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ОглавлениеINTRODUCTION
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDEBOOK
Menasha Ridge Press welcomes you to Best Tent Camping: Arizona. Whether you’re new to camping or you’ve been sleeping in your portable shelter over decades of outdoor adventures, please review the following information. It explains how we have worked with the author to organize this book and how you can make the best use of it.
CHOOSING THE TOP 50
Because we’ve written this book with car campers in mind, we’ve chosen to include only campgrounds that you can drive to, with the exception of one boat-access-only campground. Another book entirely could be written about the best backpacking camps in Arizona, but we haven’t included any of those here. Rather, we’ve included only official public campgrounds, striving for an equal balance of the developed and undeveloped. One of us must have her shower every day and the other would be perfectly happy to hang out in the woods for weeks, so we think we represent both ends of the spectrum.
When we told other campers we were writing this book, smiles would cross their faces as they thought about their personal favorite places to pitch a tent. More often than not, if they chose to share their secret with us (knowing that we might reveal it to the public), they knew of a great location on public land with no more amenities than a fire ring and a great view.
A startlingly high proportion of Arizona is public land, belonging to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Bureau of Land Management, or the State of Arizona, and most of this is open to dispersed camping: choose your own spot off the road or trail, maybe where someone else has camped or maybe not, with no fee, no facilities, no trash—strictly pack in/pack out. The wilderness is at your doorstep, and you may be all alone.
Again, we leave it to you to discover Arizona’s backcountry on your own. USFS rangers tell us that many campers just want to know where they can camp for free and don’t care about amenities or ambience. While such campers aren’t our target audience, we have included a number of free campgrounds and a few dispersed camping areas.
We narrowed our choices among Arizona’s many great campgrounds based on a number of factors. We divided the state into regions and looked for campgrounds that made an effort to give tent campers something special, whether it be walk-in sites that have great lake views, tent-only sections separated from the RVs, or other possibilities such as tenting on the beach. In some regions we found too many great options, but we did our best to distill them to the ones we felt would be best for tenters.
We looked for smaller campgrounds—the smaller the campground, the less likely a 30-foot fifth wheel will be your neighbor. Of course, the pioneer spirit is still alive and well in the West, and that means there’s no road so long or so rough that someone won’t drag a trailer down it. You may find the modern equivalent of a Conestoga wagon almost anywhere, complete with a satellite dish and a patch of Astroturf by the door.
Alas, there are some areas of the state that we really wanted to include but couldn’t: Lake Mead, Lake Powell, Lake Havasu, Canyon de Chelly, and the Colorado Corridor, among others. As special as these places are, the campgrounds within them either violated every criterion in this book’s subtitle or simply didn’t have designated camping that met our standards. (Waterfall-studded Havasu Canyon actually offers fantastic tent camping, but because that destination is accessible only by helicopter or an 11-mile hike or horse/mule ride, it didn’t make the cut.) Tenters looking for solitude in these areas might want to rent a boat and camp on the shoreline or find a dispersed spot in the surrounding wilderness.
Finally, note that while the various managing agencies work hard to keep their websites and print information accurate and up to date, in updating this edition we found that a few campgrounds from the first edition were closed. It’s always a good idea to call the park or ranger district before you go for news on current conditions and unexpected events such as fires and floods.
We hope that Best Tent Camping: Arizona will take the legwork out of choosing the campground that’s right for you!
THE RATING SYSTEM
As with all books in the Best Tent Camping series, the authors personally experienced dozens of campgrounds and campsites to select the top 50 locations in Arizona. Within that universe of 50 sites, the author then ranked each one according to the six categories described below.
Each campground is superlative in its own way. For example, a site may be rated only one star in one category but perhaps five stars in another category. Our rating system allows you to choose your destination based on the attributes that are most important to you. Although these ratings are subjective, they’re still excellent guidelines for finding the perfect camping experience for you and your companions.
Below and following we describe the criteria for each of the attributes in our five-star rating system:
| The site is ideal in that category. | |
| The site is exemplary in that category. | |
| The site is very good in that category. | |
| The site is above average in that category. | |
| The site is acceptable in that category. |
INDIVIDUAL RATINGS
Each campground description includes ratings for beauty, privacy, spaciousness, quiet, security, and cleanliness; each attribute is ranked from one to five stars, with five being the best. Yes, these ratings are subjective, but we’ve tried to select campgrounds that offer something for everyone.
