Chiricahua Monument

[jacqueg]

Looking for a decent boon docking spot near the Monument. I wanted to stay at Bonita Canyon Campground, but they are all booked up.

Going to be there the first week in April.

Also, any attractive places to stay between Q and the Monument. 

I can keep a secret, if you'd rather not let the internet know what you know.

 

[MrNoodly]

Just before the entrance, to the right, is Pinery Canyon Road. After a couple of miles through private land it enters the National Forest and there are a series of nice boondocking sites among the trees. However, Pinery Canyon Road has some horrible washboard.

 

[jacqueg]

thanks!

Are we talking about 1 mph washboard or scrape off your hitch carrier washboard?

 

[user 423]

^
It's pretty bad and sometimes on roads like that you wonder if it might be better to speed up and just hit the high spots-

A few places where water crosses the road you have to be careful. I do remember dragging my hitch keeper a little but no real damage. I passed that way last June on the way to the Rustler Park CG (elev.8500'), which was a mistake as I overheated my transmission on the way up. The CG isn't that great either. The areas Mr.Noodly mentions would have been a better place to spend a few days.

I haven't been there but you might want to check out the Las Cienegas NCA and the Empire Ranch. If I remember correctly, Mr.Bullfrog has spent some time there:

https://www.blm.gov/national-conservation-lands/arizona/las-cienegas

https://www.empireranchfoundation.org/visit/visiting-policies/

 

[jacqueg]

^
It's pretty bad and sometimes on roads like that you wonder if it might be better to speed up and just hit the high spots-

that was Slim Potatohead's conclusion! But he got his little A-liner in and out with no damage except to his ketchup.

(about 9 minutes in)

Dunno whether I'll try it or not, I suspect it will depend on my mood when I get there.

thanks for the other suggestions!

 

[MrNoodly]

thanks!

Are we talking about 1 mph washboard or scrape off your hitch carrier washboard?

Sort of rearrange-the-contents-of-your-rig-and-shake-your-dental-work-loose washboard. Go the wrong speed and the rear of your rig swings out. The road smooths out once you get to the national forest boundary. But maybe the county has graded their section since I was there in October.

 

[abnorm]

""...Remove False teeth..............Tighten Bra straps""

 

[bullfrog]

I most always turn south at Gila Bend come through Ajo/Why and Tucson and hit I10 through Benson where BLM land is plentiful but I'm never in a hurry so I take lots of side trips that are 20 t0 70 miles. We usually winter at Caballo Loco as well but yeah lots of free camping in Southern Arizona you just need to get off the main roads. You guys realize the reason they get wash boarded is too much traffic going to fast right?

 

[highdesertranger]

" traffic going to fast right?"

This X2

Highdesertranger

 

[Cammalu]

""...Remove False teeth..............Tighten Bra straps""

Haha. I ran across one of those signs just the other day here in Quartzsite. As I was on the road I can attest it was no joke. It was a ROUGH road!

 

[MrNoodly]

...the reason they get wash boarded is too much traffic going to fast right?

You also get it in sections where it's necessary to apply extra power -- like going up hill (even at low speeds) after a tight turn — or where you need to apply brakes — like coming down that hill into a sharp turn. The application of torque or resistance slides the road surface around. That's particularly the case when you're towing something.

 

[wayne49]

Don't be in a hurry. Washboard is not so rough at slow speed, be patient, you will still get there.

Some people go fast in an futile attempt to only hit the peaks and not drop into the troughs. Idjits.

Washboard shouldn't scrape the hitch carrier, that would happen in deeper rollers.

 

[jacqueg]

Don't be in a hurry. Washboard is not so rough at slow speed, be patient, you will still get there.

Some people go fast in an futile attempt to only hit the peaks and not drop into the troughs. Idjits.

Washboard shouldn't scrape the hitch carrier, that would happen in deeper rollers.

 I know, I wanted to make sure we were all thinking about the same thing!

I do not mind moving slow at all. Driving is not a race, you don't win by getting there first, you win by getting there all in one piece.

 

[highdesertranger]

Not as good as Cammalu's but still funny,



I wonder what happened to the "er".  Someone has a sense of humor

Highdesertranger

 

[B and C]

Must be peel and stick lettering. You can see brighter paint where they used to be. I do like the humor.

 

[highdesertranger]

yeah that's what it was. Highdesertranger