Whether you have a heater in your van or not, boondocking in Arizona in winter is likely on your radar. If it’s not, I highly recommend adding it because of the vast amount of public land, warm(er) weather, and the nomad community.
But what else is there besides a wide-open desert and cacti?! The epicness of Arizona in winter doesn’t always come across at first glance. However, once you spend a little time exploring, you’ll understand why nomads migrate there from all over the country.
Not far from fantastic boondocking, there are plenty of activities for van lifers and vehicle dwellers (as well as your friendly road tripper!)
I’ve spent many winters driving around Arizona in winter chasing nights above 30 degrees Fahrenheit. I’ll set you up with the tools I use in daily van life so you can find your own hidden gem areas.
Since you clicked on a post about boondocking, I gathered 10 of my favorite things to do for FREE or low cost. The low to mid cost category really only becomes mid-cost if you’re buying for multiple people.
List of Contents
Van Life in Arizona in Winter: More than Escaping the Cold
I’ll never forget my Mom asking why I wanted to go to the desert for so long when “everything is dry and dusty.” In my opinion, the dust is just like being on the beach and having sand everywhere…I was just happy to be outside.
Here’s the secret…winter in Arizona isn’t as dry and brown.
Arizona gets quite a bit of rain in the winter, and thus, is quite green! It’s not the super blooms of spring, but everywhere you look, there are unique shades of green that differ between cacti.
This list of things to do is (admittedly) outdoorsy. However, you did arrive at a blog run by a thru-hiker and van lifer. Don’t let me scare you…you don’t need to be a thru-hiker to enjoy many of the things to do on this list.
While I often thru-hike all summer, I need to recuperate in the winter. Thus, this list has activities that allow for a variety of movement and intensity. It’s what you make it.
This post contains affiliate links. I have used every product mentioned, and if you purchase one of these products, I can make a small commission at no cost to you.
Pro-Tips to Finding Warm(er) Winter Boondocking in Arizona
Before you set off on your Arizona winter boondocking adventure…an important geography lesson is the key to keeping your overnight temps above 30 degrees Fahrenheit.
A common misconception is that Arizona is flat. Or, it’s flat with plateaus like in John Wayne movies.
In fact, Arizona has plenty of mountains that reach significant elevations.
Higher elevation = colder.
These mountain ranges are all around the state and actually have their own unique ecosystems. They’re often called sky islands.
Moreover, the edge of the Mogollon Rim or the Colorado Plateau makes a significant geographical divide through the state. Above the Mogollon Rim, you’ll have areas like Flagstaff, which has a nearby ski resort.
Below the Mogollon Rim is where most of the warm(er) temperatures are for winter van life.
So, how do you find boondocking sites near things to do at lower elevations?
I use a few phone apps at once to cross-reference public land, crowd-sourced locations, elevation, and weather.
Here’s the order I use:
- Search iOverlander 2 for known spots (you can load one state for free at a time)
- Check GaiaGPS for those coordinates with the public land overlay (to see exact elevation and to double-check if I need an Arizona State Trust Land Permit)
- Check the weather forecast (any weather app will do, I prefer and pay for OpenSnow)
You can use GaiaGPS on the free version to drop a pin and see elevation. However, the public land overlay is on the premium version.
Since I’m a nerd, I also have a paper map atlas in the van for our frequently visited states. I prefer the layout of Benchmark Maps, but Gazetteer works well, too.
Free Things to Do
When my partner and I are traveling in our van, we’re always on the lookout for free things to do. We’re spending our money on gas to get places, so we don’t always want to spend money once we’re there.
These are actually our top four activities when we’re boondocking in Arizona in Winter. All four things to do naturally have great boondocking options around them, depending on how far out you like to go.
Stargazing
When you’d like to stargaze, you’ll search for areas with dark skies. These areas are usually farthest from cities and naturally occur in large swaths of public land.
To find areas of dark skies, I use the free version of the app, “Light Pollution Map – Dark Sky.” This will help you see just how far the light pollution from cities stretches. Thus, you can drive yourself out of their reach!
If you cross-reference the general dark sky areas to iOverlander 2 spots, you can get a good idea of which spots have the best dark skies.
Once you’ve found yourself a stellar boondocking spot with dark skies, I use the free version of the app “Sky Guide” to help me learn new constellations.
If you’re looking to take night sky photography, my number one recommendation is to use a tripod. Any successful star photo, whether it’s on an iPhone or a camera, requires stillness that’s hard to achieve handheld. I keep two tripods in the van: one Peak Design tripod for a wider variety of photo opportunities, and one of the smallest Joby tripods (phone only) that I take thru-hiking.
Pro-Tip: A lot of dark sky locations are pretty out there, so pick this activity after you’ve stocked up in town and are ready to get out to stay out. It will make the longer drive more worth it if you can stay for 4-6 days!
Drive Old Route 66 Through Oatman, Arizona
Everyone has heard about the cultural lore around old Route 66. It’s been everywhere in movies about road tripping out west in cool cars.
But did you know that parts still exist today?
You can still drive a section of old Route 66 through Oatman, Arizona, and it has plenty of public land access around that larger area! This is a must on a winter Arizona road trip.
