Hello down there, Phoenix!!!!!

[Mike]

Hey all you folks from the great state of Arizona!!!
We are thinking of taking a walk up Camelback Mountain on our next trip south and west.
Could any of you kind folks from the vicinity recommend a good, safe, inexpensive RV
park in the greater Phoenix area with tent sites that could be filled with our 19' Roadtrek?
Serviced sites aren't our first choice, just a place to park for the night is all we really need.
Preferably close to the mountain itself.

TY in advance for any suggestions, or reasonable (boondock?) alternatives.

Mike.

[Davydd]

Mike,

You should plan on being in Arizona for the BEE Social April 28 near Tombstone, AZ.

[Mike]

It's always a possibility, but I have to ask, I try to follow the news around the world, and
with all the reports of the "problems" along the US/Mexico border, and particularly in
the Phoenix to Tucson corridor, do you have any concerns about the proximity of Tombstone
to the border with Mexico? I'm wondering if there might be safety issues?
I should add, I'm not trying to rain on anyone's party, I'm just curious as to whether or not
the situation depicted on the news is overblown.

[Davydd]

I'm not worried. I was in Big Bend National Park last year and could have walked across the Rio Grande. Two weeks ago when I went to Winnipeg and the Canadian border guard asked me if I had any fire arms. I said no. He then asked me whether I felt safe not carrying any. I wanted to retort, "Why? Did I make a wrong turn and end up at the Mexican border?" But then I felt I better not make jokes and just said I was not concerned.

[Mike]

Did you notice if he was wearing a sidearm? I doubt it, so it's odd he would make that kind of comment,
unless he felt intimidated for some reason. Although I think some guards are more aggressive and a little off
the wall with their questions sometimes, to see how you'll react. Of course, no reaction always seems to work.

I get the impression from some of the TV coverage that there's been an escalation of the violence in
the last few months. Seems like the drug gangs are getting bolder and more aggressive, and it's
beginning to spill northwards across the border at some points. We were in AZ last winter when that
rancher Krentz was gunned down on the border near Douglas. It was on the TV news at night.
It does sound like it would be fun. Tombstone, the OK Corral, Doc Holliday and the Earps, all that history,
just sounds fascinating.

[LesM]

I'm leaving tomorrow for my annual "drift" around Arizona. This time, I'm meeting a friend who's flying into Phoenix and I've booked a site for the night at Apache Palms RV Park (because he needs to know where I'll be when he lands at midnight). It's about as close to the airport as you can get, not too far from Camelback Mountain, but I doubt you can pitch a tent in there, Mike. For tenting, you might need to move further out of town to say Fountain Hills to the Northeast of town. Re Tombstone and the border ... I have no more concerns down that way than anywhere else. That whole area is reasonably well patrolled by the US DHS Border Patrol. If you haven't been to Tombstone, it's worth a visit - ditto Bisbee a litlle further south. The walk up Camelback is quite pleasant with excellent 360 views from the top. You could take a different trail down from the one you took up, if you don't mind a shuttle back to your B.
Les

[Mike]

Originally Posted by LesM

I'm leaving tomorrow for my annual "drift" around Arizona. This time, I'm meeting a friend who's flying into Phoenix and I've booked a site for the night at Apache Palms RV Park (because he needs to know where I'll be when he lands at midnight). It's about as close to the airport as you can get, not too far from Camelback Mountain, but I doubt you can pitch a tent in there, Mike. For tenting, you might need to move further out of town to say Fountain Hills to the Northeast of town. Re Tombstone and the border ... I have no more concerns down that way than anywhere else. That whole area is reasonably well patrolled by the US DHS Border Patrol. If you haven't been to Tombstone, it's worth a visit - ditto Bisbee a litlle further south. The walk up Camelback is quite pleasant with excellent 360 views from the top. You could take a different trail down from the one you took up, if you don't mind a shuttle back to your B.
Les

Thanks Les, great info. Much appreciated.
We wouldn't be looking to pitch a tent, just need a tent site, as we rarely ever hook up to anything but potable water
just to fill'er up for the toilet. We can make do with a smaller/cheaper no hookup site. Our usual goal is sleep and showers.
As for Camelback/Tombstone/Bisbee, we'd like to do a "wander" around ourselves next time out that way. We
use the shuttles sometimes when we're out and about, so that's not an issue either. Again, TY for the info.