Virus Issues Crossing From AZ to NV?

[iamk]

I'm heading out looking for cooler weather tomorrow April 22.

I'm currently boondocking near Morristown, AZ and the weather is supposed to start climbing into the 90s later this week and 100s next week.

I was thinking about heading to Pahrump, NV next as I work my way North.

Are there any virus issues (like getting stopped and turned back) crossing from AZ to NV?

 

[Almost There]

Have you considered just going UP!

For every 1,000 feet in elevation gain you lose typically something like 4 degrees F.

At this time of year, 4,000 feet elevation is usually sufficient and by early summer heading up to 7 to 8,000 feet works.

Cottonwood is around 3,000, Flagstaff is 7,000, Tusayan near the south rim of Grand Canyon is closer to 8,000.

Lots and lots of national forest and BLM to choose from without having to head to NV.

 

[iamk]

Oh I like that idea. [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Cottonwood sounds nice. Thank you.[/font]

 

[rvwandering]

We crossed from Arizona into Nevada about two weeks ago and we have friends that did it yesterday. No problems for either of us so you should be good to go.

 

[Qxxx]

Dear K, if you decide to go north through Nevada, I found these posts online. They are a couple of weeks old now, but indicate the border is open as usual. A huge amount of commercial trucking goes on I-15 and also US 93.

https://news3lv.com/news/coronavirus/gov-sisolak-issues-travel-advisory-for-state-of-nevada

https://news3lv.com/news/local/high...ts-that-nevada-california-border-remains-open

When I came north a month ago, I skirted Vegas and drove along Lake Mead NRA to Overton, but I believe the gobmint closed that highway down now.

If you do want to get to Pahrump by heading up US 93, you will have to go through major parts of Henderson and Vegas.

An alternate route, which avoids so much of Vegas, would take you from Kingman over past Laughlin and then up US 93 to Searchlight, and you can cut over to I-15 from there on Rte 164. Then, as you come into the very south end of Vegas, you can turn off I-15 and right onto Rte 160 to Pahrump. It's longer but also fun country to drive through.

If you want the long scenic route (my favorite), you can go to Searchlight, and across to I-15, then west to Baker, and up to Pahrump on Rte 127.

 

[DannyB1954]

I am in Pahrump the weather here is nice, but summer is around the corner. Some places are getting unwelcoming to campers. So far Pahrump is pretty diverse with most people being from somewhere else. Mostly older people as well. I have not heard of anyone being hassled on BLM land that surrounds this town.
The traffic should be light coming here through Henderson and Vegas.

From where you are, Prescott is higher elevation, and it is on the way to Flagstaff where summers are nice. There was camping in Prescott in the National forest but you would have to see if they are still open. I just gave directions to someone else for camps in Prescott, so if you want a link to that I will get it for you

 

[iamk]

Dear K, if you decide to go north through Nevada, I found these posts online. They are a couple of weeks old now, but indicate the border is open as usual. A huge amount of commercial trucking goes on I-15 and also US 93.

https://news3lv.com/news/coronavirus/gov-sisolak-issues-travel-advisory-for-state-of-nevada

https://news3lv.com/news/local/high...ts-that-nevada-california-border-remains-open

When I came north a month ago, I skirted Vegas and drove along Lake Mead NRA to Overton,  but I believe the gobmint closed that highway down now.

If you do want to get to Pahrump by heading up US 93, you will have to go through major parts of Henderson and Vegas.

An alternate route, which avoids so much of Vegas, would take you from Kingman over past Laughlin and then up US 93 to Searchlight, and you can cut over to I-15 from there on Rte 164. Then, as you come into the very south end of Vegas, you can turn off I-15 and right onto Rte 160 to Pahrump. It's longer but also fun country to drive through.

If you want the long scenic route (my favorite), you can go to Searchlight, and across to I-15, then west to Baker, and up to Pahrump on Rte 127.

Thank you for the border update. I like the Searchlight route recommendation that avoids the population centers.

 

[iamk]

From where you are, Prescott is higher elevation, and it is on the way to Flagstaff where summers are nice. There was camping in Prescott in the National forest but you would have to see if they are still open. I just gave directions to someone else for camps in Prescott, so if you want a link to that I will get it for you

Thank you. I'm going to explore the Cottonwood area tomorrow to see if I can find cooler public land. Prescott looks nice but I wonder if it is still too cool (5,300' instead of 3,300')?