BEAUTY
Beauty, of course, is in the eye of the beholder, but we gave higher marks for panoramic views or proximity to a lake or river. A campground that blended in well with the environment scored well, as did areas with remarkable wildlife or geology. Well-grown vegetation and nicely laid-out sites also upped the ratings.
PRIVACY
For this category we looked at the number of sites, the amount of screening between them, and the physical distance from one site to one another. Other considerations included the presence of nearby trails or day-use areas, along with proximity to a town or city that would invite regular day-use traffic and perhaps compromise privacy.
SPACIOUSNESS
Spaciousness is both a matter of actual space and of the feeling of having elbow room. We checked the separation of tent spots, picnic tables, cooking areas, and vehicles. We adjusted our marks based on whether activity areas and tent pads were defined or bordered and scored higher for the potential to spread out. We also gave campgrounds with plenty of space between the sites a higher rating than more crowded campgrounds.
QUIET
The quietness of a campground of course depends on who your neighbors are and when you’re visiting. We took into consideration our experience at the campsite, the nearness of roads, the proximity of towns and cities, the probable number of RVs, the likelihood of noisy all-terrain vehicles or boats, and whether a campground host is available or willing to enforce quiet hours. If we heard that a campground had a reputation for rowdiness or if we heard or witnessed a ruckus ourselves, we removed it from consideration.
Note that some of these campgrounds have no specified quiet hours; nevertheless, you should use common sense and be considerate of others.
SECURITY
Determining a campground’s level of security depends on what you view as the greater risk: other people or the wilderness. The more remote the campground, the less likely you are to run into opportunistic crime, but on the downside, the harder it is to get help in case of an accident or confrontation. The security rating takes into consideration whether the campground has a host or resident park ranger, the proximity of other campsites, how much day traffic the campground receives, how close the campground is to a town or city, and whether there is cell coverage or some type of emergency notification.
CLEANLINESS
This often depends on who was camping right before you and how your visit coincides with the campground’s maintenance schedule. In general, we gave higher marks to campgrounds with hosts who cleaned up regularly; we also gave high marks in the rare case of odor-free toilets. At unhosted campgrounds, we looked for trash receptacles as well as evidence that sites were cleared and that signs and buildings were kept repaired. We didn’t necessarily mark down for a single visitor’s garbage left at a site, but we definitely did for trash deposited in shrubbery or along trails, indicating infrequent cleaning.
THE CAMPGROUND PROFILE
Each profile contains a concise but informative narrative of the campground and individual sites. In addition to the property, the recreational opportunities are also described—what’s in the area and perhaps suggestions for touristy activities. This descriptive text is enhanced with three helpful elements: Ratings, Key Information, and Getting There (accurate driving directions that lead you to the campground from the nearest major roadway, along with GPS coordinates).
THE CAMPGROUND LOCATOR MAP AND MAP LEGEND
Use the Arizona Campground Locator Map, opposite the Table of Contents, to assess the exact location of each campground. The campground’s number appears not only on the overview map but also in the table of contents and on the profile’s first page.
A map legend that details the symbols found on the campground-layout maps appears immediately following the Table of Contents.
CAMPGROUND-LAYOUT MAPS
Each profile includes a detailed map of individual campsites, roads, facilities, and other key elements.
GPS CAMPGROUND-ENTRANCE COORDINATES
Readers can easily access all campgrounds in this book by using the directions given and the overview map, which shows at least one major road leading into the area. But for those who enjoy using GPS technology to navigate, the book includes coordinates for each campground’s entrance in latitude and longitude, expressed in degrees and decimal minutes.
To convert GPS coordinates from degrees, minutes, and seconds to degrees and decimal minutes, divide the seconds by 60 (or visit a website such as directionsmag.com/site/latlong-converter). For more information about GPS technology, visit usgs.gov.
A note of caution: A dedicated GPS unit will easily guide you to any of these campgrounds, but users of smartphone mapping apps may find that cell service is often unavailable in the remote areas where many of these hideaways are located.
WEATHER
Many people fear desert creatures such as rattlesnakes and scorpions but will practically flirt with Arizona’s biggest danger—the sun. Make no mistake: it gets hot here, and don’t let anyone tell you that just because it’s a dry heat that it’s not so bad.
