I was a deputy in Idaho for 15 years. The vast majority of people trashing camp sites and illegally dumping were locals. Yet it’s always blamed on nomads and people from elsewhere. Locals love to shit in their own back yards and blame someone else for it.
I agree I've seen people unload their trash because they don't want to pay the trash bill. When ever I camp I end up picking up op's trash as much as I can.
Could not agree more. I live in eastern Idaho and the locals blame out of state hunters for everything but it's the locals who dump garbage and treat the woods like their personal trashcan.
If this is true it's very unfortunate. If you live in town most cities have bulk pick up options for the majority of these items. How foolish and lazy can people be doing this? In fact its even easier to call bulk pick and set it in front of your house so they can pick it up and properly dispose of it for free! Ehats wrong with people
The penalty for illegal dumping should be a 12-month sentence of living in Illinois. Not jail, just Illinois. Then, when you get back to Idaho, you'll hopefully appreciate what you got.
Great message to boondockers/nomads. If we don’t clean up our areas they will no longer be available! I have heard of HOWA organizing cleanups. They had a cleanup near Pahrump, Nv. I’m about to become a nomad & am willing to help. “Leave it cleaner than you found it” will be my goal! Thank you!
Nomads do leave sites cleaner. 18 years under my belt, and when I return to areas I’ve been to, and cleaned up, I find that they are too often trashed a bit, CLEARLY by locals. There is no way a Nomad brought out a house mattress, box springs, a thrashed canopy.. or the scrapped porcelain house toilet. Yeah, you read that right!!
I’ve boondocked a lot in Arizona, and everywhere I set up, the first thing I do is make a big circle walk around my site with a trash picker and at least 2 plastic grocery bags. I usually fill both bags, and sometimes have to use more bags. This is in pretty places, not alongside I-40, which is a mess. Truckers are filthy animals.
99% sure that trash dump was from locals. I hike all over these deserts and I see it all the time. Great video! After the holidays, maybe I'll head down there with a trailer and clean it up.
A message that needed to be said...thank you! The issue is multifaceted...but comes down to respect and responsibilities to our shared natural resources. Some folks have it, sadly many don't.
Great job on the video! Our home base is in Lake Havasu. There are a very select few who misuse the land. We all know what type of people those are!!What you showed in your video are illegal dumpers. Most boondockers respect the public lands. Sometimes folks need to be reminded! Again, Great Job!!
Southern Arizona resident. Years ago Lived in Yuma/ frequented the areas of Quartzsite, Lake Havasu, those towns boomed during the winter months with so many retired people in their RVs etc. parked in the deserts. There was no Walmart, just local businesses. It was a different era, different people. I think that now there are more ages RVing, more active with the off road vehicles etc. Now there is more regulation. Anyone who really enjoys the desert, will keep it clean and respect it, and I'm sure that people like you are doing your part. The problem with the dumping is everywhere, Lazy trashy people dump in our beautiful Sonoran Desert too. Obviously the trash you showed was from a house, that trailer was gutted and dumped their too, so there are residents of Lake Havasu that don't go to the actual dump. We have problems with homeless/campers/panhandlers. I would imagine that them being set up on land right by a neighborhood would cause turmoil, just as it does here. Things are stolen out of yards, pets go missing, residents feel that they are being watched by these transient people. Hopefully you still find places to stay.
GREAT VIDEO. Sad, but true. As a short-duration, weekday "boondocker" myself, I spend most of my camping time in the US Forest Service lands of northern NM in relatively remote "dispersed" locations. Many times, I camp in the exact same spot. I always spend the first hour or two picking up trash, even when I was there just a month previously. Once, I even saw a trail of toilet paper and turds as someone left the site while draining their black tank. It's just too bad that many a few people are ruining our public lands for all others. One more thought about the daily police presence. If I was a local Mojave County taxpayer, I wouldn't want to be paying for an officer (probably a full-time job) just to monitor these areas. Yes, a small daily fee should be required to at least pay for the law enforcement and the clean-up of the bad actors. Hopefully all, a portion of, the $15 state fee is dedicated to this effort.
I like your approach. We all want freedom but have to be good Stewarts of our land for ourselves and future generations . The few bad will always ruin it for us all.
People just don't seem to care anymore. They used to and RV'ing was awesome. I was a full-time RVer for several years and it was amazing. This kind of thing was not nearly as prevalent back then. It didn't start happening until after Covid when you had a completely different class of people who started showing up in RVs. Every state park, national park, thousand trails, or boondocking spot we had ever been to previously was suddenly overcrowded and filled with trashy people (literally). It got so bad that we said Fk it and sold our RV. It just isn't like it used to be. Maybe the folks who only started RVing in the past few years can handle it because they don't know how good it used to be. Trashing campsites is only one part of the whole mess. I see a lot of places closing down and while it sucks, I one hundred percent agree with the closures. If people can't respect a place, get rid of the campers and it usually stays nice. It's unfortunate that we cannot police ourselves but the ugly truth is most people are just shltty people who don't care. Hence why we got out of that whole scene. Good luck.
I see a lot of rat rigs in central Georgia and they're responsible for getting a lot of free overnight parking sites closed. Alot of Florida Hispanic RV'ers also in the area and they're just nasty and arrogant.
Just sub. I'm a part time camper with my GSD pup and we sleep in our no build build Chevy Tahoe. Nature is part of my healing jouney. I'm saddened on what's happening to our beautiful land. Great info.
I'm glad to see the sheriff checking permits on these areas. We stayed at one outside Wickenburg and never saw any LEO come through and that place was being abused with trash. Great video you guys.- Kyle and Michelle
Yep. If people cannot clean up, this will be happening everywhere--and it should. I'm disgusted by the way randos are trashing boondocking places all over the West. We have to leave spotless camps AND cleanup after the losers who don't. I remember that during the "pandemic" ALL dispersed camping in Oregon was closed down because the moron slobs couldn't clean up after themselves.
