I read about Diamond J RV Park on Lisa's (Metamorphosis Road) campground review and am excited about the location. On the east side of Tucson, off Ajo Way, this little park is close to Saquaro National Park, Old Tucson, and the Desert Museum. Even better, it's on the way to Ajo which will be a new destination for us next week.
Although much of the road is rough, and there is a surprising amount of traffic on the way, we love the park! After the busy-ness of Q and Tempe it is sweet to be back in a natural place with amazing views.
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| Large pull-through #16 - some road noise but large site |
We're back here on the 14th for one night, but I'd love to return for a longer stay in the near future!
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| A glimpse of sunset |
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| Great neighbors at this stop |
Thursday morning is picture-perfect and we're all in their F-150 by 9:30 for a day of auto-hiking. We don't return until 5:00!
What a great day of exploring this beautiful area - to Patagonia Lake and Parker Lake and Montezuma Pass. This is an Arizona we've never seen before - one we quickly fall in love with!
Patagonia Lake has a nice campground - fairly level sites with electric and water, nice shade trees, a small market, dump station, boat launch, and rentals of kayaks, fishing boats and small pontoon boats. Donnie fishes here all summer. Bill will definitely be back :-)
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| Patagonia Lake, AZ |
The drive to Parker Canyon Lake goes through incredible country - junipers, manzanita, cottonwood, pines. We pass a few boondocking spots, but the dirt road is very rough and washboard most of the way. There is a nice trail around the 130-acre lake, a small concession stand (closed off season), paddle boats, restrooms, swimming and fishing. Another beautiful spot in the desert.
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| 45 years of friendship |
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| Anna, Donnie, Bill |
Making a large loop, we make our way back over Montezuma Pass. Sometimes we are very close to Mexico, the new border wall visible for miles in both directions. As we climb, the terrain adds large, colorful boulders and pencil-cholla to the already diverse views.
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| Tessa shares "her" window with Anna |
The vistas in both directions from Montezuma Pass are expansive - and "wow".
In other news, Ezra is still the very most cutest grandson!
Next up - Bisbee, AZ!
Absolutely gorgeous!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks! We are loving it here.
DeleteWe stayed at Diamond J's when we were there in the spring. We really liked the location.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great park - and in December the PA rate still applies so a really great deal too.
DeleteIn our earlier Snow Birding days we spent many winter months in the Tombstone/Bisbee/Sierra Vista area over a 4 year period & those days were some of the best RVing times we've had. I still have a great fondness for the area & we have soooo many wonderful memories of that whole region. Been to all those places you mentioned in your post & looking at the photos it gave me feelings of being kind of homesick. We had looked at houses for sale near Sierra Vista & had we found something we could have afforded that's where we would probably be today. And I liked Tucson as well. We also spent a fair bit of time around the Ajo & Why Arizona area & loved it there too. We stayed different times at Why's Hickiwan Trails RV Park & did many morning walks in the surrounding desert. Boondocking on Darby Well Road was another favorite place for us on the west side Ajo. And there's a great loop drive at the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument as well. Oh so many memories come flooding back of South-eastern Arizona. Enjoy your time there....we sure did.
ReplyDeleteYour times on the ranch near Douglas were great! We're looking forward to seeing the Ajo area next week too!!
DeleteLast year was our first visit to this area and we really enjoyed it. How nice to have personal guides that also feed you:) You've hit the the jackpot! We stayed at Hickiwan Trails RV Park in Why, also. It is a decent park right in the middle of a huge saguaro forest with some Organ Pipe cactus!!
ReplyDeleteHow could I forget to mention that adorable grandson!! He sure is a cute one:)
DeleteHaven't spent near enough time in Saguaro NP or the Tucson area. You're going to love the Ajo and Why areas. Thinking it should be a little warmer down there than here.
ReplyDeleteHoping for warmer - it was 27 this morning and yesterday it snowed most of the day!
DeleteEzra is so cute and growing so fast! Can you believe as many times as we have gone to Tucson, we have not made it to Tombstone. Need to put that in the plans! So nice to have personal tour guides!
ReplyDeleteSame with me - Mom lived in Tucson for years. We haven't even seen the tourist-y area of Tombstone yet as we've enjoyed the place through our local friends.
DeleteOne of our favorite Arizona areas too! We previously owned property near Benson and searched for property around the Tombstone area before ending up where we are located now. Enjoy and you are right--that Ezra is one cute dude!
ReplyDeleteThanks Janna :-) I can definitely see how this would be a final destination spot - just beautiful here.
DeleteWe do indeed like that area around Diamond J's! We will spend a month right next door at Desert Trails in Feb...love being able to walk right into the Sonoran desert from either of these RV parks. Next time you stay at Diamond J take a walk into Desert Trails around sunset and climb to the top of the old water park for excellent sunset views.
ReplyDeleteWe hope to be back in February as well - may get to share a brew or two :-) Hopefully a bit warmer then too. Such a great park, we love the sites that back onto the desert.
DeleteFirst things first - what a cutie Ezra is!! Now 40 years of friendship is an amazing thing. You just have friends in such great places to take you all around and show you the "cool stuff" and feed you too. Very clever of you! :-) Looks like Tombstone is going to have to go on my list. David was so into Deadwood that I know any place with a cowboy kind of name would be high on his list.
ReplyDeleteThe history of the area and the amazing natural beauty are just amazing. I may check out the little downtown area this afternoon, but the tourist-traps don't have much appeal. Yes, we are definitely being fed - won't remember how to fend for ourselves :-)
DeleteTessa has got to be loving her new life. And,oh my goodness....could Erza be any happier? What a cutie!
ReplyDeleteOh that dog has got it made! She has had soooo much loving from her new people-pals :-) Ezra makes me laugh!
DeleteOne of our favorite areas! We've stayed in Tucson Mountain Park at Gilbert Ray County Park many times (fabulous views and sites, but no electric). You'll love the Desert Museum! Patagonia is another of our favs -- the birding is great and it's wonderful to get out on the water (they rent kayaks if you don't have your own). How fun that you're reconnecting with good friends all along in your travels -- even more wonderful that you can share adventures in cool places together. Ezra is indeed a darling child. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy boys and I hiked a lot of Pima Canyon out of Tucson, but I have only driven past this area on I-10. Now we can't wait to get back :-)
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