Dehydration and heat exhaustion commonly afflict the unprepared, the unwary, or the merely overconfident. Carry 3 liters of water per person, per day, and consider investing in a collapsible water container (Camelbak and Platypus make good ones)—making the water you carry more accessible increases the likelihood that you’ll actually drink enough of it.
Pro tip: Fill empty 2-liter soda bottles or plastic juice bottles with water, freeze them, and use them in your cooler instead of ice cubes. When the ice melts, you have a backup supply of drinking water, or you can use it to put out your campfire.
Wear a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, and sunglasses, along with lightweight long-sleeved shirts and pants if you expect to be in the sun all day. Covering up in the heat may seem counterintuitive, but you’ll stay cooler if you protect your skin from the sun.
You shouldn’t plan just for the heat, however; you should prepare for cool nights as well—once the sun sets out in the desert, it can get chilly fast. Bring layers and expect the unexpected from Arizona’s weather. We’ve included campgrounds in locations ranging everywhere from 1,700 to 9,000 feet in elevation. You’ll experience major changes in temperature, weather, and plant life as you change elevations. Knowing the campground’s elevation, listed in each profile’s Key Information box, will give you an idea of what conditions to prepare for.
The summer monsoon season lasts from mid-July through early September. Expect heavy afternoon rains nearly every day, and be aware that the rain can sometimes turn to hail at higher elevations. Bring a tarp to cover your gear, and carry a poncho or rain jacket. These pouring rains often fall on soil that’s too dry or stony to absorb them, making monsoon season prime flash-flood time. Always place your tent with an eye to drainage and never take chances when trying to cross a flooded wash, no matter how big your vehicle is.
The rainy season is also part of the fire season, as lightning strikes spark many forest fires. Many other fires, sadly, are caused by carelessness. Always douse your campfires completely; we carry a 6-gallon jug of water in our truck specifically for that purpose. Keep your campfire under control and below knee level, or better yet, use a gas stove, which does less damage to the ground and roots beneath. Seasonal fire restrictions are no joke, and the penalties for disregarding them are serious.
FIRST AID KIT
A useful first aid kit may contain more items than you might think necessary. These are just the basics. Prepackaged kits in waterproof bags (Atwater Carey and Adventure Medical make them) are available. As a preventive measure, take along sunscreen and insect repellent. Even though quite a few items are listed here, they pack down into a small space:
• Ace bandages or Spenco joint wraps
• Adhesive bandages
• Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin or the generic equivalent)
• Antiseptic or disinfectant, such as Betadine or hydrogen peroxide
• Aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), or ibuprofen (Advil)
• Butterfly-closure bandages
• Comb and tweezers (for removing ticks from your skin)
• Diphenhydramine (Benadryl, in case of allergic reactions)
• Epinephrine (EpiPen) in a prefilled syringe (for severe allergic reactions to outdoor mishaps such as bee stings)
• Gauze (one roll and six 4-by-4-inch compress pads)
• LED flashlight or headlamp
• Matches or lighter
• Moist towelettes
• Moleskin/Spenco 2nd Skin
• Pocketknife or multipurpose tool
• Waterproof first aid tape
• Whistle (for signaling rescuers if you get lost or hurt)
FLORA AND FAUNA PRECAUTIONS
WILD CREATURES
You may be concerned about encountering wildlife such as rattlesnakes, scorpions, black bears, wolves, coyotes, and mountain lions. Be aware, however, that your chances of even glimpsing most of these critters are actually pretty slim—they’ll usually go out of their way to avoid you.
You will possibly encounter rattlesnakes in any area in this book. Rattlesnakes like to bask in the sun and won’t bite unless threatened. However, the snakes you most likely will see while hiking will be nonvenomous species and subspecies. The best rule is to leave all snakes alone, give them a wide berth as you hike past, and make sure any hiking companions (including dogs) do the same. When hiking, stick to well-used trails, and wear over-the-ankle boots and loose-fitting long pants. Do not step or put your hands beyond your range of detailed visibility, and avoid wandering around in the dark. Step onto logs and rocks, never over them, and be especially careful when climbing rocks. Always avoid walking through dense brush or willow thickets.
Photo: Charles Liu
Follow these few simple rules to reduce the chance of an up-close-and-personal wild-animal experience:
• CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF IN CAMP. Store food and toiletries in your vehicle or a bearproof container, or hang them from a tree—don’t keep them in your tent.
• DON’T LEAVE SHOES OR OTHER GEAR outside of your tent overnight, or be sure to shake them out before using them.