I love getting off the major highways when I am slow traveling in the van. What more can you ask for when you can take a scenic drive, see some history, and have some public land for boondocking?!
Most of this highway has some light pollution from both Kingman, Arizona, and Laughlin, Nevada, but there are wonderfully dark skies just south of Oatman, Arizona. You could combine stargazing, this scenic drive, and winter boondocking.
It will be a bit colder higher up on this road, but as you slowly drive down, keep an eye out for a good spot for the night.
Pro-Tip: There are wild burros who frequent the area around Oatman! In both Southern California and Southern Arizona, minors went bankrupt and just let their burros go to fend for themselves. Now they still have their own sustaining populations, but sometimes it comes at the expense of native Bighorn Sheep populations.
Backpack or Day Hike on a Portion of the Arizona Trail/Grand Enchantment Trail
While there are plenty of “normal” day hikes that you can do in winter in Arizona, this is a blog written by a thru-hiker who lives in a van.
Ya know…sometimes I get itchy feet in winter and just need to get on 50 miles of trail or so!
If you are boondocking in Arizona in winter and want to have a taste of backpacking a long-distance trail, there are a few sections you can do (usually) without snow. I say usually because Karma and I did start the Arizona Trail early in mid-February of 2019, and got a snowstorm in these exact sections, as well as much of the trail.
Alas, if you grab the Far Out app, you can either get a subscription for the year or just purchase the Arizona Trail portion (my preferred option because I get subscription fatigue).
The lower elevation sections that I recommend run from Oracle, Arizona north to Superior, Arizona (with a trailhead near Kearny, Arizona in between to make two small sections). Part of this also doubles up with the Grand Enchantment Trail (not on Far Out, but can be purchased here.)
If you’re not in a backpacking mood, any of these three AZT trailheads would be fantastic out-and-back places to day hike. Simply hike until you feel like you’re halfway and turn around back to your rig.
Pro-Tip: These areas are the longest stretches of low elevation. There are a few other areas that can be done in winter at mid-elevation; however, please look at the weather forecasts first!
P.S. I have full posts about thru-hiking the Arizona Trail, the Grand Enchantment Trail, and comparing the three big desert trails here if you’re curious!
Bird Watching Near Lake Havasu
One of the things that surprised me the most on our first winter boondocking in Arizona was the array bird life.
There are vibrant and thriving bird communities in Arizona in winter, all over the southern portion of the state, especially near water.
Lake Havasu offers a unique bird-watching space because it offers a riparian habitat at the edge of two different desert habitats: the Mojave and the Sonoran deserts.
There is a plethora of great birding spots all around the lake and down the Colorado River all the way to Yuma, Arizona. You can find them easily using the free app, eBird.
If you’re new to bird watching, I highly recommend getting the free app, “Merlin Bird ID.” Using your location and the date, you can identify new birds by sound or with step-by-step prompts. You can link it to eBird if you choose to help add to the crowd-sourced data that you see when you pull up a birding hot spot.
There is also plenty of public land for boondocking in the surrounding areas. At a very low elevation, this entire stretch is fantastic for boondocking in Arizona in winter. It lasts from Lake Havasu City (great spot for a grocery re-stock) to Yuma (also full re-stock possibilities).
Pro-Tip: You’ll unlock more fun while birding if you have binoculars, a monocular, or a camera setup with a telephoto lens. Since I’m a visual learner, I can’t always find the identifying parts of a bird fast. Instead, I love taking photos of birds I see and I identify them later, often by using the free app “Seek” to take a photo of my camera screen.
Free or Low-Cost Things to Do
This category is free or low-cost, depending on two factors: how much you want to hike and whether you already have an America the Beautiful Pass, aka the National Parks (and other things people don’t realize) pass.
If you don’t want to hike much, these activities are usually low-cost. However, if you’re willing to sweat, they can be free.
Likewise, if you already have the America the Beautiful Pass, you’re essentially making it cheaper by using it again. Personally, I get this pass some years, and others I don’t. I only get it if I know I’m going to visit at least four national parks. Once I have it, though, I tend to find the extra sneaky spots to use it that aren’t as obvious.
All of these options are fantastic things to do in Arizona in Winter, as well as Spring and Fall. The boondocking possibilities aren’t as close in this category, but you can usually find a spot within 30-45 minutes.
In this case, I prefer to add one of these activities as I’m stocking up on groceries and water while changing boondocking locations.
Sabino Canyon Hiking/Trolley
When you’re Arizona road trip takes you through the Tucson area, Sabino Canyon is a great spot to check out.
Parking requires either the America the Beautiful Pass or a small day fee.
Please check the weather first and avoid this area if rain is expected.
There are several trails available for day hiking. They take you through a gorgeous canyon full of tall saguaro cacti and plenty of birds!
There is also an optional shuttle called the Sabino Canyon Crawler, which will drive you up the canyon and includes a headset for a recorded history of the area. Since there are no cars allowed up this road, you can access the trails further out with significantly less effort!
