As you may have guessed from reading Dadding on the Road for a while, we are Washington state natives. During the winter of ‘23/24, we decided to book a flight back to Washington for Dad and the kids. We wanted to visit the grandparents and let the kids rekindle old friendships from back “home.”
While we were perfectly happy boondocking in Quartzsite, Mom wasn’t looking forward to a 2-hour, one-way drive to the airport. We started looking for boondocking in Phoenix, AZ. Boondocking outside of a city isn’t usually easy to find. We got lucky with the Boulder OHV Staging Area, in Peoria, AZ. This was a significantly shorter trip to the “big city.”
Boulder OHV Staging Area is, as its name implies, primarily an OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle, think ATVs or dune buggies) camp. Owners can tow their OHVs in and ride them through the extensive trails north of the highway. What made it great for us was it allowed camping as well!
Even more impressively, we were able to see wildlife, right from our rig. Both Harris’ hawks and wild burros make this area their home, are active during the day, and are relatively easy to spot.
Camping at Boulder OHV Staging Area
Staying at Boulder OHV Staging area is a tale of two camping experiences. Monday through Thursday, it can be very quiet, even peaceful, for a place so close to a city. However, come Friday, the location gets packed with rigs of all shapes and sizes. Primarily weekend warriors bringing their toys to play with over the weekend.
There is definitely a different culture between full-timers and weekenders when it comes to acceptable camping etiquette. When we pull into an area we always look for a place to set up as far as comfortably possible from other campers. This is to respect our mutual need for privacy and autonomy. Weekenders, especially those at the Boulder OHV Staging Area, were not as courteous. Mom recounted having a 5th wheel set up barely 4 feet off the back of the bus while the rest of us were up north.
Convenient Location
After Dad and the kids got back from Washington, we had one more major errand to take care of in Phoenix. Tad Cooper needed new tires. Thanks to our Coach-Net subscription, we were able to get a great deal on new tires at Purcell Tire and Service Center.
While not a need we had during this trip, Santan Solar, in Phoenix, is one of the best places to get quality used solar panels for your rig. While we haven’t been a customer, every time a need for low-cost solar is brought up in the nomad community, Santan is the name that always tops the list.
Whether you are in the area to catch a plane, upgrade and fit out your rig, or simply pass through, the Boulder OHV Staging Area is exactly what you need.