😢😢😢 From Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona what I am seeing is it’s always the locals or the transit that feel that it’s OK to leave their SH all over the place. Quartzsite Arizona has free trash dumping stations that helps keep the trash down.😊 I would feel strongly that if the cities had free trash disposal, a lot of this would go away😢
I live in Lake Havasu full time. The area that you are in is call the trerises. I am also a member of Lake Havasu 4 wheelers. Fact... it costs anywhere between 2k to 5k dollars to remove an abandoned rv. The trash out there is from inconsiderate Ocals that won't pay to go to the dump. There are many local organizations that clean up the dedert. I for one don't mind boon dockers as long as they follow the rules and keep the area clean. You can maybe suggest fellow RVers clean up what see dumped. There are trash dumpsters at SARA park and lions park on the island. Nice video.
It would be to your benefit to install a Night vision camera 📷 in a fake rock 🪨 to capture the pickup truck's license plate so that the Sheriff can charge the Real dumpers!!
I totally agree about people dumping their septic out in the desert I've been living this way for 3 years now, camping all over Arizona and I've never seen someone's septic dumped out in the Arizona desert
Hello, We have been camping at the Steps for six years. That particular area will fill up with utv owners on the weekend. It gets extremel;y dusty. We want to try the lake side next time we go, so we will not be looking at the highway.Just display the permit in your dash. We have never had an issue. Do not worry!
I have camped up on the steppes whenever in the Havasu area. Down near the power lines, it gets pretty busy, but up the hill more the view is better and the spots are more private. Permits? I never had one, and never got asked to show one.
I've stayed at the lake and many areas around the lake. I stay at areas open to camping in BLM and NatFrst. I keep my area clean, and I clean other trash I find. I'm an American. It's MY home wherever I go. I keep it in good condition. Individual responsibility and ownership is essential to a healthy community. I'm an Eagle Scout. My son is Army 68Wisky. We take ownership ❤
Finallly an honest video on the boondocking situation! We've been full time for almost six years. It's not the campers dumping this stuff. And you are 100 percent correct in saying the garbage is always near cities. I'm beginning to believe it's locals trying to get areas closed down. Since 2004 I've never seen any area with RV sewage on the ground. The fix to all this is for the BLM, Counties, etc to just do their job like they used to and dedicate staff to use the heavy equipment they already own and just clean up these local dump spots. But they won't, and rely on tree hugging city dwellers who guilt themselves into believing they are doing something by volunteering to clean up sites our government is too lazy to clean. Most of these sites can be cleaned up in a day with a cat and a dump truck. But they leave it out there for the sold purpose of taking pictures to county commission meetings to close down areas so they have even less work to do. We need to hold the real culprits accountable and make them use that equipment and wages our taxes pay for. IMO.
@@KrisD007Considering we have been full time on public land for the past six years I’d say yes. We bike, walk and drive all around our camp spots and never once have we ever seen sewage on the ground, ever.
@@KrisD007 No, it's a big country. They are not shutting us down. They are just making sure that we don't come through your town and make financial contributions by supporting your local businesses and paying your sales taxes. Plenty of other places to spend money. And that's what we'll do. Good luck.
I lived in crystal beach for a number of years and fought to keep this land open especaily during covid. I reached out to state trust land manager at the time for reaponses but covid kept them tight lipped. They ended up closing the area. There was one jagoff that lived out in crystal beach at the end of the road that knew a high up in the county and had enough pull to close the area. Craggy wash had a wild murder happen a few months back. We get our fair share of vagrants but the state trust land was designed to use. But they are really cracking down on it. Quartzsite is having wild issues now with rate increases. Its not looking good for boondockers near havasu unfortunately.
I used to live there. Sadly, there are people who don't take care of the land they come to enjoy. It is a really beautiful area. I hope the future holds good things for all of the areas I can travel to and enjoy.
amen brother... I recreate, out of my ick up...with a tent/ screen large tent. been out in various ca, desert areas... as you said... 10 percenters that show up for shooting, drinking, off-road, n not moral..ie leaving trash, brass, are not out door enthusiasts..... 100k campers or a pick up! good video, and can see why small scenic towns out west hate bloggers... as it can attract the 10 percenters..... though many are! locals or near these areas already! cheers...
Yup ; it was dust everywhere going from yucca valley to Barstow. (Off road vehicles) Low lying dust in every valley we went through. I went to a ohv park. It was 25 + homeless campers and junk around them . Never seen one Atv and pull vehicles were all disconnected . Pretty much see what’s going on there . Yes it was close to the city -
I travel and camp off my motorcycle several times a year. I started using BLM areas a couple of years ago. I’ve met nice people along the way and also met some pretty interesting ones too. 😊
Did a dispersed camping trip this fall in Colorado I picked up our campsite before setting up camp removed a bag full of some dead beats trash ughh Keep free camping clean and free 😢
Can we work with the city and volunteer to clean up the junked areas? Maybe the city allow for free use of the city dump if we provide the labor to clean up?
[Arizona State Land Department Case No. 00033898] I have requested this very same assistance with the state department. Here is my case number above if anyone else would like to use it for reference. I provided them photos and gps coordinates of the trashes location 12/5/2024. I was hoping to here back from them before publishing this video but I have not. I requested help with dump fees and potentially a dump trailer but that I was willing to volunteer. I have not heard back.
Another GREAT VIDEO GUYS. We absolutely love Lake Havasu but not boondocking. Unfortunately the minority spoiled it eh. There are some very nice RV resorts so we do that. We have now got lots of new friends there so we spend at least a month there per year.
Not a camper but enjoy videos about it. Very good video about what you love and I learned a lot. Also been to Havasu twice back in 77 while stationed at 29 Palms. Your concerns about losing places to stay can be applied to other interests where a small minority screw things up for the majority of the responsible.