We used this to access the Arizona Trail on the side of Mt. Lemmon to start the Desert Winter Thru-Hike. Hearing the history of the area was a cool bonus.
Pro-Tip: I recommend heading here early for both better parking and better morning lighting.
Hot Springs
Hot springs are a great activity to add to your day while you’re switching boondocking locations and already driving. They also make for a good reason to explore a new area.
While most people think Arizona is only desert, there are quite a few hot springs scattered throughout the state.
Since some of the hot springs in Arizona are closed in the summer, the fall and winter are the perfect time to visit.
These will vary in both the price and/or the difficulty of the hike to get to them.
I’m not an expert in this category, but my blogging friend, Marcus, has a fantastic guide to Arizona Hot Springs here to help you plan this into your adventure!
Pro-Tip: If you’re hiking to a hot spring, make sure to bring extra layers for the way back and plenty of water.
Cliff Dwellings at Tonto National Monument
Tonto National Monument is an amazing spot that takes the America the Beautiful Pass or a small day-use fee.
If you’re boondocking in winter in Arizona, this will give you a bit more of a shakeup with a desert mountain view without crazy elevation increases. While you can’t boondock at the monument, there are nearby options.
I love learning about the people who lived here before us and what their lives were like. This national monument has two cliff dwellings on (relatively) short trails and a visitor center.
This is an excellent spot if you’re looking to hike in Arizona in winter.
Saguaro National Park East
It wouldn’t be a things to do list if it didn’t include one National Park!
If you want to hike in Arizona in winter, Saguaro National Park East is my top recommendation for day hiking.
It does require either an America the Beautiful Pass or a day-use fee, so at some point…it costs a little bit of money (unless you go on free days).
Unlike most National Parks, Saguaro National Park is split geographically into two parts. One is on the east side of Tucson, and one is on the west. While they fall into the same national park, they’re actually quite different.
Saguaro National Park East has overall lower elevation terrain and an absolutely brilliant array of saguaro cacti. Bonus points if you can find a crested Saguaro! Fun fact: scientists don’t fully understand this phenomenon.
If you are in a climbing-a-mountain-on-a-day-hike-in-winter mood, Saguaro National Park East has great trails up both sides of Wasson Peak. Please check the weather before going!
In contrast, Saguaro National Park West centers around Mica Mountain. It’s a high desert where the saguaro cacti give way to shrubby junipers and high alpine flora. I recommend these areas in either the spring or the fall, but not usually in winter.
Pro-Tip: There is a crested saguaro on the west side of Wasson Peak within view of a marked trail!
Low to Mid-Cost Things to Do
If you’re in the Tucson area, here are two things to do that cost some money and are not on the America the Beautiful Pass. However, they’re both very rewarding experiences.
While Tucson, Arizona, is slightly colder than Phoenix, Arizona, in winter, it’s a smaller, more manageable city to navigate in a van. When deciding to venture towards Tucson, I do check the weather first.
As much as we love our free things to do, we save these for a splurge day. Neither of them requires too much physical activity, but both will get your legs moving.
If you’re boondocking in Arizona in winter, a splurge day is a great pick-me-up when you are feeling down from having less daylight.
Tucson Botanical Gardens
If you’ve got in-town chores, consider spending a few hours or half a day exploring the Tucson Botanical Gardens.
It’s a great, slow meandering activity that’s great in an Arizona winter.
It has a per-person entry fee, but it has a small store and café inside.
The Botanical Gardens have an amazing array of plant life. I love how they label each cactus and tree so you can learn as you walk.
One of my favorite areas is sitting near the Zen garden. It’s thoughtfully created and helps me decompress after doing town chores like grocery shopping and filling our van’s water tank.
My other favorite place is the butterfly garden!
Pro-Tip: The parking lot is relatively small, so go early or after the lunch rush. There is some nearby street parking for larger rigs.
Colossal Cave Mountain Park
Just southeast of Tucson, you can visit Colossal Cave Mountain Park. It’s a small, privately maintained park that’s not usually as busy as the nearby National park.
The big thing to do here is go on a Cave Tour. However, they also have horseback riding tours…but definitely book in advance!
Nearby, you can also go on a day hike of a mellow section of the Arizona Trail south of Mica Mountain. This is a popular spot for trail runners.
Final Thoughts & Favorite Spots
I love boondocking in winter in Arizona because there is both so much to do and wide open space to just be.
It’s the best of both worlds! We can drive out on public land and camp for a week just birdwatching and living, or we can go find a really cool outdoor activity.
My biggest pro tip for either boondocking in Arizona or Arizona winter activities is to keep a close eye on the weather and always check the elevation of where you’re heading.
While there is overall great weather, this is also the time for large soaking rains. Flash floods do happen and can start much further away than you’d think, so plan to stay out of canyons if there’s rain in the forecast.
Likewise, there are far more mountains than you’d think, so make sure to check the elevation of where you’re going to ensure comfortable nighttime temps. I usually stay south of the Mogollon Rim when boondocking in Arizona in Winter to stay warm.
My favorite spots are those boondocking spots with dark skies at low elevation in the winter. Finding them is half the adventure!
Have fun, be safe, and leave no trace while boondocking!
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