 across Az & Nm heading to san diego. We planned on boondocking most of the time to save money. I'm familiar with camping in below freezing conditions, but the heat in an rv is unfamiliar to me. Do you think it would be too hot to boondock this far south in July? We have a generator able to run our AC as well as a large battery bank. I think its doable, but I'm worried about the dog if we go into town for a few hours. I guess we could just stay route 40 but there was more we wanted to see down south. Anyone done any boondocking down south in the summer heat or should we reroute our trip?

100-115 is common, maybe a little less at night. Plan accordingly.

The good news is that virtually all boondocking areas will be vacant and there will be plenty of open sites in RV parks.

Depends on altitude also. Once you drop down the Mogollon rim near the NM-AZ border it will get hotter.

Unless you find good shade you'll have a very tough time keeping the interior temperature below 90 even with the generator and A/C running. The sun can provide as much as 1100 watts per square meter of heat load in this area!

CA Traveler wrote:The good news is that virtually all boondocking areas will be vacant and there will be plenty of open sites in RV parks.ha and that is probably because no one is stupid enough to do be there in the summers.

How hot is it really in the summer. Arizona/New Mexico

35 Replies

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
May 07, 2013
FYI On I8 expect to stop at a border patrol check point. We've never been searched but it could happen.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
May 07, 2013
From Kingman I'd take I40, 95 (CA 95, not AZ 95), 78 and 111. These are good 2 lane truck routes, then I8 about 370 miles. And you avoid LA.
tres_vagabonds
Explorer
May 07, 2013
If you take I40 I'd stop in Kingman overnight and pull out early the next morning, it's about 70 miles to needles and you have a pretty good grade out of Needles you'd want to hit it early, You should be able to make San Diego in about 8 hours from Kingman, or stop maybe in the Elsinore area and spend the night.
Traffic between San Diego and western Riverside county gets heavy at times early morning going south afternoons coming back, and it almost always is bad around the 15 and 215 split,
wintersun
Explorer II
May 07, 2013
Avoid areas with lots of asphalt like Phoenix. Temperature in the cities will peak around 10 PM as the asphalt serves as a heat bank and continues to release heat long after the sun has set. Driving through areas like Phoenix I try to do after midnight. Might hit an armadillo but that is about the only risk and there is less traffic and it will be 20-30 degrees cooler.

Boondock well outside of towns and it will be a lot more pleasant at night. People deal with heat a lot better than dogs so the AC will help your pet keep cool.

From June through August I would avoid spending any more time in places like Phoenix than is needed to get gas and get back on the road.
dkreuzen
Explorer
May 07, 2013
US64 west turns into US160 in AZ. US160 is two lane with a few rough spots. Take care traveling through the Navajo reservation, the locals have there own style of driving... US160 will end on US89 which will take you south to I-40 in Flagstaff and west into the heat.
There is no way around the hottest part, around the Colorado River, when heading for San Diego, I recommend taking I-40 all the way from Amarillo , just plan of driving from a cool spot like Williams or Seligman, AZ all the way to San Diego so you don't have to stop in the heat.
Make sure you cooling system is up to the task.
If you want to see southern NM and AZ, do it in the winter/spring months.
eubank
Explorer
May 06, 2013
Most of US 64 across New Mexico is relatively tame, and the bulk of it is two-lane highway.

You will find grades and curves as the highway goes up into and back out of the Moreno Valley (Eagle Nest, Angel Fire). There's one short pass (Palo Flechado), but it's only a two-mile climb.

Once again, you'll find grades -- but not many curves -- as the highway goes from Tres Piedras to Tierra Amarilla. It's high, beautiful and lonely mountain country up there with some large pull-offs toward the western end for picture taking, lunch, etc.

:)
Lynn
yobie
Explorer
May 06, 2013
It looks like we will be taking 64 (as someone mentioned)across the northern part of Nm & Az then drop down to san Diego. Anyone kno much about 64 how's the drive? I'd it really hilly and curvy?
doxiemom11
Explorer II
May 06, 2013
Went to visit relatives in Phoenix one time in May - got off the plane at 9pm and it was still 90 out - next day it was 117. Watch yourself if you are not used to the hot arid temps. You will not sweat to cool yourself for a few days until your body adjusts. You can easily suffer heat stroke in the first week. Drink and stay hydrated.
qtla9111
Nomad
May 05, 2013
What about places like Coyote Creek and Eagle Nest Lake state parks?
BillMFl
Explorer
May 05, 2013
Roswell is hot, flat and arid except in winter. So is most of southern NM. The only exceptions are where there are higher altitude.

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How hot is it really in the summer. Arizona/New Mexico

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