Boondocking on old US66 between Kingman and Ash Fork AZ.
We are interested if anyone has stayed or knows of any dry camping spots along this stretch of old Route 66 "now Az state highway 66" .
We will be traveling the Mother Road on the 3rd of April and would love to camp along this fine old original stretch of pure Americana and listen for the ghosts of old dust bowl, great depresion travelers as they pass by seeking the "promise of a better life" out in California .
Will be our first time on this section of 66 and would like it to be "special" for the wife and grand kids "if they get to go.
Will be headed west and a spot toward Kingman would be nice .
I hear Peach Springs was the inspiration that turned into Radiator Springs on the "Cars" movie.
We will be in a 3/4 ton Dodge , pulling a short 22 ft Safari two axle Airstream with a bit of added ground clearance,
and don't mind some dirt and rocks.
Wish I had taken more pics the last time that I was on Rte 66.....1952. We
(parents and brother) were traveling from Michigan to California. Our 26' foot trailer had no waste tanks so it meant searching for a trailer park with overnighter hookups. No Good Sam or GPS back then. One night we staid at the rear of a gas station with electric extension cord and used the station restrooms.
Neil
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Neil and Lynn Holman
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I can't help you with the camping but I do have to put down a RT 66 story for you and others.
It was 1962 and I was in College. My parents had a new VW bus and we drove to CA from NY on a winter trip. My dad had to stay in CA, mom and I took a plane back after New Years. It was my first trip west. We drove old 66 most of the way. Max speed with the bus was 60 mph, flat out. All 36 hp. We enjoyed the trip a lot.
Fast forward to 2008. Parents both gone now. I winter in the PHX area. Took a ride up to the Petrified Forest National park in AZ. In driving the N-S road through the park there is a pullout where old 66 crossed the park but the actual road is obliterated now. I 40 is visible about a mile from that spot. There was no one around at all. I pulled out and got out of the car. I looked down the scar where the road had been, and suddenly I saw in my mind the red and white VW bus chugging along with the three of us in it. I waved, my younger self and parents waved back. I watched the VW drive out of sight. It seemed so real, so magic. Tears are running down my face as I type this. It was 50 years ago, that trip. I was 22, now I am 72.
It is sad that so few people will have any road trip experiences like this. Get that Airstream out and be sure to make them while you can.
I have memories like that and I get the same feelings when I sit and think about them, or when I happen to be in the exact spot where those memories occurred.
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You inspired me to share a quick Route 66 story. In 1958, driving a '58 Chevy, my mother and I (age 7)drove from Calif thru New Mexico. We stopped at lots of the little sites and went out to Canyon de chelly etc. It was quite an adventure and there were always mishaps ... like road construction causing an hour wait ... or when on the 4th of July she locked the keys in the trunk. That took a while to get straightened out on a holiday.
The section from Topock to Kingman is mostly BLM land with dispersed camping. Kingman east, mostly private land, turnouts along 66 access mostly railroad property. Not much to boondock on in the small towns Hackberry to Ash Fork. Peach Springs may have something of a RV park, along with the one north of Kingman in Valle Vista.
With a lot of luck and more hard work our 72' Ambassador should be road worthy this spring. The first stop is an overnight at a local WalMart and then westward bound on Old 66. Cabin fever has set in and we can't wait for the cold weather to leave and warmer weather to return.
I can't help you with the camping but I do have to put down a RT 66 story for you and others.
It was 1962 and I was in College. My parents had a new VW bus and we drove to CA from NY on a winter trip. My dad had to stay in CA, mom and I took a plane back after New Years. It was my first trip west. We drove old 66 most of the way. Max speed with the bus was 60 mph, flat out. All 36 hp. We enjoyed the trip a lot.
Fast forward to 2008. Parents both gone now. I winter in the PHX area. Took a ride up to the Petrified Forest National park in AZ. In driving the N-S road through the park there is a pullout where old 66 crossed the park but the actual road is obliterated now. I 40 is visible about a mile from that spot. There was no one around at all. I pulled out and got out of the car. I looked down the scar where the road had been, and suddenly I saw in my mind the red and white VW bus chugging along with the three of us in it. I waved, my younger self and parents waved back. I watched the VW drive out of sight. It seemed so real, so magic. Tears are running down my face as I type this. It was 50 years ago, that trip. I was 22, now I am 72.
It is sad that so few people will have any road trip experiences like this. Get that Airstream out and be sure to make them while you can.
Fantastic story ! thanks for sharing !
We were stopped at that exact spot in May of last year.
As I stood in the middle of what had been 66 , I closed my eyes and could see and hear old K Binders and Model Ts struggling up the slight grade as they slowly made their way west .
Same thing happened up in the Yukon the summer of 13 when we pulled onto an abandoned stretch of the old Alcan highway to boondock for the night. As I sat in my chair by the trailer , I could almost see Dads old 67 Bronco with the homemade chuck wagon trailer behind, coming up the road that we had traveled together back in 1970 . I saluted Dad as the rig rolled by , and whispered out load "Thanks Dad ! Thanks so much for this and all the great adventures you shared with me ! " and for instilling in me a never ending desire to travel this grand Continent as there is adventure around every curve , and excitement over each pass .
