Top Boondocking Spot Near Phoenix Revealed: Lake Pleasant Dispersed Camping | RV Adventure Guide

[@user-gc6sb7ie6n]

Be careful owls, coyote they don’t care about how secure they will swoop in and grab your cat or small dogs. Been in Arizona all my life living on acreage. Safe travels

[@theroamingrussells]

Always good to be cautious and to take care of our fur babies 🥰

[@AZBADBOYz]

Please note, there is a 14 day camping limit for this area.

[@theroamingrussells]

Thanks for commenting!

[@peterkunka2694]

I live northwest of Phoenix and am very familiar with this area you have found. Glad it worked for you to stay for a while. Only gripe, please do not scare the burro's with a low flying drone, as your video shows you did. Travel safe, and hope you enjoy the desert again the next time you stop by. Cheers! Pete in Arizona - KI7LIL

[@theroamingrussells]

We love the area, and we can't wait to be back! Cheers!

[@Truth-f2q]

Burros are fine, Americans have become so weak and offended over everything.

[@joeglennaz]

Always carry some players with you out in the desert you don’t wanna grab those things and try and pull them out with your fingers. They’ll get in your fingers and they have a bar bottom we referred to them as jumping cactus

[@theroamingrussells]

They sure do jump out at you! They're sticking little buggers. I can see pliers being handy - thanks for the tip!

[@cdlund2840]

You may want to check to make sure flying drones over the burros is legal if you have not done so already. I don't know what their protection status is or who owns that land but I do know it is illegal to fly drones over the wild horse herds in Arizona on federal lands as they are considered protected wildlife and flying drones over wildlife on federal land is illegal.

[@theroamingrussells]

Something I never thought about. Thanks for the heads up! Cheers

[@cdlund2840]

@@theroamingrussells You bet. Loved the drone footage just did not want you to get in trouble. Happy travels.

[@AZBADBOYz]

Yes they are protected!

[@sgtwrench69]

Why don't you buy the flagpole mount on your ladder for your Starlink

[@theroamingrussells]

Great question! Honestly? We don't want to spend the $200 on the pole 🤪

[@joeglennaz]

When you’re learning to fly in airplane, you’re a student pilot. That’s your first certificate actually a student pilot which means you can fly by yourself, but you cannot carry any passengers so maybe you’re a student drone pilot I’m not sure. I am a private pilot with an instrument rating and I have my part 107 for drones, I think technically I am in unmanned aerial systems operator. So maybe you’re a student unmanned systems operator. Good call getting the controller with the screen. The problem with operator from the phones are several. One the screens are small or smaller two they’re not bright and especially out here in Phoenix area. You’ve got a lot of bright sunshine three they overheat a lot when using the drones. I personally enjoy a big bright screen so I bought a 8 inch triple tech tablet that’s 1000 nits the screens on those things I believe or 700 are very brightscreen is around 200 nits consistent it can go up the newer phones can hop up to five or 600 but they won’t stay there all the time. Anyway, thanks for adding the drone video from the sky.

[@theroamingrussells]

Student unmanned aerial systems operator. I like the sound of that. Sounds like you have quite the setup! We're super happy we got the additional screen instead of relying on our phones. Happy flying to you!

[@kathiebauer5165]

Always carry comb in the desert to remove cholla cactus.

[@theroamingrussells]

Lesson learned lol!

[@Brian_C_]

Hahaha, was nice 3 months ago... not so much anymore. The AC can't keep up with the outside temps. Try the Payson area next time or the Mogollon rim if you're adventurous... Plenty of off grid places to haul your 5th wheel between the 260/87 intersection and Happy Jack. A lot less of that pedestrian hipster pretend wilderness.

[@theroamingrussells]

Thank you for the recommendations, I'll look into them! I can't even imagine RVing in Phoenix right now. Our RV can't keep up with the upper 90s, let alone 110s! Stay safe!

[@Brian_C_]

@@theroamingrussells Sure thing. Try the area around 34.47479357065295, -111.38102458046549. It's on the way to PHX if you take the detour from the I-17 on your way south from Flagstaff to Payson. A lot of places are easy to pull into/out of. A slider is your friend in some spots. Before Memorial Day and after Labor Day are best - no campfire restrictions. Don't mind my snarky comment about the "pedestrian hipster pretend wilderness". I've seen it a few times - people pull their $120k trailer in 10 feet off the highway, block access to some of the 4x4 trails, and figure they're roughing it 🤣.

[@5toed-lizard.]

About one hour to downtown Phoenix.

[@theroamingrussells]

Give or take - yep! A great location to be sure 🙂

[@missinformed9550]

Nothing chews up the desert like RVs.

[@theroamingrussells]

Your name says enough! Cheers 🙂

[@missinformed9550]

@@theroamingrussells Your actions speak louder than words.

[@CampgroundViews]

Loved the drone shots and your tips!

[@theroamingrussells]

Fabulous, thank you! Glad you enjoyed it

[@RebeccaWebb-b3n]

Love your expansive drone shots ❤

[@thewea1934]

Great shots off area...beautiful!

[@theroamingrussells]

Thank you! The scenery was so fun to capture and Jason is working hard to do it justice 🙂

[@theroamingrussells]

Thank you! It is a beautiful place!

[@jasonsutton1]

Great video! I live in Peoria about 10 minutes from where you camped and have seen a lot of people camping in that area over the last few years. Wondered what it was like! We don't camp that close to home, but another place you might check out that we love is called the boulders located West of Lake Pleasant and on the North side of Carefree Highway at Mile Marker 4. It's beautiful and there are miles of trails and even some old mines. Curious why you caption for this video was "Don't go here"? I didn't see anything negative about this spot in your video?

[@theroamingrussells]

Because it's already so full of people, we want to keep it to ourselves 🤣 We'll have to check that area out! We were so impressed and surprised to have found such a gem so close to the city!

[@cj9667]

@@theroamingrussells hah..everyone flocks to LP especially now!

[@camperbum]

I was wondering about this place, I'm also a Russell from California and now live in the Ozarks of Missouri, I look forward to you're next adventure, oh and we travel with cats too lol.

[@theroamingrussells]

Hello, fellow Russell and traveling cats! It is easily our favorite boondocking location that we've found so far. Highly recommend it!

[@camperbum]

@@theroamingrussells have you been to Moab yet, it's really cool to see, we stayed in town and Dead Horse State Park, the night sky is awesome there.

[@theroamingrussells]

Funny enough, that's where we currently are! Spending 2.5 weeks here. It is probably the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Love it here 😍

[@camperbum]

@@theroamingrussells yes it is, it's probably our top 5, so far.