• KEEP TRACK OF YOUR KIDS, and leash your pets.
• DON’T STICK YOUR HANDS AND FEET into places where you can’t see.
If you encounter a wild animal, give it plenty of space, and don’t provoke it. You’re much more likely to be endangered by elk and deer (and cows) while you’re on the road than by bears, mountain lions, and the like. As the four-part warning signs along some of Arizona’s highways say: “Elk are large / In herds they run / Across the highway / Don’t hit one!”
POISONOUS (AND PAINFUL) PLANTS
Arizona is known for its prickly plants. To protect themselves from predators, many desert plants have spikes and spines instead of leaves. The safest way to avoid a run-in with them is to stay on maintained trails, keep kids in sight, and keep dogs on a leash. Carry a comb to remove such prickly hangers-on as jumping cholla (right).
Photo: Kelly Phillips
You may not think of poison ivy as a desert plant, but it’s actually quite common in Arizona’s riparian habitats. Recognizing poison ivy and avoiding contact with it are the most effective ways to prevent the painful, itchy rashes associated with this plant. Poison ivy (left) ranges from a thick, tree-hugging vine to a shaded ground cover, 3 leaflets to a leaf. Urushiol, the plant’s oily sap, is responsible for the rash. Usually within 12–14 hours of exposure (but sometimes much later), raised lines and/or blisters will appear, accompanied by a terrible itch. Try not to scratch—dirty fingernails can cause an infection, and in the best case you’ll spread the rash to other parts of your body.
Photo: Kelly Phillips
Wash the rash with cold water and a mild soap or cleanser such as Tecnu, and dry it thoroughly, applying calamine lotion or a topical cortisone cream to help soothe the itch; if the rash is painful or blistering is severe, seek medical attention. Note that any oil that gets on clothing, boots, and the like can keep spreading its misery for at least a year if you don’t thoroughly clean it off, so wash everything that you think could have urushiol on it, including pets.
Another plant found in riparian habitats and disturbed sites is poison hemlock (right). It has hollow stems, and its toxin is potent enough to kill children who put the stems in their mouths. Hemlock is very close in appearance to Queen Anne’s lace—look for the purple-spotted stems to identify this plant and avoiding coming in contact with any part of it.
Photo: William and Wilma Follette/USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (public domain)
Arizona is also known for hallucinogenic plants such as sacred datura and peyote. Although these plants have long been used in American Indian religious ceremonies, that use comes with wisdom accumulated over centuries. Experimenting on your own will likely cause major illness and possibly death.
Another plant to avoid is black nightshade, a relative of deadly nightshade. Common along roadsides and in disturbed habitats, it has small green, yellow, or black berries that can look appealing to small children.
In general, it’s unwise to eat any wild plant unless you have specific knowledge about foraging in Arizona and proper plant-identification skills.
ROADS AND VEHICLES
While doing the research for this book and bumping along dirt roads all over the state, we reset our standards for what constitutes a good road. We consider a good road to be wide, well-graded dirt, with few rocks or dips, enabling us to clip along at 30 mph.
We traveled to the campgrounds in this book in a stock four-wheel-drive Toyota T100 or a Subaru Forester, and after driving 12,000 miles, we’ve only had to replace the shocks and brakes, tighten a few loose bolts, and fix one flat tire. High clearance gives you the ability to cruise most of the state’s back roads, and a 4WD can get you out of a sticky situation, but the majority of these campgrounds can be reached by a careful driver in a standard sedan when the roads are dry. Note that road conditions can change quickly with the weather, so be sure to call 511 or the phone number in the campground entry to get a report on road conditions. Obey all traffic signs, and keep in mind that vehicles driving uphill have the right-of-way on narrow roads.
Arizona’s hundreds of miles of Forest Service roads can open a lot of backcountry to those of us who aren’t long-distance backpackers. Get a good, detailed paper map, such as the DeLorme Gazetteer, if you intend to travel the back roads, make sure your vehicle is in good shape, and carry an emergency kit with plenty of water.
Note that Forest Service roads often close temporarily due to hazards such as fire, flooding, and poor surface conditions, or seasonally due to snow or in order to protect wildlife. It’s your responsibility to know which roads are closed, so pick up a free Motor Vehicle Use Map at any USFS visitor center or ranger-district office, or download a digital version to your smartphone or GPS. It’s also a good idea to check road conditions at the website of the national forest you plan to camp in.
