Boondocking with 40" Motor Home

den60 wrote:
Thanks cpd520 for the location. It's just what I was looking for, my first trial run at boondocking and I will be able to stop and see how long I can last without any hook-ups. I will then know whether or not to invest in solar energy or not. Your reply is very much appreciated, thank you. Thank you everyone!

We've done dry camping (we're usually around ammenities, so most of the time, we're not out in the boondocks lol ;) quite a bit for the last 4 years. We tried it withOUT solar, and it was pretty much running a generator "all the time" (exaggerating a bit, but we did have to run it often) We now have a motorhome with panels, and there's a distinct difference. We run the generator a few minutes a day because I have a CPAP and we need to make sure it's charged enough for that, but it's a lot less.

When it's cloudy, we need to run it even longer. When it rained a couple of days ago, and was cloudy, the battery ran low a lot quicker.

gatorcq wrote:
Check this map out and focus on AZ. We have been to each one in Az.

Press Here

Nice map. Is there some meaning to the colors of the pins?

Check this map out and focus on AZ. We have been to each one in Az.

Press Here

many National forest campgrounds can accommodate you in a least a few of the sites per campground

its ALL Dry Camping.. and you won't have to drive down 30 miles of rutted dirt track

As far as finding good pots..anywhere, pretty much...get off of the Interstates and travel the secondaries.

Most small towns you will drive thru will have a city park that is normally good for an overnight. Reservoirs, and so on make for excellent boondocking spots.

And yes, you can manage your costs very effectively this way. Travel slow, spending a day or two in a place...the fuel costs are the same but if it takes you a month to get somewhere, rather than a week.. your overall expenditures are much reduced. Figure that people pay between 30 and 50 a night, for a full service overnight. That is between $1,000 and $1,500 a month.

There are lots of ways to manage your winter wandering costs.

Been there...do that.


Gary Haupt

No suggestions, but I came here because of the 40" motorhome title.

All I could think of is:

On your way to Arizona on I-10, you might consider a detour to visit Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains national parks. If you have a Federal Senior Pass, you can have inexpensive dry camping in lots of BLM and Forest Service campgrounds in southern New Mexico, like those in Lincoln National Forest. You can also dry camp in "dispersed camping" areas. Here is what the Lincoln NF website says:

"Dispersed or "road-side" camping is allowed throughout the Lincoln National Forest. You may drive to park your RV no more than 300' from an open road designated for such use. Please check with one of our offices to obtain a free Motor Vehicle Use Map which details exactly what roads you are allowed to disperse camp along. Most roads, outside of US and State Highways are available for this use."

One of our favorite area for dry camping ("boondocking") in that region is the Sunspot area just south of Cloudcroft (west of Carlsbad on US Highway 82). The views of the Tularosa Basin, Organ Mountains, and White Sands are incredible from Sunspot. I would recommend this area for November or April, as they do have skiing in the winter in the Cloudcroft and Ruidoso areas.

You can also dry camp in dispersed camping areas in the brand-new (May 2014) Organ Mountains Desert Peaks National Monument, located just east of Las Cruces. However, the only developed campground in the monument will not handle motorhomes or trailers over 23 feet long. Also nearby is White Sands NM, which you shouldn't miss if you are in the Las Cruces area.

Finally, if you get tired of dry camping and want hookups for a night or two, the best deal in southern NM is the BLM's Three Rivers Petroglyph Site north of Alamogordo. If the water has not been shut off for the winter, your Senior Pass could get you one of only two electric and water hookup sites for $9/night. And the fantastic petroglyph trail is a bonus!

I think a 40 ft MH is ideal for boondocking in AZ because there is a lot of open land like Quartzite and you can see where to park for miles away unlike NF areas. The second big advantage is that you have large FW tanks probably over 100 gals.

We boondock most of winter in our 40-foot motorhome in AZ/CA (feel free to click on the link for my blog in the signature to see where). The AZ desert has plenty of BLM areas with lots of space. You just need to be careful of the ground (sand etc.). Thousand Trails, which others have mentioned, is a great "starting" spot just north of Phoenix. Easy access, flat area, good views and no problem for your size.

Thanks cpd520 for the location. It's just what I was looking for, my first trial run at boondocking and I will be able to stop and see how long I can last without any hook-ups. I will then know whether or not to invest in solar energy or not. Your reply is very much appreciated, thank you. Thank you everyone!