Great video. I live in Lake Havasu and we are boondock a lot to get away from the heat. There are a lot of sketchy boon dockers here. We are always picking up after other when we go. I wish we didn't have to do that. The lake beaches are the same. That trash is from the locals that dump their shit there.
Love your Nomadic style. I also spend a lot of time each Winter in LHC area boondocking. The trash thing is getting too big too ignore. We will lose Craggy Wash too. But I agree, most of the time it is area homeless and locals dumping the trash. It's not the seasonal Nomad RV folks like us doing it. And we also volunteer to clean it up when we get to Havasu. Just so we don't lose it. It's a damn shame.
Great video as a Boondocker myself I’ve seen other boondocks do plenty of stupid shit! But the majority of trouble, and trash normally comes from locals. Whether you’re a Boondocker or a local, it all boils down to the same thing lack of respect for your other members of society. And while I’m preaching that comes down to a lack of respect for yourself! Trash loves trash and if I’m miserable, I want you to be miserable too !! once again great video. Stay safe out there and enjoy.
Homes close to city limits do not want camping close to their homes. Unfortunately the tweakers have ruined it for everyone and Havasu is over it. There is constant clean up efforts and we just can’t keep up. I think and hope there will always be camping allowed but it should have a buffer from city limits. BTW we love the snowbirds and I hope to be one someday!
The tweekers ruin everything! Our neighbors were tweekers and stole my yard landscaping rocks right after they moved in and they were renters! Just awful! They finally moved or likey were evicted after 8 long years! Hate em!
Once people see trash, they think they might as well dump too, including local homeowners. Sad! I have seen trash that is obviously from homeless “RVers”. A lot of it is hazardous (batteries, oil from changes, glycol, tires, etc.). I found an abandoned, older Fifth Wheel on a forest service road. I was afraid to approach it in case someone was deceased inside or a tweaker emerged shooting! It was empty. I am always armed, but you are at a disadvantage when they can see you before you are even aware they are there. I have even found campfires left burning in Coconino National Forest when burn restrictions were in place! I carry extra water now in case I have to douse an abandoned campfire. I do some boon-docking myself, but cleaning up other people’s campsites is getting old! Maybe more restrictions are not a bad thing. The few always ruin it for the many, but judging from all the trash I now find; I am not so sure it is “the few.” 😡
A large employer had some type of batteries being thrown out. Since our trash site is up river, this person asked if they should be disposed of a different way. “Crickets.”
Looking thru some of the boondocking area's I see brake parts, an auto transmission, old easy boy & couch, & basically, a lot of homeowner trash, my point being most garbage is donated by trashy locals, not boondockers!
I am a year round local. Your normal boondockers are not the problem. It's not us leaving the trash either. It's the homeless that try to live in the desert for free. They pack whatever possessions they have left in trucks and RVs and bring it with them. Then something happens to them like getting arrested or a vehicle breakdown they just leave it behind. At least that seems to be the case in Lake Havasu City. We have trash removal service.
@@KrisD007 Yes it does, when blame is falsely put on boondockers, causing areas to be shut down, it does make me feel better. Most of the shutting down of public lands is because Karen locals complain because they are mad that someone else can enjoy views for free that they had to pay for. The other big factor in it is environmentalists who dont want anyone to be able to step on the land unless they are a part of their paid membership.
I went to the balloon festival in Jan and stayed at the state park. While there, I explored the area for info like you showed in the video- GREAT JOB and GOOD JOB passing the locations. I haven't looked yet but GPS locations helps people like me BE SURE I'm on the same page with you. Please post GPS in ALL videos in the future, thank you! It seems these areas that want to be clean should pass a local tax to get clean ups done. EVEN if boondocking is banned, trash and abandoned vehicles will happen. The local tax would fund cleanups and wouldn't happen without a boondocking presence.
Oh yes we need higher taxes, I was just telling that to my husband that I was tired of all the money in my paycheck and hoped the government would take more.
I have a suggestion, organize a clean up with the folks there. Let the sheriff know you are doing it so he can get the word out to the locals. We need to make sure it is kept clean, that will show them we care and maybe apply pressure to the ones doing the dumping.
How does the sheriff get information to locals? Phone calls? Mailers? Door knocking? I’m one of thousands who refuse to pay for our newspaper of 5 pages about nothing.
People throw their trash all over where I live in Florida. Dump is free, closed only two days a week, yet, they dump on the side of the road, stick garbage in trees, throw it in the waterways...horrible humans.
Last year I decided to start turning some people in. [ I realize it's easier for me because I'm just one guy, a 'Self-Contained', plain white cargo van (100% stock). I pull-up, park, open my Bay sliding-door - from inside, that's my porch. I break camp in under 3 minutes. So I realize if you're family and have dogs, it's not like that for you ] **But the last few years I witnessed atrocities to our lands. Dumping trash, sewage, equipment, aggressive 4-wheeling in campsites, shooting weapons, letting their dog-packs run lose and not caring if they attack other dogs. Especially in free camp sites. These are NOT the RV and Campers I grew-up with and they're ruining it for everyone - I don't blame the residents. But it is time for the RV community to respond. So arrive at camp and take BEFORE n AFTER photos: 1- certainly document it wasn't you 2- they pull-out and leave their messes and you have photos - so turn them in. Press charges if asked to
Thank you! I live here and know some of our high school and college age kids trash the desert, but they aren’t 100% to blame as other posters are saying.
when we were there last year during fireworks show week there was some camping in that area up by the park.. but after it was over they made sure everyone was out.. we stayed up the road in the BLM area which was great. it the gravel pit area.. too many people not doing their part to keep places clean, low noise and the pack in and pack out rule.
