I10 to Yuma

[26_2_2go]

In 3 days we'll be headed west from Austin to Yuma taking I10. We plan on traveling approx 350 miles per day, it will take us 4 days. Any suggestions for overnite secure stops along the route?

[lane_hog]

OldMattB, we saw enough questionable activity in the few places we've stopped in ELP which convinced me to keep going to the Welcome Center or to head north to Guadalupe Mt.NP when going to/from Texas.

[leaddog]

Pima County Fairgrounds at Exit 275 on I-10 East of Tucson has full hookups for $20/night. Safe place to stop usually has available sites. It's about a mile from I-10 and easy off and on.

[oldmattb]

El Paso is a surprisingly safe town, moreso than Phoenix or Tucson. It does seem very loud and busy. Previous poster may have had other concerns about El Paso.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_cities_by_crime_rate

The WalMart on Cortaro is very near us. I ALWAYS see RVs there, some seem to be staying the Winter. Very near the interstate, but kind of cramped and hard to get in and out. Doable, but expect a few minutes of frustration.

Matt B

[lane_hog]

I've stayed several times at the Fort Stockton smallMart as well as the NM Welcome Center. I wouldn't stop anywhere in El Paso.

Benson AZ is probably a better place to stop just ahead of Tucson. There's a large Walmart with their own parking lot.

Immediately north of Tucson, there's also a Walmart right off I-10 in Marana at Cortaro Road. I've seen a few RV's parked but it's a shared parking lot with Kohls and a couple of strip malls. Those are usually the WM's which don't allow overnights...

There's also a Cracker Barrel at the same interchange where you're more likely to be left alone.

[dbbls]

If you can make it a few miles past Tucson, at exit 151 on I-8 there is a free county RV park. No services but a safe and secure place to spend the night. Turn right at the exit and go about 1 1/4 mile back east and the park is on the right.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

If you haven't been - Balmorhea State Park - 45 minutes past Fort Stockton - is well worth the stop and a visit.

[Hank85713]

There is a place at the Y for 10/8 the good earth or buena tierra I think it is. Never stayed there but there are also a few truck stops just up the road a loves and a Petro I think, fly J and another about 5-6 miles before the Y. Another possibility is the picacho peak camp ground east of eloy just after red rock. Pima co charges a sur tax on RV parking, not much but its the general idea of it.

[oldmattb]

Fort Stockton Walmart allowed overnight "camping" as of about a year ago. We moved ourselves from Houston to Tucson, and I slept there in the back seat of my truck 16 times. It is 24-hour.

Not too far out of your way is Tucson Mountain Park which has Gilbert Ray campground. Quiet, inexpensive, and very beautiful. No sewer at the sites, but has a dump station.

http://webcms.pima.gov/cms/one.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=1327

If your schedule allows, have dinner at El Capitan in Van Horn, Texas. Outstanding menu, creative chef, and wonderful staff. One night, I just said, "Gluten-free - surprise me," and was presented a fantastic meal. Worth stopping just to see the hotel.

http://hotelinvanhorn.com/

Should your schedule allow a couple of days in Tucson, PM me.

Matt B

[RVUSA]

If you can time the drive by the I-10 to I-8 swap to around sundown you will be amazed. The saguaro cactus and the sun setting on the first section of I-8 is amazing.

[AprilWhine]

Ft Stockton has a small WalMart. Last time I was through there, they allowed RVs to overnight. I didn't have any problems, it was a quiet night.

For Las Cruces, I suggest the NM welcome center. Free Wifi, quiet, and they even have a horse corral! Pretty location well off the freeway too.

Sorry, I can't recommend any place in Tucson. I stay at the military campground there.

[26_2_2go]

Thanks 4 your response tahiti16, and yes I'm aware 72.4 miles west of Tucson I10 splits with I8 west towards yuma and SanDiego with I10 NW towards Palm Springs and LA. My question is more specific about overnite secure stops, not necessarily RV parks as I'm traveling thru, in TX and NM and east AZ? My tentative stops will be, fort Stockton, las cruces, Tucson, then on to yuma.

[tahiti16]

We stayed in Las Cruces at Hacienda resort and liked it, easy off and easy on, large easy to pull through site.

Then we stayed in Benson AZ at Butterfield, you could get lucky and them have an observatory show that night.

You do realize that shortly out of Tucson you will be picking up 8 to go to Yuma?