By Sal & Rebecca, The Tin Can Travelers – We use affiliate links. When you click an affiliate link, we may receive a small compensation at no cost to you.
If you’re a full-time RVer, chances are you’ve heard of Quartzsite Arizona. And if not… it’s only a matter of time until you do. Like now! Consider this post part of your introduction to the small desert town referred to as the “RV boondocking capital of the world.” After we tell you a little bit about it, we’ll give you our opinions on this sought-after destination.
A Little About The Town
Quartzsite is located in western Arizona approximately twenty miles east of the Colorado River on I-10. The small town, with a permanent population of somewhere around 4,000 residents, welcomes over one million visitors every year. And the majority of those visitors arrive in RV’s during the months of January and February. It’s truly a spectacle!
Quartzsite, AZ is so popular that it’s almost become a rite of passage for RVers. It is to full-time RVing what Boston is to marathons. At least that’s what they say. Now, I don’t know how true that really is, but after hearing it for almost three years on the road, you know we had to go check it out.
Why Is It So Popular?
Well, there’s a myriad of reasons for this locale’s popularity. Even if you’ve been to Quartzsite and don’t particularly care for it, there’s no denying that. But in case you haven’t been, here’s a fraction of the reasons RVers flock to Quartzsite:
The Weather
With an average temperature of 65 degrees (daytime) and 40/50’s (nighttime) in January and February, it’s no wonder snowbirds and full-time RVers ride out the winter months in Quartzsite.
Dirt Cheap And Even Free Camping
Quartzsite is surrounded by BLM (Bureau of Land Management) land where RVers can camp for free. LTVA’s (Long Term Visitor Areas), also run by BLM, are dirt cheap ($40.00 for 14 days) and give you access to trash receptacles and dump and fill stations. Either way, however, you’re boondocking. If you don’t like boondocking, you’ll have a ton of RV parks in town to choose from. But like any other popular destination spot, you’ll need to reserve it well in advance. For more detailed information on navigating Quartzsite BLM, permits for LTVA’s and their costs, use of sanitation dump and fill stations and local conveniences, read “Boondocking In Quartzsite, AZ: What You Need To Know.”
World-Famous Quartzsite Sports, Vacation & RV Show
This show is the largest trade show in the US and possibly the world. It includes hundreds of vendors selling everything from RV kitchen appliances to solar panels and generators. It is everything RV related, and even some stuff that’s not! So, whether you’re in the market for an RV or just parts and accessories, you’ll most likely find it here.
(Inside The BIG Tent)
(RV’s)
Tyson Wells Market Centre (Flea Market)
You’ll find items such as clothing, tools, RV supplies, leather goods, pet supplies, TV antennas (like the one we bought here to help us catch our favorite shows while boondocking), home décor, Quartzsite memorabilia and much more.
Rock, Gem And Mineral Shows
Countless rocks, gems, minerals and crystal products, from all over the world, can be found here. Some are quite beautiful… and expensive! Many visitors to Quartzsite make the trip just for this.
Exploring The Sonoran Desert
Anyone looking out onto to the desert horizon may find it flat, brown and boring, but those with ATV’s know otherwise. There are lots of trails throughout the desert leading up and over the hills into beautiful valleys in between. And it’s not just the destination that’s awesome… getting there is a blast, too!
There’s lots more to do in Quartzsite, such as visiting the museums, the Tomb of Hi Jolly, checking out the petroglyphs and grinding holes, and much more. But we’ll stop here because continuing to list the reasons people visit Quartzsite every year, and choose to stay months at a time, doesn’t guarantee you’ll enjoy it, too. So, lets get to whether or not we think Quartzsite is as great as everything above should indicate it is…
Rebecca’s Thoughts On Quartzsite
Well… I’m a Nay! But before I bash Quartzsite, let me tell you what I did like about it. I appreciated the weather and the cheap RV parking (we opted to stay in one of the LTVA’s), and I loved the sunsets. Ain’t nothin’ quite like Arizona sunsets! I also appreciated the chance to try our hand at long term boondocking. But most of all, we made new friends we never would’ve had we not visited Quartzsite. And a couple of these friends took us Jeepin’ through the desert and into those beautiful valleys I mentioned earlier, which was a new experience for us and an absolute blast! OK… that’s the good stuff! Now on to…
The Bad
Unfortunately, the town itself is what I didn’t care for. It’s drab – brown, boring, transient, and just one RV park after another. The whole thing looks like a flea market. There’s not much of a food scene there, either. The restaurants we did try were decent, but nothin’ to scream the streets about. I wasn’t even impressed with the RV show. Granted, we were there in January of this year and RV dealerships had everything on back order, so I’ll cut it some slack.
Additionally, and this one’s a little more personal… I really don’t like using bathroom facilities other than my own. Unfortunately, boondocking requires you to conserve onboard water and taking showers is the quickest way to deplete it. Quartzsite does have shower facilities in town for this reason (and they’re clean), but when you’re a bit of a germaphobe like me, using them is torture. They’re also $9.00 a pop!