There’s another BLM past Walmarts heading North which is on higher ground and lots more space. Difficult to site from hwy but after a few days during daylight were fine. If you go in 3mi & are lucky you can find a spot to view the lake! I did NOT notice anyone dumping anything but use caution navigating thru esp to higher ground. My stay was Mar-Apr ‘24 no issues at all, never had a sheriff & stayed a wk! I will return! I camped in a 2018 Chevy Exp 3500 extd wb, pass converted to RV with custom hightop. Only other upgrade was new COOP’s LT all around.
What a shame. I started going to Parker and Havasu in the 60's. I remember not seeing anyone on the river or lake for the entire weekend. When the London Bridge was blocks stacked in a fenced in yard. It was wonderful and pristine. Just like home (OC), it's so crowded and trashed it's sad and sickening, and the "f-wads" ruin it for everyone.
I have been doing this lifestyle a long time. We are losing places quickly. Unless boondockers and RVers can form clubs and perform major clean ups and establish a standard of behavior that others can respect, we are going to lose even more places.
Yep you are absolutely right same thing happened in Mount Charleston you used to be able to camp for free take your trash in take it out with you when you leave!!
I am sorry to say this but everybody that has a pickup truck will have to volunteer picking up that junk and hauling it off or they will not let you back in there down the road. It looks like the locals are trying to start a landfill maybe on purpose to get you all ran off. Great video, Thanks
It is absolutely getting more difficult to Boondock… No question about it. Some of it is from locals and some of it is from transient campers. I have seen people leaving all their trash and even tents and trailers behind and it just absolutely makes me feel helpless. Even some of the places in traditionally acceptable areas end up having trailers that just sit there and rot forever.
That really sucks about the trash. It’s disgusting. I live in Havasu. I have lived here for 13 1/2 years. I am getting myself started on some camping and your information was helpful. I hope no more campsites get closed. I have always said……..It’s what bad people do that makes life hard for the good people.
That trash is in all likelihood coming from the locals. Dumping isn't free anymore and locals get away with it. The BoonDockers do contribute but you are right, we take the blame. Really sad.
So let’s blame the locals 100% because it could never ever be a boondocker? I live here I know kids whose parents have no idea what they do but you can’t blame locals 100%. They aren’t dumping sewage.
In my travels around the West I've noticed that the towns are really big on selling you all the disposable and pointless crap you can carry but stingy as hell providing legal dumpsters and trashcans when it's time to discard said stuff. Then it's YOUR problem and you're expected to take it elsewhere. For some people 'elsewhere' appears to be the woods or desert. Not the right thing to do and I'm not making excuses for it, but if towns don't want trash and junk everywhere then they need to make it easy for people to do the right thing. Otherwise they're just incentivizing bad behavior.
When I go to town for what I need I unwrap everything and put it in my own containers while in the parking lot and leave the trash in the bag they provided in their trash before I leave
How about the towns like Leadville that make you pay six dollars for a special garbage bag just for the privilege of dumping it in a publicly funded garbage container?
A merchant is a merchant. Nobody twisting ones arm for consumer to buy. Taxpayers pay for dumpsters and haul out of garbage. There is a local landfill north of LHC you know.
It's about responsibility folks. In the past when I frequently camped for FREE on BLM land near Havasu, I always made a visit to the landfill once every 2 weeks and also to town and paid the State Park or an RV park to dump my back/grey effluent. Y'all quit looking for excuses and grow up and be responsible camper.
😅 when I was younger we always went to lake Havasu City to see the London bridge the museum and swim and ride boats and do everything 👍 but people do not keep the place clean that's why places are shutting down 🥺
I do occasionally boondocks in Payson and Big Lake area in Arizona. Me and my wife always leave with more trash , not what we brought with us. It's an unfortunate thing that we clean up other people's trash, but am willing to do this for a little bit of freedom left.
Part of the issue in Lake Havasu is the urban sprawl. More and more new developments on the fringes of town, mostly gated. Once the new developments go in you do get more complaints from homeowners. I do agree that a lot of the dumping on public land is done by locals. I've seen it myself. It's not all on public land, drive around town and you'll see plenty there too.
I would have loaded up my truck with that refuse and taken it to local landfill myself. I know that would help even though I would have had to pay for it. But most boondockers are old, broke, UA-camrs, or don't care. Good report. 👍
During a recent drive from Ontario, Canada, to Palm Springs, California, my wife and I traveled through 11 states, including parts of Arizona such as Lake Havasu City. We were struck by the noticeable amount of trash in ditches, parking lots, and along highways in Arizona, which made it feel like the most neglected state on our journey. Some areas felt dusty, dirty, and at times, desperate. However, Arizona also offered some of the most scenic miles of our trip. We are concerned that as housing costs push more people into full-time RV living, the resulting increase in trash, noise, neglect and lack of respect from some RVers could negatively impact the industry. This may lead to more restrictions and a reduction in available boondocking spaces, affecting all travelers. Unfortunately, municipalities and government are forced to manage and make rulings based on the weakest link and that just can’t end well for the majority of RVers.
It's a good thing you found the one and only abandoned RV 😂 I've lived in Havasu 36+years and CAMPED here since 74... Always had to pay to camp in those days .. the boondocking thing is newish and many don't like it much but especially so close to our backyards .. having strangers roaming the hills around us at night isn't the safest feeling thing and we are not used to city life where people are homeless laying on the streets .. I'm personally happy they're banning boondocking close to town. Walmart is far enough out that you can stay closer to the heights maybe .. but. As with all cool things , others ruin it for everyone who is respectful.. those who want to have open borders are brain dead
In my RVing days I frequented all the campgrounds you mentioned in your video. Cattail Cove (State owned) and La Paz County Park (in Parker) were my favorite convenient dump/recharge stations. It's sad but every week when I went into town for supplies I carried about 50 lbs. of trash (in addition to my own) to dump. LHC has dumpsters located in numerous spots in town to encourage proper trash disposal. I always had chain saws and recip saws to cut up furniture, pallets, and other flammable household items (left by others) which then got burned in a fire pit. There's more than a few paint ballers who no doubt wonder where their blinds went. The sheriff and BLM rangers told me that there's nothing they can do unless they actually see the offenders leave trash. Go figure!
