A Truck Camping Tour of Southern Arizona

Since relocating to Flagstaff, AZ we haven’t had much time to head out and camp. So we figured the perfect introdcution to the vast deserts this state has to offer was to head out for an extended weekend, spending a night in three very different desert regions.

When most people seem to think of Arizona, they almost always assume it’s all desert, and hot year-round. However, that is not the case. Most of northern Arizona is not in a desert at all, and where we are living, in Flagstaff, we get a decent amount of snow that sticks around for about three months of the year. Because of this, we were looking for a warm escape from our snow-covered forests that we have been hiking through all winter.

First, let’s define what a desert is.  Just because a place is hot and seemingly dry for most of the year does not alone make it a true desert. To be categorized as a legitimate desert, the land must receive less than 10 inches of rainfall per year. 

There are four major deserts in North America: the Great Basin, the Mojave, the Chihuahuan, and the Sonoran. However, here we will be focusing on the most prominent in Arizona, and the final in our list, the Sonoran Desert.

The Sonoran Desert

The Sonoran Desert stretches over roughly 100,000 square miles, and it is the only North American desert that does not have cold winters. Like most of the state of Arizona, the Sonoran Desert receives most of its rainfall during monsoon season which typically runs from July – September. While the desert is known for the colossal saguaro cactus, plenty of other vegetation exists in the region including barrel cactus, yucca, cholla, ocotillo, creosote, and countless others. Animal life like mule deer and peccaries are spotted often, but some other lesser seen include Gila monsters and the desert tortoise. The Sonoran Desert has also be inhabited by many, dating back to the 16th century. It wasn’t until the 19th century that western styled ranching and mining began in the area. Today, millions call this desert home as large cities have formed like Phoenix and Tucson. 

So, to better learn about the varying landscapes and regions within this desert, Sami and I took off for a few nights of camping and hiking with the dog. We stopped for a night in three very different locations that are all part of the Sonoran Desert. Our plan was to get an overview in order to better know what we are in for when we return to one specific zone to explore it on a deeper level during a longer stay in the future. 

Day 1

We left Flagstaff around 8 A.M. on Friday morning with nowhere specific planned for our final destination of the night. We knew we wanted to end up down near the Mexican border and we did just that. Patagonia, Arizona is a small town only approximately 18 miles from the border, and over the last several years this quaint settlement of under 1000 people has seen an increase in tourism. Many of these people using the town as a hub to refuel and resupply during their trips into the desert backcountry. While I am not going to comment on the effects on the town because of this here, we did not end up heading all the way into Patagonia and instead headed off Arizona Scenic Highway 83 a few miles north and found our own secluded spot to spend the night perched on one of the many rolling hills that flow through the area. 

The landscape found here does not resemble a traditional Arizona desert. There are no skyscraping Saguaro cacti and instead lining the sloping topography is tall, dry grass that waves and shivers as the wind blows. As we descended along the eastern edge of the Sonoran, we found ourselves remarking over and over again how it looked like something we would assume to find in Africa, or Western Australia. 

The wind was howling that day, and although we could have pulled the truck into a more protected, shallow valley that was only a quick drive to the other side of the crest, we chose to make camp at the highest point. From here we would have the full view of the night sky as it filled, almost overfilled, with stars – there were no obstructions to our field of vision, and we could see every constellation that was visible to the naked eye. That is, until the nearly full moon came peaking over the hillside.  

Thankfully, when we finished our evening movie, projected to us on Earth’s sky, the three of us were able to hunker down in the shelter of the camper. From inside we wouldn’t have even noticed the wind had it not been for the Aeolian sound as it surged over the hillside.

Day 2

Waking to the sunrise forming over the mountaintop directly outside the camper window, we emerged for our morning cup of coffee and packed our bags for an early hike along the nearby section of the Arizona Trail. Packing only the essentials; enough water for the two of us, plus plenty extra for the dog, my camera with a couple of lenses, the Garmin InReach satellite phone, and of course a Leatherman multi-tool – mandatory for any desert excursion for removing cactus spines with the plyers. 