PERMITS AND ACCESS
If, like us, you enjoy exploring Arizona, you might benefit by purchasing an America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass, more concisely known as an Interagency Pass. The current cost is $80 per year, which covers entrance to all national parks (including Grand Canyon) and national monuments, as well as most fee areas within lands managed by the USFS, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Many fee areas on federal lands in Sedona also accept the Interagency Pass in place of the local Red Rock Pass.
While the pass doesn’t cover camping fees, we’ve found it very cost-effective when it comes to entrance fees. Seniors age 62 and older may purchase a Lifetime Pass for $80, and people with permanent physical disabilities may obtain a free Access Pass. If you have a Lifetime or Access Pass, your camping fees at USFS campgrounds are often discounted by half.
Tonto National Forest, which is home to many of the most heavily used recreation areas near Phoenix, operates under a slightly different pass program. The Tonto National Forest Discovery Pass is required at many recreation sites, especially in ranger districts close to Phoenix. Daily passes can be purchased at USFS offices, online, and from local retail stores, but they’re usually unavailable for sale at the recreation sites themselves. Check tinyurl.com/tontopasses for a list of vendors.
Each pass has scratch-off date blocks, so you can buy them in advance and mark them on the day of use. Daily Discovery Passes cost $8 per vehicle and $4 per watercraft; annual Discovery Passes cost $80, and annual Senior and Access Discovery Passes cost $60.
Camping at Arizona State Parks entitles you to a waiver of a given park’s daily entrance fee; for more information, visit azstateparks.com/fee-schedule. The Arizona State Parks Annual Pass ($75) is a good deal if you plan to visit several parks a year without camping. Many regional and county parks throughout the state also issue annual passes, but they’re park-specific.
You may also want to purchase the $15 State Land Recreational Permit, which allows you to hike, camp, or drive off-road on Arizona State Trust lands and is available from the Arizona State Land Department. You won’t need this permit to camp at any of the campgrounds in this book, but it wouldn’t hurt to have on hand if you plan to drive off-road often. Check land.az.gov for rules and regulations and to download a permit application.
Finally, note that Arizona’s Indian reservations are self-governing territories with their own rules and regulations for outdoor activities and backcountry travel. If you’d like to spend time on tribal lands, check in with the local authorities for specific information.
HAPPY CAMPING: PLANNING, ETIQUETTE, AND MORE
Few things are more disappointing than a bad camping trip—the good news is, it’s really easy to have a great one. Here are a few things to consider as you prepare for your trip:
• PLAN AHEAD. Know your equipment, your ability, and the area where you’ll be camping—and prepare accordingly. Be self-sufficient at all times; carry the necessary supplies for changes in weather or other conditions.
In the same vein, reserve your site in advance when that’s an option, especially if it’s a weekend or holiday or if the campground is extremely popular. Finally, consider the accessibility of supplies before you go—it’s a pain to have to get in the car and make a long trek in search of hot dog buns or bug spray.
• USE CARE WHEN TRAVELING. Stay on designated roads. Be respectful of private property and travel restrictions. Familiarize yourself with the area you’ll be traveling in by picking up a map that shows land ownership.
• CONSIDER YOUR SPACE REQUIREMENTS. In general, choose a single site if your group consists of 8 people or fewer, a double site for groups of up to 16 people, a triple site for groups of up to 24, or a group camping area for groups larger than 24.
• PLAY BY THE RULES. If you’re unhappy with the site you’ve selected, check with the campground host for other options. Don’t just grab a seemingly empty site that looks more appealing than yours—it could be reserved.
• PICK YOUR CAMPING BUDDIES WISELY. Make sure that everyone is on the same page regarding expectations of difficulty (amenities or the lack thereof, physical exertion, and so on), sleeping arrangements, and food requirements.
• DRESS FOR THE SEASON. Educate yourself on the temperature highs and lows of the specific part of the state you plan to visit. It may be warm at night in the summer in your backyard, but up in the mountains it will be quite chilly.
• PITCH YOUR TENT ON A LEVEL SURFACE, preferably one covered with leaves, pine straw, or grass. Use a tarp or specially designed footprint to thwart ground moisture and to protect the tent floor. Before you pitch, do some site cleanup, such as picking up small rocks and sticks that can damage your tent floor and make sleep uncomfortable. If you have a separate rainfly but aren’t sure you’ll need it, keep it rolled up at the base of your tent in case it starts raining late at night.
