Large Boondocking Camp Party in Ocotillo Wells!

Spring brings camping trips, and camping trips mean fun, food and friends!

It's no secret that we love dry camping and boondocking, but we love it even more when we get to share it with friends and fellow camping enthusiasts.

Our church group got together for an "off the beaten path" weekend full of off road adventures, exploring, campfire tales and pot luck (with lots and lots cookies...no seriously, there were a lot of cookies there)!

Near the main turn off, we saw an out of place billboard marking the location of where the 1991 movie "Bugsy" was filmed and we found ourselves on a very long and very rutted out road along the outskirts of Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Area. After twenty minutes of teeth chattering, we were nicely shaken (not stirred) and we arrived at our dusty destination.

Our home for the weekend consisted of a large circle of class A's, travel trailers, pop-ups, tents and fifth wheels. People of all ages crowded around this large circle and we had fun getting tours of everyone's "home".

By day, we were all explores, although we explored the vast desert in our own ways. Some chose to lounge around the camp, some went off on their quads and dirt bikes, while others (the totally trailer crew), chose to explore deep canyons, wind caves and ancient fossil beds!

By night, we huddled around an all consuming bonfire, swapped stories and ate a lot. There was a hefty line for the potluck which allowed me the opportunity to climb on top of our rig and get some overall shots of the happy campers.

Kids running and playing in dirt, teenagers huddled together having "important teen conversations", adults swapping RV stories and lots of laughter filled the night skies over Ocotillo Wells this weekend.

We met a lot of new people and we feel very blessed to have been a part of this adventure. Life is good, so share it!

Funny sign in the middle of the desert about the filming of the 1991 movie "Bugsy"

 Hubby and new friend, doing "Trailer Talk"

 A portion of our large circle of toys (Totally Trailer is the brightly glowing one with monster flag)

 Somebody got a new laser toy and we all had fun with it around the campfire...made for an awesome pic too! (p.s. those specks in the sky are actual stars..amazing night)

 Campfire Tales in Ocotillo Wells 

 There's always a line at the buffet!

Check out the view I have from up here of the sunsetting over Ocotillo Wells 

And of course, what is a camp site without a flag. In our case, it's a monster Welsh flag!

Thanksgiving at Tumco Ghost Town

Our Thanksgiving holiday led us out to ghost town and old mining area in the Imperial Valley. We've driven by this area multiple times and have always wanted to stop and explore. We did some research and realized there was so much to explore, see and find. We loaded up our trailer with a metal detector, black lights and flashlights and headed out with gold fever! We had two magnificent camp spots that were walking distance to the historic Tumco Site, abandoned treasures and hiking trails galore. We explored the historic Tumco site, ruins from the old town, roped off mine shafts and remnants of a town abandoned almost one hundred years ago. Multiple mines surround this area including the recently purchased American Girl and American Boy mine and many more in these Cargo Muchachos Mountains. Want more info on this historic town, there is actually a song written about it on YouTube... John Malcome Penn wrote the song "Tumco Mine" which we've added below, but beware, the song can get stuck in your head!

             Welcome to Tumco Historic Mining Site !

       

       Take a look at the waterfall effect of this mine shaft

We fell in love with the beautiful teal colors in the abundant "kyanite" 

View of our spectacular camp spot right next to Tumco!

Our little one looks even smaller in the basement of the old Miner's Club Saloon

Not only did we love the sign, but we also loved the remnants of the old Golden Queen mine 

Look what we found! Small tunnel on the outskirts of Tumco

Foundation to old building from Tumco Ghost Town

Cans, bottles, pottery pieces and thick glass remnants are a reminder of life back in the mining days

Small cave and prospectors mine in Tumco

The mountain ranges surrounding the area are indented with caverns, holes, nooks and crannies!

Plenty of "rusted history" was left behind in the old ghost town

 View looking down onto what is left of the eastern neighborhood -check out the tailings in right corner

Considering this structure was built in the 1800's, we were amazed how much was still standing

A photo of what the town of Hedges looked like in it's heyday

       The sun sets on the last two walls remaining from the town hospital

My miners staking their claim

Looking through the iron bars down the mouth of a very large mine in Tumco

4 cyanide vats bake in the desert sun

Welded iron guard the mystery of this gold mine and keep visitors safe

Painted Rocks in the Desert

Our first stop on our southern Arizona Adventure was to the Painted Rock Petroglyph Site and Campground off of Interstate 8 (between Yuma and Gila Bend). There was a mound of rocks in the middle of a campground that were saturated with old petroglyphs. This was also the area where Juan Bautista DeAnza and the Butterfield Trail came through. This site was small, but it oozed history.

What do these drawings really mean?

Some History along with a big pile of "old fashioned graffiti rocks"

Look at all of those petroglyphs

This is our kitty kat with saguaroas (at least thats what we think)

This should be called painted ROCK(s)

Corn Springs Campground

Normally Christmas time does not make you think of camping...but when you are "totally trailer" you will find any excuse to go RV'ing! We had a whirlwind Christmas vacation that started with Corn Springs Campground which is run by the Bureau of Land Management just off Interstate 10 (outside of Indio). Once off the freeway, there is an 8 mile dirt road to get to the campground. The first night we were the only people camped there (although it is a relatively small campground with only 9 spaces). The second night we had a visitor who was a little off his rocker...don't ask..... The story behind Corn Springs is that is used to be a main thoroughfare for indians. The area has a bunch of petroglyphs carved into rocks just off the main road. The very top of one of the rocks has a petroglyph that is believed to be images of corn. They believe that at one time, the area may have been an important crop producing place that was well hidden and safe for their tribes. This area also sits on a natural spring which feeds the oasis surrounding the campground. Hence the name....Corn Springs!! There is an interpretive trail that starts from the campground, in addition to easy hiking trails that had soooo many animal prints (check out our little bobcat prints) and of course, petroglyphs and peace and quiet. After Corn Springs we did one night of dry camping next to an old abandoned railroad off of Eagle Mountain Road. This railroad used to run into a now deserted Eagle Mountain Iron Mine". This real life ghost town has some interesting history which you can check out at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eagle_Mountain,_California

 Corn Springs Petroglyphs

 The abandoned Eagle Mountain Railroad

 Corn Springs Oasis

 Corn Springs Campground Space #6

 Corn Springs entrance

 More Corn Springs Petroglyphs

 Now thats a desert road worth exploring!

 Wonder if we can get a pizza delivered out here?

Moonlight campsite next to the Eagle Mountain Railroad

 Little bit of Gods art work, in an old Desert Iron Wood Tree stump

 Corn Springs historical marker

Small tunnel under the Eagle Mountain railroad

 Bobcat prints?  Thats a AA battery beside the print, from what we understand cat prints don't show claw marks where as coyote prints will show a claw mark at the top of each toe pad.

On a mission to go somewhere

Rainbow Basin and Owl Canyon

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we headed out to Barstow and explored the amazing Rainbow Basin and the Owl Canyon campground. We also enjoyed some time at Calico and did some off roading. If you have time you should look up the history on how those mountains and colors were formed... It's pretty incredible!