Safety along the Mexican border

Oh My! Have you been reading about the recent mass shootings in Michigan and other U.S. places? How about crime in your state? Unfortunately, crime is everywhere, including in our schools.

You must be aware that millions of people actually 'choose' to live in beautiful areas close to the borders across the whole U.S.

We have boondocked many times near the borders. We have taken our Jeep many times on remote roads around the borders. Many, many others have done so.

Yes, you can be assured that the border areas are safe. Now....as far as driving on the interstates? Now, that's Unsafe.

Have a nice relaxing trip and explore some of the areas you'll be passing.

Here's the official Organ Pipe web site. Yes, it's safe.

http://www.nps.gov/orpi/planyourvisit/safety.htm

As a 13 year snowbird veteran of Yuma, here is my two cents worth. We go to Algodones, the little border village, just across the Arizona state line in California, for dental, eyewear, and lunch. The only thing thing that bothers me, not worry, is the semi-comatose drivers on I-8. If folks up north would turn the TV off they would be further ahead but then they would all be down here. Saturday March 12, we will be over at El Centro, CA. for the airshow featuring the Blue Angles. From previous times there, the audience will be about 50-50, Mexican and US citizens. I go to NAPA Auto Parts, guaranteed the counter man will be bilingual, might be a Mexican before me, than maybe another Mexican behind me and the counter person takes care of business. Come on down and enjoy!

We have camped at Organ Pipe Ntl Mon. And have no worries. In fact, we're planning it again. We did the 41 mile loop ride they have that actually butts right up to the border. We had trouble with the tailpipe from all the bouncing. DH got out to fix and wuthin 3 minutes we had border patrol asking us if we are okay.....I feel safe there. Have gone to Mexico more times than I can count at Los Algodonas, no problems. As for Yuma...I feel safer there than in Portland, Seattle, and even Phoenix.

agesilaus wrote:
Depends, some areas seem to be safe. Big Bend NP in TX for example. But others are so bad that the local police warn you to keep out, the AZ border fits in that category. That includes the Organ Pipe NM. Check locally if in doubt. Or use Google:

Link 1


Link 2

Personally we camp well away from the AZ (and that would include the NM border) and daytrip into the area.

Those links are 3-4 years old. I was there a year ago with no problems what-so-ever. There are a bunch of fulltimers down in the area right now having a great time. Organ Pipe is beautiful, especially now in spring bloom.

We just finished Las Cruces, NM, to San Diego via I-10 and I-8 and back via I-10. I was MUCH more tense about the grades on I-8 over the mountains east of San Diego and the traffic on the SoCal freeways than I was about anything to do with border safety. There are parts of El Paso and San Diego I won't go into - the the same is true for any large city on any continent I've ever visited. Traveling those routes, you have nothing to be concerned about.

Rob

We just did I-8 from San Diego to Yuma, and before that I-10 through El Paso and Tuscan and never felt the least uncomfortable. It was no different than driving or camping anywhere else. We did stay in commercial campgrounds. We passed through several Border Patrol check points and saw patrols everywhere. At one point on I-8, I pulled over suspecting I had a tire issue and our travel companions also pulled over. Our companion later told me that a Border Patrol vehicle had passed as we pulled over and had stopped on the hill in front of us and watch through binoculars as I checked my tire. Go and enjoy. The patrols are out there and they are keeping watch as best they can.

msgtord wrote:
The media has blown the border situation way out of proportion. Go where you want to along the border. I've lived and worked along the border for over 40 years. We live 3.5 miles from the Colorado river and Mexico. We lived in Ajo for 4 years which is 18 miles from the Organ Pipe. Beautiful country, with great hiking trails, 2 trackers for 4 wheeling, and some great folks to get to know. Call around to the rv parks in Yuma, Ajo and Why and check capacity. You'll be surprised how many folks have beat you to a parking spot.

I know that Yuma is popular with RVers getting dental work over the border.

As for driving thru border cities, we never have a problem with that tho I do my best to avoid El Paso just because of the traffic not because of the bullets flying across the border from the drug gangs.

We have camped several times around Chiricahua NM and never have a problem and we have day triped to Nogales (where my Father used to take us when we lived in Tucson), Bisbee and Tombstone with no problems. But I may be over cautious I'm not camping that close to that area.

I did see a website that apparently said that Organ Pipe has been made safer by armed private citizen patrols but I couldn't get it to load.

And as for the border patrol be prepared to get stopped (rare) or go thru inspection stations near the border. Never has been a problem they may want to look in the RV.

We have wintered the past 12 years 2 miles from the border in deep south Texas, have personally never been concerned.

We live 25 miles south of Tucson and 38 miles from the Border at Nogales. Been here 13 years. And we have lived 11 different places. I feel as safe here as any of those. Is there "stuff" going on? Of course. Is there "stuff" going on in any major city? Of course. Organ Pipe has become very secure. I would be far more concerned in CA or TX. Leave it to the media! As far as the guy from N. Fla goes, please do camp far away from me. :-)

The media has blown the border situation way out of proportion. Go where you want to along the border. I've lived and worked along the border for over 40 years. We live 3.5 miles from the Colorado river and Mexico. We lived in Ajo for 4 years which is 18 miles from the Organ Pipe. Beautiful country, with great hiking trails, 2 trackers for 4 wheeling, and some great folks to get to know. Call around to the rv parks in Yuma, Ajo and Why and check capacity. You'll be surprised how many folks have beat you to a parking spot.