• CONSIDER PACKING A SLEEPING PAD IF THE GROUND MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE. A wide range of pads in varying sizes and thicknesses is sold at outdoors stores. Inflatable pads are also available; don’t try to improvise with a home air mattress, which conducts heat away from the body and tends to deflate as you sleep.
• DON’T HANG OR TIE CLOTHESLINES, HAMMOCKS, AND EQUIPMENT ON OR TO TREES. Even if you see other campers doing this, be responsible and do your part to reduce damage to trees and shrubs.
• IF YOU TEND TO USE THE BATHROOM MULTIPLE TIMES AT NIGHT, PLAN AHEAD. Leaving a comfy sleeping bag and stumbling around in the dark to find a place to heed nature’s call—be it a vault toilet, a full restroom, or just the woods—is no fun. Keep a flashlight and any other accoutrements you may need by the tent door, and know exactly where to head in the dark.
• WHEN YOU CAMP AT A PRIMITIVE SITE, KNOW HOW TO GO. Bringing large jugs of water and a portable toilet is the easiest and most environmentally friendly solution. A variety of portable toilets, from plush-seated models to glorified plastic bags, are available from outdoors suppliers; in a pinch, a 5-gallon bucket fitted with a toilet seat and lined with a heavy-duty trash bag will work just as well. (Be sure to pack out the trash bag.)
A second, less desirable method is to dig a cathole 3–8 inches deep. It should be located at least 200 yards from campsites, trails, and water, in an inconspicuous location with as much undergrowth as possible. Cover the hole with a thin layer of soil after each use, and don’t burn or bury your toilet paper—pack it out in resealable plastic bags. If you plan to stay at the campsite for several days, dig a new hole each day, being careful to replace the topsoil over the hole from the day before.
In addition to the plastic bags, your outdoor-toilet cache should include a garden trowel, toilet paper, and wet wipes. Select a trowel with a well-designed handle that can also double as a toilet paper dispenser.
• IF YOU WON’T BE HIKING TO A PRIMITIVE CAMPSITE, DON’T SKIMP ON FOOD. Plan tasty meals, and bring everything you’ll need to prep, cook, eat, and clean up. That said, don’t duplicate equipment such as cooking pots among the members of your group.
• KEEP A CLEAN KITCHEN AREA, and avoid leaving food scraps on the ground both during and after your visit. Maintain a group trash bag, and be sure to secure it in your vehicle at night. Many sites have a pack-in/pack-out rule, and that means everything: no cheating by tossing orange peels, eggshells, or apple cores in the shrubs.
• DO YOUR PART TO PREVENT BEARS, RACCOONS, SKUNKS, AND OTHER WILDLIFE FROM BECOMING CONDITIONED TO SEEK HUMAN FOOD. Store food (including canned goods, soft drinks, and beer) in your vehicle or in animal-proof containers. Keep your garbage secured, and don’t take food with you into your tent. You’ll also need to stow scented or flavored toiletries such as deodorant, toothpaste, and lip balm, as well as cooking grease and pet food.
On a related note, an unannounced approach, a sudden movement, or a loud noise will startle any wildlife that happens to wander through the campground. A surprised animal can be dangerous to you, to others, and to itself, so give animals plenty of space.
• USE ESTABLISHED FIRE RINGS, AND CHECK AHEAD TO FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH ALL RELEVANT FIRE RESTRICTIONS/BANS. (In Arizona, open fires are usually permitted except during especially dry times and in especially fire-vulnerable areas.) Make sure that your campfire is totally extinguished before you turn in for the night or before you leave your site. Please don’t burn your garbage—trash fires smell awful and often don’t burn completely, and fire rings fill with unsightly burned litter over time.
Check ahead to see if bringing your own firewood is allowed. If it’s not, buying firewood on-site (if available) may be preferable to gathering deadfall, which can be green and/or wet.
• DON’T WASH DISHES AND LAUNDRY OR BATHE IN STREAMS AND LAKES. Food scraps are unsightly and can be potentially harmful to fish, and even biodegradable dish soap can be harmful to fragile aquatic environments.
• BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. Be aware of quiet hours, especially when pulling into a campground after dark. Keep your pets leashed and under control. Avoid shining your headlights or flashlights into other campsites as you search for a spot. And please turn down your car stereo—that bass beat carries farther than you think.
