Cholla Campground Near Roosevelt, Arizona

Wednesday, March 10, 2015

Today, my plan is to move 28 miles south to Cholla Campground.  Thanks to RVSue, I knew I could get a daily pass for $3 to stay at any of the campgrounds in the Tonto National Park area.  With this $3, I will get water and hot showers.  It has been awhile since I have had a real hot shower, so it is worth the money.

We left our private little camp around 10 am.  I found out this morning that this part of Arizona does not change to Daylight Savings Time, so it is really 9 am when we go down the dirt road, across the wash and stop at the stop sign right across from Jakes Corner Bar.  Wanted to walk down there last night, but couldn’t get up the oomph to do it.  Maybe next time.

Last night, the lady behind the counter told me they were out of the daily passes, but I could pick them up at Butcher Hook on my way to the campground, so we headed south on hwy 188 for about 12 miles down into Tonto Basin and stopped at Butcher Hook where I picked up $9 worth of passes.  That will last me three days and then I will decide what to do for the weekend.

Soon, we spotted Roosevelt Lake off to our left.  The lake is in a large valley with mountains all around.  It is a beautiful recreational area.

We arrive at Cholla Campground to find it is very crowded.  Somebody mentioned this was spring break, so maybe that’s why.  We drive around the upper area looking for a camp.  I know the lower area near the lake will be more crowded.  We find a loop that is fairly vacant and pulled in.

The campground is on the east side of the Four Peaks.  Don’t look as distinct from this side.

After setting up camp, Yuma and I laid around and rested and then I went down and got a hot shower.  The hot water is supplied by solar panels, so lots of hot water.  Loved my shower and made me feel so relaxed.  We laid around some more after my shower and lunch.

Around 4:30 pm, we decided to drive south a few miles to take more photos of the lake.  Saw this raven sitting on top of a large saguaro cactus.

As I was looking south along the lake, I saw this beautiful bridge and the sun was hitting it from the west.  Yuma and I decided to drive to the bridge and see if we could get a photo from the west side of it with the sun hitting it.

As we were driving south on hwy 188, I saw a lizard in the road.  I don’t know what there is about lizards and me; but this one was a young Gila Monster, crossing the road.

Of course I stopped and got out with camera in hand.  I protected him until he was safely in the grass on the side of the road.  He looked to be about 9 or 10 inches long and quite fat.  He has eaten well and blends in well with the asphalt.

I am glad it was me that came along and saw him in the roadway.  It would have been sad to see him get run over.  They are a threatened species.

We went on and rounded a corner, and there was the beautiful Roosevelt Bridge.

Hwy 88 intersects with hwy 188 at the south end of the bridge, so that is where we went to get this photo from the west side as the sun is setting through the ravine.

The Roosevelt Dam is just west of the bridge, so got a photo of it as well.

Not much water to hold back.

Sun is setting and time to call it a day.

See you later.

Tonto National Forest, Arizona

Monday, March 9, 2105

This morning, Yuma and I decided it was getting too hot in Yuma and time to move on.  We left Mittry Lake at 10 am.and my destination is Roosevelt Lake in the Tonto National Forest, northeast of Phoenix. 

I thought I would drive up hwy 95 to Quartzsite and stay there for the night and then on to Roosevelt Lake.  (I am going to climb to the top of Castle Dome next time I’m out this way.)

We got to Q and after dumping my tanks, I felt that it was too early to stop for the day, so we will drive on and stay the night at a Walmart in Phoenix.

Drove the 100 miles to Phoenix, but the traffic was so bad, I thought I would drive to the east side of Phoenix before stopping.  Unfortunately, by the time I got off I-10 and onto 202E I was pushed right out of the city and past all the Walmarts.  Three in the afternoon and wall to wall cars and trucks.

I could see this beautiful red mountain the whole time I was driving hwy 202E. 

Stopped for gas in Fountain Hills and then headed east on hwy 87.  It wasn’t long before I entered Tonto National Forest.

The drive up hwy 87 into the Mazatzal Mountains was beautiful.  Saguaro cactus everywhere and tall rugged mountains.  It is known as the Beeline Highway.  Probably named this because everyone in Phoenix makes a beeline out of the heat to the mountains each weekend.

Below is the Four Peaks.

If I had known how mountainous this road was, I would have found a different way to get there or not gone at all.  There were many 6% grades and one 7% grade that went for 5 miles down the mountainside. 

Luckily, hwy 87 is four lane.  However, on the 7% downgrade there was road work and only one lane the whole 5 miles.  Good thing was, the speed limit was 35 mph and I didn’t feel so bad holding up all the cars as I went down in second gear at 25 mph.

I have not checked the quality of my brakes since leaving home and this highway pushed them to the limits in a distance of 47 miles.  By the time I got to hwy 188, my front brakes were squealing each time I stepped on the brake pedal.

Turned right on hwy 188 and about five miles down the road, I came to Jakes Corner and there was a small grocery store and a bar.  Since it was about 5 pm and time to call it a day, I stopped at the grocery store and asked the lady behind the counter where a good boondocking place may be, or at least a primitive campground. 

She told me there was a good place across the hwy and about 1/2 mile up a dirt road just past a wash on the left.  There was some level ground that locals use for camping.  And that is where I am tonight; just me, Yuma and bovines for neighbors.

See you later.

Mittry Lake, Arizona

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Yuma and I decided to take the jeep down as close to the lake as we could near our camp and then walk down toward the lake to see if we could find a path to the lake.

We headed toward a large group of trees.  From my Internet research later, I believe these to be an old stand of giant cedar trees.  The stand is accessible from the road and has a fire ring.  This place would make the perfect camp.

We then started following trails toward the lake, but they quickly became too tight and I am sure snake infested.

The ground was getting damp and I could see reeds ahead but no way to go any further, so we turned back.

We then drove to a boat ramp so we could get some photos of the lake.  Seems as soon as we get around people, Yuma finds new friends. 

Later in the day, we went to a boat ramp that had a small walkway with palm trees.

Fisherman were racing toward home as the sun begins to set.

Yuma and I were sitting outside and Yuma started barking.  I looked to where he was looking and right across the canal, some burros were walking.  There were five of them.

See you later.