The fact is, that since the pandemic years the entire western Mohave County has seen a huge increase in winter visitors boondocking. But the biggest problems are, 1 the large amount of "good" boondockers that don't respect the 14 day stay limit on BLM and State Trust lands without moving the required distance. 2 , the very large homeless RV community that seemed to show up during the "pandemic" (not the same as our winter visitor/ full time RVers) that set up full compounds and don't leave/ move until legal action is imminent. Then when they do move on they leave rubbish such as the pile you showed in the video on the State Trust land. This homeless community are not going to dump stations when their rigs don't move for months on end. 3 the battle with illegal dumping by "locals" is a constant battle. In the small community I live in a bit up river from Havasu our BLM land is mostly in the Kingman field office's jurisdiction which covers a tremendously huge area. The Kingman field office has only a few actual rangers and two law enforcement officers. They do the best they can with what they have to work with. We locals work with the BLM, Mojave County Sheriff's department ERASE program and local off-road clubs to police and clean up our areas in hopes of not getting our areas shut down. It is a never-ending process. I for one likeour winter visitors. The past few years here in Western Arizona we are feeling a little overwhelmed though.
Looks like these would be nice spots but I try to camp where I can't see or hear any other campers, homes or OHV's. I value my solitude much more than a view. I wonder if responsible campers that use popular areas might benefit from working together and taking steps to actively prevent the abuse public lands and make an effort to connect with the local enforcement agency officials to back them in their efforts to maintain good public use practices. Organizing trash clean up efforts also goes a long way toward improving community relations. (I pick up lots of other people's garbage.) If I do want to camp in a more populated area I'll usually pay to stay in a fee campground because at least the dirtbags avoid camping near them.
I’ve lived in Havasu since 2001. It’s the kids, high school and up plus weekend Californians leaving a mess. We constantly hear fireworks which scares everyone’s dogs and nothing will be done about it. I’m shocked we can drive 4x4s and golf carts on the streets. We go shooting in the desert during normal hours on the North side off Bison but always pick up our trash. Lots of rich people have purchased many houses to Air BnB so anyone who grows up here can never work one job to afford a house as prices are all over $350,000 for a small home. I guess I woke up grouchy today. We’ve had new neighbors since 2014 and they are super loud. Both kids had trucks with no mufflers. The oldest got several DUIs and came home at all hours. The parents didn’t like the one neighbor on their other side. The parents built another bedroom on their house and pool a foot over on the neighbors property. Those neighbors moved in 2015 and new ones came in who wanted a pool as well. The surveyor confirmed the people were a foot on their land. The new people built a wall on that side which angered the people who built a foot over as well (the husband was a contractor! Those plans have to be approved). The kids would lift fireworks and throw over the neighbors house. Then the neighbors noticed large fecal deposits by their garbage cans. They had cameras and saw it was the younger son dropping trou and making his deposit. Insanity.
Used to live in Havasu, I can say in my experience it wasn't the Boondockers that caused most of the issues, but it's hard to give one group access while somehow determining a way to deny access to the transients that are trashing the crap out of the areas. Things got much worse post-covid. Only complaint we generally had with Boondockers was some will get a bit over the top with the UTVs, blasting around all over town and kicking up tons of dust on the out skirts. But that's not only them, also the AirBNBers and vacation home owners as well. Might be fun for them but when you live there full time you get sick of the fact that you cannot have a normal conversation outside of your house because you're constantly competing with not just UTV noise, but extra loud custom exhausts on the UTVs as well.
Yep, "transients" didn't want their two big screen TVs anymore, or their desk, or their solid wood dresser (it probably didn't go with the decor of the backpack or shopping cart, right?) Blame the most vulnerable. How very American of you.
We camp throughout this area and further South toward Yuma. Each year we pick up trash around our camping area. Guarantee this trash is from locals. I live in a popular camping area near Bend, Oregon. Locals used to trash our area until the State and Counties made trash disposal cheap! Problem solved. Volunteer groups are slowly cleaning up the garbage and construction debris.
I can’t speak for all states or even all BLM campsites within my state. However before I retired, I lived all across beautiful Arizona. The problem we have now in southern Arizona is the shady people setting up camp sites around and with 10 miles of our town. They are NOT people like yourself who have the money to afford nice vehicles or campers. You are obviously responsible and respectable citizens. The problems here are the people with broken down trailers and old motor homes. The trash and refuse is Terrible. They have sprung up everywhere. They are basically traveling vagrants. It is NOT LOCALS. The trash and tent cities they throw up are destroying the desert. I feel you and your fellow boondockers. You respect the land and others. Unfortunately the land-squatters are destroying this privilege
Poverty creates so much suffering, indeed the evils of addiction and abuse often come from poverty. The silicon valley zio eugenicists have financialised the economy and stolen those folks jobs and houses. Lets have some compassion.
Just came across your channel. I live in Havasu. You did a Great Job. One thing that needs to be mentioned on BLM (not sure about Trust Land); you can only stay 14 days, then you have to relocate 25 miles (eta). So, this would mean, you would have to leave Havasu after 14 days. Go to Quartzsite (for example) and then you can return. PS..I have dogsat for Nomads; if ever a need. I am on Rover (w +235 reviews) & book Private clients; as well. Happy Travels. Also, try to stay away from the hugh powerlines. Alot of Electronic Frequency's buzzing thru your brain.
I've seen the locals dump more trash than campers, and I think it's a result of the cost to dispose of certain items. So we were dealing with a bigger issue, which is related to why many are choosing this lifestyle: cost.
