Forum Discussion

Buster52's avatar
Buster52
Explorer
Oct 01, 2014

Flagstaff

I WAS planning on stopping at Flagstaff to visit the Grand Canyon. I read that Flagstaff is very RV unfriendly. They hassle every RV that stops to eat lunch or shop in the town. One posted the police bothered them in the Elks Lodge parking lot. I have read from other the hole state of Arizona is unfriendly. These posting are several years old, is the still the attitude of the town and state?

Thanks

Buster
Class A
  • 2gypsies1's avatar
    2gypsies1
    Explorer III
    Oct 04, 2014
    Flagstaff is one of our favorite places is stay .... because it's a friendly, low-key town. We always stay at Bonito National Forest campground which is a beauty.

    OP: You said you're only spending a night...and that you're touring Grand Canyon. I would highly recommend that you spend at least 2-3 night at the Grand Canyon. The park has very nice campgrounds - dry and full service right at the canyon's edge. There is also Ten-X national forest campground just outside the park entrance. Why stay in Flagstaff?
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Oct 02, 2014
    Given the Q political, police and high tax problems there is no reason for Arizona to want the town. :B

    Rumors indicate more of the vendors are using Yuma.
  • Executive45's avatar
    Executive45
    Explorer III
    Oct 02, 2014
    I see where Arizona is so unfriendly, they're trying to get California to annex Quartzsite !!!....:B:B:B......Dennis
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Oct 02, 2014
    Janss wrote:
    CA Traveler....the Elks website that shows RV facilities in all States does in fact list Flagstaff as having a few parking spaces for RVers. So I guess either the guidebook or the website is old information. That's why it is best to call them.
    Never hurts to call so I just called. The Flagstaff Elks lodge does have RV parking so my guide is incorrect. Sorry for the misinformation.
  • Janss's avatar
    Janss
    Explorer II
    Oct 02, 2014
    I just cannot agree with someone who thinks that towns are RV un-friendly just because they have an overnight parking ban. Ridiculous! I consider it a privilege (for which I am grateful), not a right, to be allowed to park overnight for free in a Walmart or other parking lot. And if the RV park owners are the ones pushing for the ban, well then, why consider the whole town unfriendly????

    I wonder if this issue comes up with non-RVers, those traveling in cars expecting to be able to sleep in their car in a parking lot in some town instead of getting a motel room, and considering the town unfriendly if they aren't allowed to do that.
  • msmith1199's avatar
    msmith1199
    Explorer II
    Oct 01, 2014
    Buster52 wrote:
    I am glad to hear what was posted about Flagstaff was an exception not the norm. When I did a Google search the first two site it took me to was very negative about Flagstaff and many other cities in Arizona. I found no sites talking about the positive side of Flagstaff.


    I've seen similar things said about law enforcement on the California coast. There is almost no place on most of the coast where boon docking is permitted. The obvious reason being because if it was allowed, everybody would do it. Who wouldn't want to pull in to a turn out on a cliff off Highway 1 overlooking the Pacific Ocean and spend the night, or a couple of days! And that's why it's illegal. What causes trouble for people is during the summer weekends the RV parks along the coast fill up, sometimes months in advance. So if you head over to the Coast on Friday evening in July without reservations and expect to find a RV space, you may just be out of luck. So those people go to try find someplace free to park and get run out by CHP or the State Park Police and according them it's not their fault! They were just being harassed!
  • msmith1199's avatar
    msmith1199
    Explorer II
    Oct 01, 2014
    Old-Biscuit wrote:
    TucsonJim wrote:


    You are not allowed to overnight in a parking lot in Flag which might be where you've heard they are not friendly. However, you can camp in the National Forest just outside of town.



    This is probably the reason for the bad mouthing.....by those that feel they are special cause rules/ordinances don't apply to them.

    And being ignorant of said rules/ordinances results in rude awakenings in the wee hours of night.
    Then it becomes..Flagstaff is RV unfriendly vs I am stupid :S


    Exactly!
  • Buster52's avatar
    Buster52
    Explorer
    Oct 01, 2014
    CA Traveler wrote:
    Buster52 wrote:
    One posted the police bothered them in the Elks Lodge parking lot.

    The Elks guide lists no parking in Flagstaff and it's been a city ordinace, so...
    We've never had a problem in Flagstaff.

    The Flagstaff Elks 499 site says the have RV parking with electric hook-ups for $15.00 per night.
  • down_home's avatar
    down_home
    Explorer II
    Oct 01, 2014
    Arizona has presented no problems for us when RVing. The fuel tax thing popped up but hasn't cost us.
    Some Flagstaff Resident's don't car much, for being invaded by RVers, even though their coaches may cost many times what their homes do. Tucson hasn't been a problem at all except for the wind and dirt. The Gem show and old downtown are good areas for a few hours or days. Found some antiques we didn't have room to bring back, so another trip is in order. Phoenix is just too hot, for me but lots of RVers flock there and then sit indoors. :) Some of, some of, the Mexican shops have things like the woven cowboy hats which are getting scarce. Most are now made in China and substandard. Found some nice Native pottery,signed, at reasonable prices west of Tucson and occassionly some not touristy silver etc. Tucson dining spots are somewhat varied but watch the sea food place. All, of us got sick. It appears you need an ATV or UTV and plenty of fuel to find some Arizona flavor but stay away from the California, Tucson Phoenix corridor and up through Kingman. Arizona is nice and we will be back but give me green plenty of green and cooler temps except for Jan and Feb.
  • Buster52's avatar
    Buster52
    Explorer
    Oct 01, 2014
    When I looked on Google under Flagstaff Elks RV, I found gypsyjournal.net/Unfriendly.html. It was about the most unfriendly places for RVers. Flagstaff was #1 on the list, with Kingman, Tucson and Yuma the next three. The next place I looked at was http://comments.gmane.org/gmane.recreation.cars.walmart-rving/7753, they too talked about the treatment of RVers in Flagstaff. I did read the article about Flagstaff that justlou posted. It does show that overnight parking is not legal in the city. They may in the future allow RVs to park over night. But the RV parks are pushing to keep it as it is. It would cut into their profits. After reading about the parts that the Police only responds to complaints, I would suspect that some if not all the complaints come from the RV Parks. We here in Clovis, CA passed ordnance not allowing overnight parking because some homeless starting setting up homes in Walmart's parking lot. I have read about RVs dumping their sewers in parking lots, plus many other dumb thing. I hope Flagstaff changes their minds and let us spend the night.

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