 

[Qxxx]

Prescott weather for the next 10 days is no lower than about 50F at night, and sunny days. Not too bad. I remember my month in Quartzsite in this past January, and it was like low-30s every night.
Enjoy.

https://weather.com/weather/tenday/l/Prescott+AZ

 

[MG1912]

Ha! I just left the low desert today, too! The past three months have been glorious, with most days so nice I could just sit outside in the shade and enjoy nature all day long... literally all day long until after sunset. But the mercury will climb to 100 soon, and as much as I like it in the desert, I don't think I'll enjoy that desert heat in an RV. Even if I had 1000 watts of solar and a situation to run AC all day, I'd just be inside all day long while the desert bakes outside.

 

[GntlStone]

Thank you. I'm going to explore the Cottonwood area tomorrow to see if I can find cooler public land. Prescott looks nice but I wonder if it is still too cool (5,300' instead of 3,300')?

I'm currently living in Sedona & the weather is really nice. Check out forest service roads 525 & 89b.

 

[Qxxx]

... then up US 93 to Searchlight ....

To K, I see I typo'ed, should have said "US 95 to Searchlight", but I'm sure you figured that out, .

 

[iamk]

To wrap up this thread, I spent the morning scouting around Cottonwood AZ, and particularly Jerome. Beautiful country. I drove about 50+ miles along an unpaved, unimproved narrow road from the top of Jerome to where it met up with Hwy 89 again. I think it might have been named "Arizona Hwy 71". I saw only 4WD trucks, a schoolie and my (lifted) van on this road, and I wouldn't think anything else would be advised since you need clearance to pull of this narrow road, climb over the burms, and explore potential camp sites.

The views were amazing, and there are lots of flat spots to pull off and camp, and some with fire rings. However, the one place that had cell service was occupied (by the schoolie). I scouted about 20 camp sites total before giving up.

So pulling back onto Hwy 89 I immediately ran into the "Thai Spot" for take out (I now recommend) and followed Q's instructions to Pahrump.

I was amazed at all of the Highway Patrol vehicles I saw starting from US 93 all the way until Rte 160. I must have counted two dozen. The roads were mostly bare of travelers other than me. Maybe there are always that many patrol cars and I was just seeing them because there was basically no traffic?

I did notice one of those big LED highway signs on I-15 that said "If you are arriving from California then you must self quarantine for two weeks".

Here's the address of that great little Thai restaurant.
Thai Spot
316 W. Perkinsville Rd #2
Chino Valley, AZ
86323

 

[MotorVation]

I'm getting ready to leave Kingman and head up higher in elevation. It's supposed to be 94-95 here Saturday and Sunday. The weather's been pretty nice here but I think I left the low desert a little earlier than I should have. I'm gonna check out a spot on the way to Williams and take it from there. 

There's a BLM campground called Wild Cow right up the hill (8 miles or so) at over 6000 ft but from what I gather, there's no cell signal. I got that from a guy I've been camping next to. He spends most of the year around here. It's a pay (5$ a night) campground which isn't too awful but I gotta have my internet

 

[Qxxx]

Well K, I'm glad you made it to the fabled land of Pahrump. Now you know what all the "excitement" is about. LOL. Offhand, I assume the casinos are closed, but Walmart and Albertsons, and gas stations, are open. And maybe Home Depot. Anything else?

Pahrump is not very high in elevation, so will be getting warm there in a couple of months. Eg, 105F. Tonopah to the north is at 6,000', but I have no idea about boondocking options there. Another option for elevation is over along 395 in the eastern Sierra (wonderful area), with lots of BLM and NF lands, but I have no idea whatsoever what the situation is over there anymore. Everything is just so weird.

 

[wayne49]

Highway enforcement seems to be stepped up around Pahrump.

I noticed in my last two trips, the earlier one a NV HP setup for a radar trap on 160 around Irene in Pahrump, and the later trip, a Nye County Sheriff vehicle doing the same near Leslie and 160.

I also noticed that on those two trips, serious MVAs with first responders actively working the scenes. Stuff has happened before when I was in Pahrump, but I never saw a scene in progress. Pre virus I would see EMTs and Deputies with lights and sirens, but never saw where they went.

Crazy times.

 

[wayne49]

If your coming to Pahrump to escape the heat, the current ten day forecast has highs in the nineties with lows in the sixties.

June is when the high temps in Pahrump go above 100F.

 

[DannyB1954]

Highway enforcement seems to be stepped up around Pahrump.

Coming in from Las Vegas hHighway 160 has always been a revenue generator, (speed trap). Especially North of Homestead rd. where the speed limit drops to 35. Looking at the road, (4 lane) you would assume it was 45 if you missed the sign. If the highway patrol don't get you Nye county will.