We boondock, and i agree with your opinions and assessment of the whole situation. Its easy and politically expedient to blame the ones who are law abiding and follow the rules. Shutting down camping won't stop the trash dumping. We've seen abandoned boats as well as travel trailers on BLM lands.
I have camped around LHC for years, but I go away from people, I go out into the desert. I keep my camp area spotless and the law has never had any problems.
I used to stay across the hwy from the most southern access road to SARA park. Across from the ball field. Not sure if that's closed too? I would be about the only camper there - except when the fireworks show was on. A little tricky to get in there, but a great spot with view of city and lake. Is it closed now also?
As a Arizona resident I can say that this is happening all over Arizona, if snow birds can't respect our lands, they will lose access to them, we don't go to your state and trash it, if you are a snow bird, and witness some asshole dumping their toilet or dumping trash, take a picture of their plate, and call them in, the good ones we love you, the bad ones, just stay home.
People who live on the land (boondockers) are generally far more respectful of trash, dog/people poop, fire pit waste, etc.... compared to the locals who visit to weekend-party and think they own the place so they can do what they want.
I was a deputy in Idaho for 15 years. The vast majority of people trashing camp sites and illegally dumping were locals. Yet it’s always blamed on nomads and people from elsewhere. Locals love to shit in their own back yards and blame someone else for it.
I agree I've seen people unload their trash because they don't want to pay the trash bill. When ever I camp I end up picking up op's trash as much as I can.
Could not agree more. I live in eastern Idaho and the locals blame out of state hunters for everything but it's the locals who dump garbage and treat the woods like their personal trashcan.
If this is true it's very unfortunate. If you live in town most cities have bulk pick up options for the majority of these items. How foolish and lazy can people be doing this? In fact its even easier to call bulk pick and set it in front of your house so they can pick it up and properly dispose of it for free! Ehats wrong with people
I’m so sick of the forests getting trashed.
The penalty for illegal dumping should be a 12-month sentence of living in Illinois. Not jail, just Illinois. Then, when you get back to Idaho, you'll hopefully appreciate what you got.
Great message to boondockers/nomads. If we don’t clean up our areas they will no longer be available! I have heard of HOWA organizing cleanups. They had a cleanup near Pahrump, Nv. I’m about to become a nomad & am willing to help. “Leave it cleaner than you found it” will be my goal! Thank you!
Nomads do leave sites cleaner. 18 years under my belt, and when I return to areas I’ve been to, and cleaned up, I find that they are too often trashed a bit, CLEARLY by locals. There is no way a Nomad brought out a house mattress, box springs, a thrashed canopy.. or the scrapped porcelain house toilet. Yeah, you read that right!!
I’ve boondocked a lot in Arizona, and everywhere I set up, the first thing I do is make a big circle walk around my site with a trash picker and at least 2 plastic grocery bags. I usually fill both bags, and sometimes have to use more bags. This is in pretty places, not alongside I-40, which is a mess. Truckers are filthy animals.
They threatened me with a trespass charge,,,for picking up trash,, mowers sling it on roads, causing flats!
@@chadsimmons6347 you saw a mower in havasu? In the desert?
@@KrisD007 Yep,,i see many things others miss,,my brain power is exceptional!
Welcome to my hometown. Glad to have you here supporting our local economy
99% sure that trash dump was from locals. I hike all over these deserts and I see it all the time. Great video! After the holidays, maybe I'll head down there with a trailer and clean it up.
A message that needed to be said...thank you!
The issue is multifaceted...but comes down to respect and responsibilities to our shared natural resources. Some folks have it, sadly many don't.
Great job on the video! Our home base is in Lake Havasu. There are a very select few who misuse the land. We all know what type of people those are!!What you showed in your video are illegal dumpers. Most boondockers respect the public lands. Sometimes folks need to be reminded! Again, Great Job!!
That's where I'm planning to go first.
Southern Arizona resident. Years ago Lived in Yuma/ frequented the areas of Quartzsite, Lake Havasu, those towns boomed during the winter months with so many retired people in their RVs etc. parked in the deserts. There was no Walmart, just local businesses. It was a different era, different people. I think that now there are more ages RVing, more active with the off road vehicles etc. Now there is more regulation. Anyone who really enjoys the desert, will keep it clean and respect it, and I'm sure that people like you are doing your part. The problem with the dumping is everywhere, Lazy trashy people dump in our beautiful Sonoran Desert too. Obviously the trash you showed was from a house, that trailer was gutted and dumped their too, so there are residents of Lake Havasu that don't go to the actual dump. We have problems with homeless/campers/panhandlers. I would imagine that them being set up on land right by a neighborhood would cause turmoil, just as it does here. Things are stolen out of yards, pets go missing, residents feel that they are being watched by these transient people. Hopefully you still find places to stay.
How hard is it to dig a hole in the desert and throw away trash and cover it up?
GREAT VIDEO. Sad, but true. As a short-duration, weekday "boondocker" myself, I spend most of my camping time in the US Forest Service lands of northern NM in relatively remote "dispersed" locations. Many times, I camp in the exact same spot. I always spend the first hour or two picking up trash, even when I was there just a month previously. Once, I even saw a trail of toilet paper and turds as someone left the site while draining their black tank. It's just too bad that many a few people are ruining our public lands for all others.
One more thought about the daily police presence. If I was a local Mojave County taxpayer, I wouldn't want to be paying for an officer (probably a full-time job) just to monitor these areas. Yes, a small daily fee should be required to at least pay for the law enforcement and the clean-up of the bad actors. Hopefully all, a portion of, the $15 state fee is dedicated to this effort.
I like your approach. We all want freedom but have to be good Stewarts of our land for ourselves and future generations . The few bad will always ruin it for us all.
