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| View from Rabbit Valley Campground |
Exactly what goes into determining what makes a good free boondocking campsite? Is it the scenry, the remoteness, the amenities, or the weather? Is it a combination of several things? I really don't know, but I know a good campsite when I see it.
In reserve order, here are the top 6:
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| Actual campsite at Rabbit Valley |
6. Rabbit Valley Campground (BLM land off exit 2 on I-70 near Grand Junction, Colorado) This campsite made the top 6 for one main reason, solitude. Although we could see the interstate in the background, a little over a mile away, we couldn't hear it, and we were the only ones there.
We could only see the highway if we peaked around the side of the rocks, and it could not be seen from most of the sites. There is another free dispersed camping area near the exit, that is used much more often. Though Rabbit Valley did offer an outhouse and fire pits. The outhouse hadn't been drained in a very long time, so the smell was a little overwhelming, and the day we were there it was hot, so a fire was not needed. Also, it's in the high desert, so firewood would be hard to find. However, I will always remember the feeling of being by ourselves, isolated from civilization. There was a nice scenic dry canyon just a short hike away. The chipmunks were everywhere. I'm not sure why they didn't name it Chipmunk Valley! Note: We almost went to site closer to the river. However, another 1/4 mile down the road it gets extremely rough. I didn't feel comfortable taking our dually truck down it if that tells you anything.
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| Entrance to Meadow Valley Campground, near Spring Valley State Park |
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| Actual campsite at Meadow Valley |
5. Meadow Valley Campground (BLM campground about 1 1/2 miles south of Spring Valley State Park near Ursine, Nevada.) This campsite was set in a beautiful canyon. There campground has about 4 or 5 sites and one pit toilet. I didn't use it, so I can't attest to its condition. There are also fire pits and picnic tables at each site. Long trailers and/or motor homes are not advised to try this area. It's tight quarters. Having said that, I have seen travel trailers there, but it probably wasn't easy to get in. It is only a short distance to some good trout fishing at the state park. It can get a little windy at times, as the wind can really whip thru the narrow canyon. However, we really enjoyed our time at this spot.
I loved it here! It smelled like pine, it was well kept, the sites were large with a lot of trees and available firwood, and I like the bonus of a picnic table when I'm boondocking. It's hard to beleive that these places are FREE! :O)
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| Campsite near Salida, CO |
4. BLM campground 2 miles east of Salida, Colorado- To be honest, this might have been picked even higher on the list, but by the time we got there the best campsites were already taken. In a free campground there are no reservations. The site that we picked was just a few feet from the Arkansas River. As we slept that night, all that we could hear was the sound of the water rushing over the rocks and boulders in the stream. There were several fire pits located throughout the area. I remember getting up early to start a fire to make some hot chocolate. Near the boat ramp, the BLM built the best smelling pit toilet I had ever been in. It actually smelled like flowers! I don't know how, but it did! While at the campground, we met three people who had stopped by our camp to ask about our solar panel. It was wonderful to share stories with them. It really was a great place to camp. At the Chamber of Commerce's visitor center in Salida we were able to fill up with water, and the town had a Wal-Mart so we could stock up on some much needed supplies. As I said, the site we selected was a good site, but we think that there are even better ones.
Ok, I get the whole river thing, but, overall, I don't know if this one would have made my top 6 at all. I was surprised when I saw that Dean put it in here. Easy access to the beautifull river was nice, and he's right about the restroom, but I don't think I would purposely seek out this campground. The sites were small and undefined, and we were only a few yards from the highway.
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| Arkansas River near Salida, CO |
We'll reveal the top three in tomorrow's post. Happy Trails!
Inspiring blog, came from the cheaprvliving fourm. Lived in the back of my truck over the summer when in college in southern utah, now a doctor (veterinary) and man do I miss it.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever considered a four wheel or all terrain pop up truck camper? It'd be a step up in comfort, still easy on the mpg (low weight and wind resistance) and you can still get back into the backcountry ...if you aren't familiar check out wander the west dot com forums. There is also a thread called the used four wheel camper alert, its probably the best place to find a used camper, which can be VERY difficult.
Did you guys walk down to the river? I really wanted see it, but our rig is less capable than yours, and we only stayed at Rabbit Valley for one night.... due to the three digit temps.
ReplyDeleteWe were here about a week before you. I think that we were staying at 18 Road (Fruita Desert North) where the temps were slightly(!) cooler while you guys were in Chipmunk Valley.