We arrived back at our camp before noon, and after quick bite to eat, we set off for our next stop on our recon mission of southern Arizona. We soon pulled into a nice and concealed campsite on Arizona State Trust land just north of the town of Tucson. Here we discovered the towering saguaro cacti we were hoping to camp alongside. 

Our second day went a lot like the first. After we found a spot to camp, we took the dog out on a hike to explore out our surroundings. We followed double track up and around some steep, loose, rutted out jeep trails. Once we reached the highest point, we paused for a moment to wait and watch as the sun set over the hillside to the west. A Cooper’s Hawk circled overhead searching for its evening dinner. Its screeches filled the desert floor below.

Back at the tailgate kitchen of our truck camper, we whipped up some bean quesadillas topped in some of the best habanero salsa – an easy meal, perfect for the long day we spent outside. As the light from the setting sun faded, we sat out again and finished the previous night’s movie in the sky.

Day 3

Again, we woke early, and fixed up some much-needed coffee – strong as could be, just the way I like it. Pancakes we on the menu for breakfast, but Rider had other plans. So, instead we took another morning hike right out of our camp.

 There is so much to see around every corner and these jaunts from wherever we end up parking for the night always go to prove that. No need to sift through the various internet sites attempting to find the absolute best hike in the area. Just get out of the car, put down the phone and walk around. Find out what’s over that hill, follow that wash through the canyon, pull a fistful of cholla out of your ankle, draw the binoculars to your eyes and observe the buzzards that soar overhead.

Thankfully, packing up camp is quick and painless with the new camper setup, and I was even able to get a plate full of those pancakes, thanks Sami! On the way out of town we stopped for our second, and final, fuel stop before heading north along the beautiful Pinal Pioneer Parkway. During our drive in mid-March, both sides of the highway were lined with countless screamingly green saguaros and the most incredible blooming flowers. 

“Even if it is slower, I’d do this drive every time we come back through here,” I reminisced to Sami.

She agreed.

After dreadfully making our way across the Phoenix metropolitan, we made it to our turn off outside Black Canyon City. The Black Canyon Trail is an 80 long-distance trail fit for the likes of bikepacking or backpacking, and our camp for the night was on BLM land only about 100 yards from the singletrack.

However, our site was littered with all sorts of trash when we arrived. It didn’t take long for use to crack open a few of our remaining ice-cold beverages and get to work cleaning the spot up. We filled multiple trash bags with garbage, and most of it was bullet casings and glass. A message to everyone using public lands to shoot guns: Put a tarp down to catch all the empties like the rest of us, and when they miss the tarp, pick them up! Also, when are people going to learn, stop bringing glass outdoors! When it breaks it is nearly impossible to completely pick it up. Now is a perfect time to advocate that any 4wd tourer/car camper travel with a spare tire trash bag. Since adding one to my rig, I’ve been able to pack out so much more than I could before. At the very least, set aside a spot in your truck/car to pack out a bit extra and leave your campsites cleaner than when you arrived.

After a sunset hike along a short section of the Black Canyon Trail, we made our way into the camper for an early night. We flicked on the camp lights and put on Rider’s new LED dog collar light so we could keep an eye on him in the dark while he laid out watching the occasional truck drive by our camp. With all of the side windoors of the campers open we played a few games of checkers while we discussed some changes we may want to make to our new truck camper setup. Among most important for the both of us were some form of self-recovery tools like Maxtrax, not only for in the event that we get stuck in soft mud or sand, but these recovery boards are strong enough to support the entire weight of a vehicle and can be used to make a bridge if need be. 

Morning soon came and we began our short journey back home. Taking a new route back to the highway than we came in on, we were able to see some bonus scenery as we made the discission just as we were starting up the truck. 

This trip proved to be an excellent introduction to the diversity found in some of Arizona’s portions of the Sonoran Desert. We will most certainly be returning to all these locations and exploring them deeper. This weekend was a way for us to stick our toes in and see for ourselves how different the landscape can change in a matter of miles. 

Feel free to watch the quick, and rough, video of the trip below.