People just don't seem to care anymore. They used to and RV'ing was awesome. I was a full-time RVer for several years and it was amazing. This kind of thing was not nearly as prevalent back then. It didn't start happening until after Covid when you had a completely different class of people who started showing up in RVs. Every state park, national park, thousand trails, or boondocking spot we had ever been to previously was suddenly overcrowded and filled with trashy people (literally). It got so bad that we said Fk it and sold our RV. It just isn't like it used to be. Maybe the folks who only started RVing in the past few years can handle it because they don't know how good it used to be. Trashing campsites is only one part of the whole mess. I see a lot of places closing down and while it sucks, I one hundred percent agree with the closures. If people can't respect a place, get rid of the campers and it usually stays nice. It's unfortunate that we cannot police ourselves but the ugly truth is most people are just shltty people who don't care. Hence why we got out of that whole scene. Good luck.
I see a lot of rat rigs in central Georgia and they're responsible for getting a lot of free overnight parking sites closed. Alot of Florida Hispanic RV'ers also in the area and they're just nasty and arrogant.
Just sub. I'm a part time camper with my GSD pup and we sleep in our no build build Chevy Tahoe. Nature is part of my healing jouney. I'm saddened on what's happening to our beautiful land. Great info.
I'm glad to see the sheriff checking permits on these areas. We stayed at one outside Wickenburg and never saw any LEO come through and that place was being abused with trash. Great video you guys.- Kyle and Michelle
Yep. If people cannot clean up, this will be happening everywhere--and it should. I'm disgusted by the way randos are trashing boondocking places all over the West. We have to leave spotless camps AND cleanup after the losers who don't. I remember that during the "pandemic" ALL dispersed camping in Oregon was closed down because the moron slobs couldn't clean up after themselves.
You are fantastic ! Thank you so much for all the information.
You are fantastic ! Thank you so much for all the information.
😢😢😢
From Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and Arizona what I am seeing is it’s always the locals or the transit that feel that it’s OK to leave their SH all over the place. Quartzsite Arizona has free trash dumping stations that helps keep the trash down.😊
I would feel strongly that if the cities had free trash disposal, a lot of this would go away😢
I live in Lake Havasu full time. The area that you are in is call the trerises. I am also a member of Lake Havasu 4 wheelers. Fact... it costs anywhere between 2k to 5k dollars to remove an abandoned rv. The trash out there is from inconsiderate
Ocals that won't pay to go to the dump. There are many local organizations that clean up the dedert. I for one don't mind boon dockers as long as they follow the rules and keep the area clean. You can maybe suggest fellow RVers clean up what see dumped. There are trash dumpsters at SARA park and lions park on the island. Nice video.
It would be to your benefit to install a Night vision camera 📷 in a fake rock 🪨 to capture the pickup truck's license plate so that the Sheriff can charge the Real dumpers!!
I totally agree about people dumping their septic out in the desert I've been living this way for 3 years now, camping all over Arizona and I've never seen someone's septic dumped out in the Arizona desert
The history of Lake havasu is fascinating with the dam, and the bridge, and the McCullough family
I live here and don’t know about a dam here, are you talking about Parker dam?
Ya, the bridge is a satanic alter. Ol Man McCullough was a master Mason. The sh@t gets deep if you grew up there. Enjoy your visit.
@KrisD007 did you ever wonder why there's a lake?
You just passed
my house .😂
I went there 2020 just passing thru . I end up staying 4 months .
Now I am a land owner and winter resident !
Great video! Great representation of a professional traveler!😊🎉
Hello,
We have been camping at the Steps for six years. That particular area will fill up with utv owners on the weekend. It gets extremel;y dusty. We want to try the lake side next time we go, so we will not be looking at the highway.Just display the permit in your dash. We have never had an issue.
Do not worry!
I have camped up on the steppes whenever in the Havasu area. Down near the power lines, it gets pretty busy, but up the hill more the view is better and the spots are more private. Permits? I never had one, and never got asked to show one.
Good video, thanks for making it and bringing awareness so that people can help keep these areas open. 😎👍
I've stayed at the lake and many areas around the lake. I stay at areas open to camping in BLM and NatFrst. I keep my area clean, and I clean other trash I find. I'm an American. It's MY home wherever I go. I keep it in good condition. Individual responsibility and ownership is essential to a healthy community. I'm an Eagle Scout. My son is Army 68Wisky. We take ownership ❤
Finallly an honest video on the boondocking situation! We've been full time for almost six years. It's not the campers dumping this stuff. And you are 100 percent correct in saying the garbage is always near cities. I'm beginning to believe it's locals trying to get areas closed down. Since 2004 I've never seen any area with RV sewage on the ground. The fix to all this is for the BLM, Counties, etc to just do their job like they used to and dedicate staff to use the heavy equipment they already own and just clean up these local dump spots. But they won't, and rely on tree hugging city dwellers who guilt themselves into believing they are doing something by volunteering to clean up sites our government is too lazy to clean. Most of these sites can be cleaned up in a day with a cat and a dump truck. But they leave it out there for the sold purpose of taking pictures to county commission meetings to close down areas so they have even less work to do. We need to hold the real culprits accountable and make them use that equipment and wages our taxes pay for. IMO.
@@tonyshelton3744 they did that in Cottonwood locals dumped garbage it was shut down.
Did you go out every day to see if boondockers left sewage?
@@KrisD007Considering we have been full time on public land for the past six years I’d say yes. We bike, walk and drive all around our camp spots and never once have we ever seen sewage on the ground, ever.
@@tonyshelton3744 well there you go, the county is shutting y’all down for no reason. Maybe you should go to the sheriffs office and tell them?
@@KrisD007 No, it's a big country. They are not shutting us down. They are just making sure that we don't come through your town and make financial contributions by supporting your local businesses and paying your sales taxes. Plenty of other places to spend money. And that's what we'll do. Good luck.
