The Four Corners: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. Two out of three ain't bad, three out of four is good. They're my stomping' grounds, except for Utah. Utah's good when you have an adventure there; just get yourself to and from the adventure without encountering an activist cop. I've seen kids with backpacks unloaded onto the ground while cops looked for … well, pot in all likelihood.
I just completed a neat loop. I spent my first night in the Prescott National Forest. There's an exit off I-17 for the city of Prescott. I turned the other way and entered the National Forest within seconds. I spent the day in one beautiful spot, but moved before dark because I got stared at too long by some folks in a pickup truck. Didn't like the vibe and they looked local. Many locals think the woods belong to them because they live there. If you want to enjoy the American West you need to adapt to an alien mindset. These locals who think they trump you (damn tree-huggers, damn forest rangers- gov'ment) are the Indians. You're the army. Camp on, Smokey. American gun culture may be of benefit to me on these trips. They don't know but what I am armed.
Now this kind of car camping is what you should expect by all rights, even though I'm writing about pull-outs on National Forest roads, not campgrounds. You should expect other people to drive by and you must know they may not want you there. Don't spook, you have your rights, too, and they may be afraid of you. But I love the Four Corners because, more often than not, those cars just drive by with a wave. You find your spot and it's yours. It's yours for two weeks, citizen.
The next night I went into the Coronado National Forest outside of Tucson. My pullout provided a view of the city. From dusk on my only bother was the three and four wheel vehicles heading down the hill. That was over by true darkness.
For two nights I camped for free with my dogs near Arizona's two largest cities, Phoenix and Tucson. It only gets better the farther you go from cities. I went to Safford, Arizona and headed toward the Gila National Forest. Aldo Leopold wilderness. A mile or so into New Mexico and the place was mine. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
I just completed a neat loop. I spent my first night in the Prescott National Forest. There's an exit off I-17 for the city of Prescott. I turned the other way and entered the National Forest within seconds. I spent the day in one beautiful spot, but moved before dark because I got stared at too long by some folks in a pickup truck. Didn't like the vibe and they looked local. Many locals think the woods belong to them because they live there. If you want to enjoy the American West you need to adapt to an alien mindset. These locals who think they trump you (damn tree-huggers, damn forest rangers- gov'ment) are the Indians. You're the army. Camp on, Smokey. American gun culture may be of benefit to me on these trips. They don't know but what I am armed.
Now this kind of car camping is what you should expect by all rights, even though I'm writing about pull-outs on National Forest roads, not campgrounds. You should expect other people to drive by and you must know they may not want you there. Don't spook, you have your rights, too, and they may be afraid of you. But I love the Four Corners because, more often than not, those cars just drive by with a wave. You find your spot and it's yours. It's yours for two weeks, citizen.
The next night I went into the Coronado National Forest outside of Tucson. My pullout provided a view of the city. From dusk on my only bother was the three and four wheel vehicles heading down the hill. That was over by true darkness.
For two nights I camped for free with my dogs near Arizona's two largest cities, Phoenix and Tucson. It only gets better the farther you go from cities. I went to Safford, Arizona and headed toward the Gila National Forest. Aldo Leopold wilderness. A mile or so into New Mexico and the place was mine. Smoke 'em if you got 'em.
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