RVing in SE Arizona

[steveboise6]

We wanted to escape the cold weather in Idaho for the SE corner of Arizona in February. Looking at the Benson and Wilcox areas. We like to travel around and go bird watching and hiking. Not looking to stay any longer than a couple of days in any one place. We have a 24 foot Class C Solera.

My question is if this area will be overcrowded with other snowbirds. Would we need to get camp reservations long in advance? We generally travel on the fly, but I am thinking this may not be a good idea for this trip.

Any advise or experiences in this part of Arizona would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks, Steve

[ravn53]

we go to sw Arizona in the Yuma area every feb. lots of snowbirds but we always get spots at the rv parks with no reserve.

[youroo]

You say Benson,AZ we recommend (Butterfield RV Resort and Observatory)! Class act! Youroo!!

[Emptypockets]

We have never been thru Benson in Feb but really doubt if you will need reservations.

[GOTTOYS]

Originally Posted by youroo

You say Benson,AZ we recommend (Butterfield RV Resort and Observatory)! Class act! Youroo!!

Butterfield is a nice park except for the noise from the train that blasts through town every hour or so day and night. We stayed at Cochese Terrace for several Winters. Beautiful park but not a lot to do for everybody. benson is a good choice for the area. Close to Tucson and all it has to offer. Benson itself isn't much and has a lot of transients. Staying a little ways out of town isn't a problem. Seems like the transient problem and pan handlers are all along I-10 in the Winter. I would call ahead and make a reservation. Like any nice RV park they will fill up.

[bob caldwell]

There here now! Quartzsite....

[SSmbs]

In Douglas on the SE Arizona border we found a county campground with full hookups next to a golf course. Nothing fancy but reasonable price and a plus if you golf.
A couple of private campgrounds in Deadwood for some old west history.
Bisbee an interesting old mining town.
I found the SE corner not busy at all compared to the SW corner. Was there 2 years ago and will be back in February.

[aspengirl]

Originally Posted by GOTTOYS

Butterfield is a nice park except for the noise from the train that blasts through town every hour or so day and night. We stayed at Cochese Terrace for several Winters. Beautiful park but not a lot to do for everybody. benson is a good choice for the area. Close to Tucson and all it has to offer. Benson itself isn't much and has a lot of transients. Staying a little ways out of town isn't a problem. Seems like the transient problem and pan handlers are all along I-10 in the Winter. I would call ahead and make a reservation. Like any nice RV park they will fill up.

We stayed at Cochise last winter, and loved it there. Even though we were only looking for five days there, it was good we made reservations as they fill quickly!

[aceinspp]

Quote:
Originally Posted by youroo
You say Benson,AZ we recommend (Butterfield RV Resort and Observatory)! Class act! Youroo!!

Originally Posted by GOTTOYS

Butterfield is a nice park except for the noise from the train that blasts through town every hour or so day and night. We stayed at Cochese Terrace for several Winters. Beautiful park but not a lot to do for everybody. benson is a good choice for the area. Close to Tucson and all it has to offer. Benson itself isn't much and has a lot of transients. Staying a little ways out of town isn't a problem. Seems like the transient problem and pan handlers are all along I-10 in the Winter. I would call ahead and make a reservation. Like any nice RV park they will fill up.

Youroo is use to trains, seeing he goes to the Rally in Goshen. Probably why he for got to mention. Later RJD

[Maggiewaggie]

You are fine in SE Arizona. Good birding south of Wilcox. Several good camps there. They don't fill. Don't miss the Chiricahua National Monument (your camper is small enough to use the campground but no plug-ins.) Ft Bowie has gravel road access but nice ruins and Cochise burial. tombstone is fun, they reenact on the streets. Bisbee has huge old mines, worth seeing the ruins. Also artist colony. Douglas has a walmart for restocking. Tiny Sonoita has a fairgrounds with campsites and hookups plus a restaurant/saloon nearby. Tucson has Davis Monthan AFB and a really great museum plus hundreds of unused jets. The Saguaro NM west has a campground but reservations needed. It is a lovely area and has an award winning desert museum. San Xavier mission just south of Tucson is history well preserved. I could go on and on. You will love it.

[dahagen]

I was a workcamper at Butterfield RV Park and Observatory in Benson last winter. I did the observatory shows and the campers loved it. Like most areas, get to your campground by happy hour and there are usually sites available. Butterfield filled up by 6 PM or so. And as a headquarters, there is a lot (make that a heck of a lot) to do in the area. I highly recommend Benson area for a few days, or a week. And you do get used to the trains.

[seigell]

Don't expect it to be "Tropical" down here!!
The hills around Willcox and Douglas, and Bisbee itself, got SNOW last Night. And Overnight Temps are expected to be only 15-20*F this week.
Remember, all these SE AZ locations are High Desert at over 3500ft - think the Clint Eastwood Movies.
Not to scare anyone off, but SE AZ isn't the same as the Sunny Warmth of Yuma or the Colorado River (but not as inundated with Snowbirds, either).

[Harkerr]

Silver City is fun in NM. Also Las Cruces is worth some time. Make sure you see Tombstone and Bisbee as well.

Pima Air Museum is fantastic. Worth a full day.

[Sharon455]

Originally Posted by youroo

You say Benson, AZ we recommend (Butterfield RV Resort and Observatory)! Class act! Youroo!!

x2. We live a few miles from Benson, and this park is very centrally located in town. Most of the sites are pull-thru. Walking distance to Safeway, Galleano's Restaurant, a regional bank, with a few other restaurants just a few more buildings down the street.

Snowbirds were hard to find for a few seasons, but they do seem to be coming back more this year. Even so, you should be able to find a suitable site.

[Blackrock]

If you are in to shotgun sports this place is popular. Camp and shoot trap and sporting clays all you want.
Double Adobe Campground And Shotgun Sports


SE Arizona is my home turf and I have seen lots of snowbird activity this winter. Roper Lake State Park is a good place to visit.

[Pebbles]

Roper Lake has a natural hot tub, it's our favourite place to camp. We live outside of Benson. It is cold here right now!

[Sharon455]

Originally Posted by Pebbles

Roper Lake has a natural hot tub, it's our favourite place to camp. We live outside of Benson. It is cold here right now!

Saint David is our center of operations! We are headed to Roper Lake on Christmas Eve!


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[Pebbles]

Good idea! I'd like to do that too!

[bob caldwell]

IT's also cold over here western Ar

[elind]

In the 70s this weekend in central Az.