FREE CAMPGROUNDS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
PALO VERDE, CA.
along the Colorado River
A Palo Verde Tree
Twenty miles south of Blythe,CA along the Colorado River you'll find the
small town of Palo Verde, CA. (pop 600), nothing more than a wide spot in
the road. In this case, the road being California State Highway 78 between
the cities of Blythe to the north and Brawley to the south. The name
Palo Verde comes from the Spanish meaning green stick just like the tree.
Downtown Palo Verde
There's a general store and 3 bars (2 also serve food and like to be
called restaurants.) A couple of bait shops, a rock shop and a '76 gas
station complete the business district. Shop owners rely mainly on the
tourist trade that the river brings, attracting people from as far away
as Los Angeles and San Diego and on the farmhands who work the fields
of alfalfa and cotton that surround this town for miles and miles around.
Cotton Field
PALO VERDE COUNTY PARK
Less than two miles south of town, on the left side of the road, is
a FREE campground. Provided and maintained by Imperial County.
Although not on the Colorado River itself, it's situated on a lagoon
that was created when the river was re-routed some years back.
The guide books tell us that there are between 20 and 25 campsites but
that is difficult to tell. No designated sites, park where you want.
Many prefer to stay in the shade under the giant salty cedar trees.
Shade Trees
Dutchess and I picked a spot at the water's edge where we had our own
private fishing pier. The whole time of our stay there everybody was
complaining that the fish were not biting. But you know those fishermen,
it's always something.
Pier
A boat ramp, flush toilets, water spigot, trash dumpster and a pay phone
are all there for us. Best of all, it is FREE! The only drawback is the
3-day-stay limit. Lewis, the camp host, is a friendly kind of fellow and
a storehouse of information about the area. One rule that he strictly
enforces is that your pets have to be on a leash at all times. He said
that if he is not strict about this, some people will let their dogs
run wild. This was no problem for Hazel and Don who travel with Goldie.
Hazel, Goldie, and Don
It was at this campground that I met Hazel, Don and Goldie for the first
time. They live in San Bernardino, CA and travel the country with their
pet bird, a four year old grosbeak (a member of the finch family) whom
they found while prospecting for gold in Nothern California. Apparently he
(yes, he's a boy) had fallen out of the nest. On the long drives Goldie
likes to sit on the steering wheel to act as a navigator/tourguide while
making sure that Don doesn't fall asleep at the wheel.
A couple of days later I had the pleasure of running into this trio again.
This time it was on the banks of the river. Don had just caught a couple
of good-sized catfish. Hazel fried the catch of the day and I had the good
fortune to be invited to share a delicious dinner with them.
Where else but among the boondockers do you find friends like these?
Welcome, welcome one and all!
OXBOW CAMPGROUND
Less than a mile (0.7 miles to be exact) south of the County Park,
between mile markers 77 and 78, is a gravel road that leads to the
river and to this BLM campground. This road is not easy to find, it's
best to look for a power line going east. It is no longer a free
campground since some improvements were made. For $ 5.00 per night you
get a campsite, the use of the pit toilets, a boat ramp and you can
dump your trash in a huge container. Other than that, it has nothing
to offer that you can't get for FREE next door at the
CIBOLA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
South of the Oxbow Campground there are two gravel roads, both well
maintained. The high road is on top of a berm while the low road follows
the river bank. Take the low road. You are now in the
"Cibola National Wildlife Refuge." I found many wide spots along this
low road that are ideal to set up camp. As far as I know this area is FREE
and there is no time limit.
Riverfront Estate
For five glorious days Dutchess and I camped here all by ourselves,
not bothered by anyone. An occasional fisherman would come by and wave
at us but that was all. Did I mention that camping here is FREE? Hours
on end we sat on our private Riverfront Estate mesmerized by the lazy
flow of the water while watching tufts of reed and chunks of driftwood
floating by. Oh yes, there were boaters and jet-skis but at the speed
they're going they only disrupted the silence for a minute.
At the crack of dawn (you know what time it is?)
HIPPIE HOLE
If you follow the gravel road to the north of the Oxbow campground,
you'll come to an old bridge across the Colorado River.
Cross this bridge and you're in Arizona! A different State, a different
timezone! On the AZ side of the river you'll also find a road that runs
along the riverbank. This road, however, is a paved road. To the south
it will lead you to the Hippie Hole while to the north it will get you
all the way to the town of Ehrenberg,AZ. People have told me that at
Hippie Hole you can boondock for as long as you want.
Hippie Hole during the week days
WARNING! Do not camp here during the weekends unless you like
to stay up all night, listening to loud music and drinking beer with
the younger crowd.
Follow the paved road to the north and you are once more in BLM,
territory. This means a 14-day stay limit. But an old timer told me
that if you move around a bit and.......if your rig is not painted
in a bright orange, you will be able to stretch the limit by a couple
of weeks. This is hearsay and I will take no responsibility for this
information. I myself have not traveled this road, from here on up
you're on your own.
This palo verde tree that I saw at Slab City was groomed so it made a canopy
The Palo Verde Tree in bloom
The river during a windstorm
