Summer Boondocking in the Williams/Flagstaff AZ area?

mkitchen · Jan 3, 2018

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I am very new to the forum and have not seen any references to the Williams and Flagstaff areas of Arizona. As far as back country camping goes, I have always felt that the Kaibab and Coconino National Forests were some of the best spots to go. I have been camping up there for 20+ years and love it. My brother usually stays up there for two to three months through the summer and I usually get up there for a few weeks anyway. There are so many spots to camp and many are quite close to town.  [/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]It would be fun to know where other like minded folks are staying so we could get together for the occasional meetup for coffee etc. So are there a few of you that frequent that area?  [/font]
[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Mikey[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]PS Being a bear of very little brain, I posted this thread on the campground section and since it deals with boondock camping, it's more appropriate in this section. If one of the moderators sees fit to remove it from that section, please feel free to do so.  [/font]

SondraRose · Jan 3, 2018

I would love to know some of your fave spots! My husband and I live in Tucson and want to explore that area this summer. We are part-timers for now.

jimindenver · Jan 3, 2018

I hosted the summer GTG in Flagstaff last year on A1 mountain road and then moved down to the Meadow beyond it. By late June it was getting up into the mid 90's every day.

DLTooley · Jan 4, 2018

Here in SW Colorado, not that far away, June is the hottest month. It cools down with the start of the Summer Monsoon. There is higher altitude here in Colorado which is cooler, but it is also high enough to give some people altitude problems - the older you are the greater the risk. If the monsoon gets heavy moving down to a lower elevation brings better weather quickly.

There are lots of good spots. Freecampsites has many, and I have several posted in this area. Exploring is one of the best parts of advanced van dwelling. Do use judgment on which spots you share. Some are appropriate for heavier use, some are best kept semi-private.

mkitchen · Jan 4, 2018

Hi Sondra. a few areas that are real popular for us are:
1. Fourth st. in Williams turns into Perkinsville rd when heading south and it takes you towards Dog Town and White Horse reservoirs. That whole area has lots of mountain meadows that are great for camping.
2. A 1 Mountain rd, just one mile west of Flagstaff exit for Rt 66. Head north and again, you will find some very nice flat spots that see little traffic and make a good spot to stay for a while.
3. Another area that I like is a bit further. Head north on Hwy 89 to the turn off for Sunset Crater/Wupatki. The crater is east of 89 and if you turn west, you will find forest service road 418. 418 goes around the north end of the peaks and again there are some very nice meadows to stay at. Note 418 can get quite a bit of traffic and dust so you are better to find a small road off of it and then camp.

These are but a few of the spots that I like. I usually have my pickup and I also bring along my motorbike to explore on. A Coconino and Kaibab map will keep you busy for a long time. I have been primarily camping in one spot south of Williams for over 20 years and that spot is my absolute favorite and I am reluctant to share that one location but there are so many very nice places to camp.
Good luck and enjoy.
Mikey

mkitchen · Jan 4, 2018

jimindenver said:
I hosted the summer GTG in Flagstaff last year on A1 mountain road and then moved down to the Meadow beyond it. By late June it was getting up into the mid 90's every day.

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is a GTG? A1, I am very familiar with as my first camp there was in 1985 without a tent and traveling in a Honda Civic. It rained all night that first night and I ended up sleeping in the Civic. Picture someone that is 6'7" trying to sleep in a Civic and you can imagine my joy of camping that night. The next few nights were dryer and more comfortable.

June of last year was a lot warmer than the norm for the whole state. In June 105 is a pretty hot day in Kingman, where I live. Yet last June we had a bunch of days that were in the high teens every day. The Colorado river was hitting the mid to high 120's. Ouch, that's hot even for a desert rat like me. I am hoping that this summer is not a carbon copy of last year. The monsoons were really hefty too when they came.
Mikey