In addition, walk on designated paths and roads, and respect the privacy of your neighbors by not strolling through their sites to get to the restrooms. You’ll also reduce damage to the foliage and keep the campground green by sticking to the main trail.
• MOST OF ALL, LEAVE YOUR CAMP CLEANER THAN YOU FOUND IT. In Girl Scouts, we were taught to scavenge around the campsite picking up every piece of trash we could find, even if it wasn’t ours. Make cleaning up into a game with your kids: whoever packs out the most twist ties, pop tops, and gum wrappers is the winner.
VENTURING AWAY FROM THE CAMPGROUND
If you decide to go for a hike, bike, or other excursion off-site, here are some safety tips.
• LET SOMEONE AT HOME OR AT CAMP KNOW WHERE YOU’LL BE GOING AND HOW LONG YOU EXPECT TO BE GONE. This can be a lifesaver if something untoward happens, and it also keeps your loved ones from worrying. We’re in the habit of sending Kirstin’s sister a text message once we decide where we we’re going to camp and then checking in when we arrive home.
• SIGN IN AND OUT OF ANY TRAIL REGISTERS PROVIDED. Leave notes on trail conditions if space allows—that’s your opportunity to alert others to any problems you encounter.
• DON’T ASSUME THAT YOUR PHONE WILL WORK ON THE TRAIL. Reception may be spotty or nonexistent, especially on a trail embraced by towering trees.
• ALWAYS CARRY FOOD AND WATER, EVEN FOR A SHORT HIKE. We recommend a minimum of 3 liters of water per person, per day. If you’re used to depending on water from lakes or streams, remember that most of Arizona’s few water sources are ephemeral and, when present, are frequently shared with livestock. Always treat so-called found water by boiling, filtering, or chemically treating it before drinking.
• ASK QUESTIONS. Public-land employees are on hand to help.
• STAY ON DESIGNATED TRAILS. If you become disoriented, assess your current direction, and then retrace your steps to the point where you went astray. Using a map, compass, and/or GPS unit, and keeping in mind what you’ve passed thus far, reorient yourself and trust your judgment on which way to continue. If you become absolutely unsure of how to continue, return to your vehicle the way you came in. Should you become completely lost, remaining in place and waiting for help is most often the best option for adults and always the best option for children.
• CARRY A WHISTLE. It could save your life if you get lost or injured.
• BE ESPECIALLY CAREFUL WHEN CROSSING STREAMS. Whether you’re fording a stream or crossing on a log, make every step count. If you have any doubt about maintaining your balance on a log, ford the stream instead: use a trekking pole or stout stick for balance and face upstream as you cross. If a stream seems too deep to ford, turn back.
• BE CAREFUL AT OVERLOOKS. While these areas provide spectacular views, they’re also potentially hazardous. Stay back from the edge of outcrops, and be absolutely sure of your footing.
• STANDING DEAD TREES AND STORM-DAMAGED LIVING TREES CAN POSE A REAL HAZARD TO TENT CAMPERS. These trees may have loose or broken limbs that could fall at any time. When choosing a campsite or just a spot to rest during a hike, look up—this is an especially important precaution in Arizona’s many fire-damaged areas.
• KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF ABNORMALLY HIGH BODY TEMPERATURE, OR HYPERTHERMIA. Lightheadedness and weakness are the first two indicators. If you feel these symptoms, find some shade, drink some water, remove as many layers of clothing as practical, and stay put until you cool down. Marching through heat exhaustion leads to heatstroke—which can be fatal. If you should be sweating and you’re not, that’s the signature warning sign. If you or a hiking partner is experiencing heatstroke, do whatever you can to get cool and find help.
• LIKEWISE, KNOW THE SYMPTOMS OF SUBNORMAL BODY TEMPERATURE, OR HYPOTHERMIA. Shivering and forgetfulness are the two most common indicators. Hypothermia can occur at any elevation, even in the summer—especially if you’re wearing lightweight cotton clothing. If symptoms develop, get to shelter, hot liquids, and dry clothes as soon as possible.
• MOST IMPORTANT, TAKE ALONG YOUR BRAIN. Think before you act. Watch your step. Plan ahead.
Now that your windshield is decked out in passes and your head is full of facts, take this handy book and get out there. The best tent camping in Arizona is waiting for you!