(Torture Chamber)
And yes, I get it! It’s a small desert town, so what did I expect, right? Well, based on the number of visitors every year and all the hype behind it, I expected a lot more!
Sal’s Thoughts On Quartzsite
Sal mostly appreciated the fact that the town is definitely set up to accommodate RVers. With RV mechanics, solar, propane, dump and freshwater fill stations, parts and accessories for “everything RV,” you can find anything you need. If something goes wrong with your rig, or even worse, if it breaks down, Quartzsite is where you want to be (or close to it)! There’s no denying that.
Unfortunately, though, Sal’s a “Nay” too. Like me, he appreciated the cheap parking with plenty of space for everyone to have their own slice of privacy, but he was pretty disappointed with the town itself. With a lack of grocery stores and activities (other than off-roading), combined with a visually unpleasant town, he found it “just ok.” And don’t get us wrong… we don’t expect every desert town to look like Sedona, but Quartzsite is pretty run down.
Will We Be Back?
Surprisingly, after all that, we actually will. Why? Because it’s cheap, the weather’s great and we meet awesome people! It’s also a great place for us to bang out some content for our website and social media platforms without too many distractions. There are some pretty cool locations outside of Quartzsite, too. Kofa National Wildlife Refuge is nearby and Lake Havasu, which we loved, is about an hour’s drive away. And don’t forget to pull off at Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge and the Colorado River vista on your way to Lake Havasu.
(Kofa National Wildlife Refuge)
(Lake Havasu)
(Pull Off)
We’d also like to give the RV show another shot since we know the last one was affected by a shortage of inventory. So, between the benefits of camping in an “RV town” and all the great cookouts, nights by the fire and sticker swaps we had while there, Quartzsite will suffice for now… until we find another location to ride out some of the colder months. Don’t forget to check out “Boondocking In Quartzsite, AZ: What You Need To Know” for more detailed information on navigating Quartzsite BLM, permits for LTVA’s and their costs, use of sanitation dump and fill stations, and local conveniences. And with that, we’ll call it a wrap!
If you’ve been to Quartzsite, tell us what you think of the town.
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Yes, loved quartzsite but better have some groceries when you get there. We enjoyed the gems, but didn’t do an extended stay. Had to move once for an impending gully washer. We realky loved over- wintering in the Foothills area of Yuma. Close enough for services but quiet, safe, and lovely neighbors as well.
This year we’ll venture out to Yuma and check it out, we’ve heard so many great things about it. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.
We spent the night in Quartzite back in 1987 and agree with your disappointment in the town. We were there in summer and it was a ghost town but still intriguing. We never made it back for winter, but we live in Florida and have great winter weather, too. I think it would be great fun to winter with a bunch of RVers, though.
Hi Cheryl… Thanks for the read! Wintering with a group of RVers would be fun! We saw some of that while we were there. We’ll add that to the “positive” things about Quartzsite since that list isn’t too long 😉. Do love the weather and sunsets though 👍🏼
You missed the spot on this one. I live on my bike and have wintered in Q-town the past 2.5 winters. The first time I was there (only 1 month), I thought, “Yuck. Not coming back here.” However, it grew on me. There’s a lot you didn’t mention here, including the fact that one of the best things about the town (due to the visitors, NOT the locals) is how easy it is to get into a conversation anywhere – at the market, at the library, etc. For me, that’s one of the benefits. The other great benefit of the town is that anyone can borrow books at the library – you don’t need to be a resident! They don’t seem to have many new books, but there’s still a lot to choose from as well as a full room of books for sale. Most RV’ers don’t know about it because they stay in your RV’s. Also, there is an array of activities, however they’re over at the QIA which is hidden if you don’t know it exists. I think most of the activities are for older folks, but I don’t know how strict they are on that (I’m not quite there yet). There’s also a senior center. As for the weather, it definitely gets down into the upper 30’s in the dead of winter, so let’s not exaggerate about that. This past winter was warmer than normal and there were only 2 ugly days. As for showers, anyone in the know doesn’t pay that (now) $9 price at the laundromat. Cindy at the haircutting salon down the street only charges $5, as well as the Rose RV park (not sure about the name) on the east end of the road where the shows are. I was also told last winter or the winter before that the Arco gas station has showers (and the rate was much cheaper than normal for a trucker stop). I visited the big top show as well and didn’t see what all the hoopla was about. I don’t believe for a minute it’s the biggest of anything. And finally, there’s the wildlife that lives in the immediate area – coyotes, quail, hare, roadrunners, tarantulas (best seen in October), owls, chipmunks (?), different birds, bats and I’m sure others I’ve not seen/heard. 🙂 Do know that last year, due to the fake beer virus, about half as many winter visitors were in Q-town than normal. You might want to give it another shot in the future.
We are glad you gave our blog a read. This was a follow up post to an earlier one we did on Quartzsite called “Boondocking In Quartzsite, AZ: What You Need To Know.” Much of what you mentioned was in this earlier post. We will be back this Winter and hope to see you there. Take care and thanks again for the read.