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mesquite
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retire almost 20 yrs. ago and started driving an 18 wheeler across the u.s. and Canada, saw lots of country coast to coast and Canada. but couldn't stop and enjoy. now have 2013 23 ft. airstream and getting to see all those places I saw but never saw. including parts of rt.66.
Wish I had taken more pics the last time that I was on Rte 66.....1952. We
(parents and brother) were traveling from Michigan to California. Our 26' foot trailer had no waste tanks so it meant searching for a trailer park with overnighter hookups. No Good Sam or GPS back then. One night we staid at the rear of a gas station with electric extension cord and used the station restrooms.
Neil
It was 1948 and I was 10 years old. It was our last trip as a complete family as my sister was getting married upon our return. We were sporting a brand new Higgens Tent trailer. Pretty up scale for our family. We made a round trip through northern NM, Utah, WY and back to Colorado. We toured the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Salt Lake for a swim and ride on the then largest Roller Coaster in the World, Saltair beach on Salt lake then on to Yellowstone Park and return home to eastern Colorado where our ranch was. I had my older sister & brother to myself and it was a real thrill. We crossed and traveled on 66 much of the south route. We were gone about a month in our 41 Ford Sedan and the trailer. I think that was the primer for my continuing love of travel. My wife and I have upscaled to a 1965 Airstream Caravel which we keep hot on the road as often as possible. It is parked axle deep in snow now so the call of southern AZ NM and Utah is sounding very loud to me.
It was 1948 and I was 10 years old. It was our last trip as a complete family as my sister was getting married upon our return. We were sporting a brand new Higgens Tent trailer. Pretty up scale for our family. We made a round trip through northern NM, Utah, WY and back to Colorado. We toured the Grand Canyon, Painted Desert, Petrified Forest, Salt Lake for a swim and ride on the then largest Roller Coaster in the World, Saltair beach on Salt lake then on to Yellowstone Park and return home to eastern Colorado where our ranch was. I had my older sister & brother to myself and it was a real thrill. We crossed and traveled on 66 much of the south route. We were gone about a month in our 41 Ford Sedan and the trailer. I think that was the primer for my continuing love of travel. My wife and I have upscaled to a 1965 Airstream Caravel which we keep hot on the road as often as possible. It is parked axle deep in snow now so the call of southern AZ NM and Utah is sounding very loud to me.
Don
J C Higgens , was sold by Sears and Robucks , was it not ?
Wow, I have read some good memories, I love the VW bus, my wife and I had a pop up. Loved it, had trouble keeping engines in it. I traveled the old highway in the 60's. At least there are still parts of it a person can travel. Some in SE Kansas and MO. Travel safe.
Great reading! Thanks all. I want to do 66 before it completely disappears. I was never on it before, but the call is there. I remember the TV show, at least.
Our experience in the area was in 1970. I was a new 2LT in the Army and had orders to Korea. On leave we tent camped in the Gila Wilderness and at the Grand Canyon. Visited the Painted Desert and Petrified Forest on the way. We recently retired and are itching to get back out west in our Airstream.
Al
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There is a campground at Meteor Crater. Two Guns is one exit west which is an abandoned Rt 66 tourist stop. You probably could dry camp there and explore. There is even a cave.
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This is the best site I have found on 66. The Mother Road: Historic Route 66
Go to the "Turn by Turn" sectioin and pick a state. You pick your segment in Arizona (e.g., Seligman-Toprock) then use the landmarks for your maps or GPS.
I can't help you with the camping but I do have to put down a RT 66 story for you and others.
It was 1962 and I was in College. My parents had a new VW bus and we drove to CA from NY on a winter trip. My dad had to stay in CA, mom and I took a plane back after New Years. It was my first trip west. We drove old 66 most of the way. Max speed with the bus was 60 mph, flat out. All 36 hp. We enjoyed the trip a lot.
Fast forward to 2008. Parents both gone now. I winter in the PHX area. Took a ride up to the Petrified Forest National park in AZ. In driving the N-S road through the park there is a pullout where old 66 crossed the park but the actual road is obliterated now. I 40 is visible about a mile from that spot. There was no one around at all. I pulled out and got out of the car. I looked down the scar where the road had been, and suddenly I saw in my mind the red and white VW bus chugging along with the three of us in it. I waved, my younger self and parents waved back. I watched the VW drive out of sight. It seemed so real, so magic. Tears are running down my face as I type this. It was 50 years ago, that trip. I was 22, now I am 72.
It is sad that so few people will have any road trip experiences like this. Get that Airstream out and be sure to make them while you can.
Yep.....Painted Desert.....Petrified Forest, We stop there probably on the that 'scar' of the old road that you saw. Our travels to California was a move....we never returned to Michigan. Mom found books on what sights we may stop at. The big disappointment was we did not visit the Grand Canyon. I resolved that with a visit to there I 1982ish with my wife and 2 kids.
Neil
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Neil and Lynn Holman
FreshAir #12407
You are correct Higgins Trailers were sold by Sears. However friends of my parents owned a Buick dealership and sold Higgins as a side line and Dad bought it from them.
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