I lived in crystal beach for a number of years and fought to keep this land open especaily during covid. I reached out to state trust land manager at the time for reaponses but covid kept them tight lipped. They ended up closing the area. There was one jagoff that lived out in crystal beach at the end of the road that knew a high up in the county and had enough pull to close the area. Craggy wash had a wild murder happen a few months back. We get our fair share of vagrants but the state trust land was designed to use. But they are really cracking down on it. Quartzsite is having wild issues now with rate increases. Its not looking good for boondockers near havasu unfortunately.
Thanks for sharing! If folks keep the camp clean, maybe there will be some leverage to keep the area open for camping.
I used to live there. Sadly, there are people who don't take care of the land they come to enjoy. It is a really beautiful area. I hope the future holds good things for all of the areas I can travel to and enjoy.
So glad you opened my eyes to this.
Dude! Great message. Perfectly articulated.
Excellent editing! 🏆
Thank you! Merry Christmas! 👍
amen brother... I recreate, out of my ick up...with a tent/ screen large tent. been out in various ca, desert areas... as you said... 10 percenters that show up for shooting, drinking, off-road, n not moral..ie leaving trash, brass, are not out door enthusiasts..... 100k campers or a pick up!
good video, and can see why small scenic towns out west hate bloggers... as it can attract the 10 percenters..... though many are! locals or near these areas already!
cheers...
There is a fine line between over policing to the point of hurting the town coffers, and how to attract future tourism. Slippery slope!
Awesome video. I agree that hobo don’t leave big mess but we get blamed only thing I think is clean it up maybe it will keep the heat off us 🇨🇦🛠️🇨🇦🛠️
Yup ; it was dust everywhere going from yucca valley to Barstow. (Off road vehicles) Low lying dust in every valley we went through.
I went to a ohv park. It was 25 + homeless campers and junk around them . Never seen one Atv and pull vehicles were all disconnected . Pretty much see what’s going on there . Yes it was close to the city -
I travel and camp off my motorcycle several times a year. I started using BLM areas a couple of years ago. I’ve met nice people along the way and also met some pretty interesting ones too. 😊
This reminds me of hunting and fishing as a child. We must establish good standards and take care of our lands.
as an offroader i support sons of smokey and gambler 500 for there clean up efforts. maybe campers should pool recourses to clean their areas as well
Did a dispersed camping trip this fall in Colorado
I picked up our campsite before setting up camp removed a bag full of some dead beats trash ughh
Keep free camping clean and free 😢
We do the same thing when we go camping. We go around and pick up all of th garbage that we can see. There's a LOT of beer cans and beer bottles!!!!
Can we work with the city and volunteer to clean up the junked areas? Maybe the city allow for free use of the city dump if we provide the labor to clean up?
[Arizona State Land Department Case No. 00033898] I have requested this very same assistance with the state department. Here is my case number above if anyone else would like to use it for reference. I provided them photos and gps coordinates of the trashes location 12/5/2024. I was hoping to here back from them before publishing this video but I have not. I requested help with dump fees and potentially a dump trailer but that I was willing to volunteer. I have not heard back.
@ I am in the Phoenix area for the next 10 days...let us know if you have movement towards this and I'll come up to help
@@TheFreeses515
Count me in also
I would be willing to help clean up
@@TheFreeses515 This is something to keep track of. I'm not there now, but will be in a few weeks. I'd always be up for a group clean up effort.
@@TheFreeses515 Not hearing back should tell you all you need to know about where the real problem is.
Hopefully you are still around and have heard of "Big Tent" in Quartzite. Be there!!!
Another GREAT VIDEO GUYS. We absolutely love Lake Havasu but not boondocking. Unfortunately the minority spoiled it eh. There are some very nice RV resorts so we do that. We have now got lots of new friends there so we spend at least a month there per year.
Not a camper but enjoy videos about it. Very good video about what you love and I learned a lot. Also been to Havasu twice back in 77 while stationed at 29 Palms. Your concerns about losing places to stay can be applied to other interests where a small minority screw things up for the majority of the responsible.
Great video. I live in Lake Havasu and we are boondock a lot to get away from the heat. There are a lot of sketchy boon dockers here. We are always picking up after other when we go. I wish we didn't have to do that. The lake beaches are the same. That trash is from the locals that dump their shit there.
Thank you as a local for pointing out the dumpsters of Sarah Park
You live in a very cool town and you're welcome! Thanks for watching and commenting. 🤙
Love your Nomadic style. I also spend a lot of time each Winter in LHC area boondocking. The trash thing is getting too big too ignore. We will lose Craggy Wash too. But I agree, most of the time it is area homeless and locals dumping the trash. It's not the seasonal Nomad RV folks like us doing it. And we also volunteer to clean it up when we get to Havasu. Just so we don't lose it. It's a damn shame.
Great video as a Boondocker myself I’ve seen other boondocks do plenty of stupid shit! But the majority of trouble, and trash normally comes from locals.
Whether you’re a Boondocker or a local, it all boils down to the same thing lack of respect for your other members of society.
And while I’m preaching that comes down to a lack of respect for yourself! Trash loves trash and if I’m miserable, I want you to be miserable too !! once again great video. Stay safe out there and enjoy.
Homes close to city limits do not want camping close to their homes. Unfortunately the tweakers have ruined it for everyone and Havasu is over it. There is constant clean up efforts and we just can’t keep up. I think and hope there will always be camping allowed but it should have a buffer from city limits. BTW we love the snowbirds and I hope to be one someday!
The tweekers ruin everything! Our neighbors were tweekers and stole my yard landscaping rocks right after they moved in and they were renters! Just awful! They finally moved or likey were evicted after 8 long years! Hate em!
It was probably me coughing! I always have the fits in the morning! Im 17mo ft in a 40 dp. Heading to lhc next week, so glad i stumbled upon this
Oh man that's hilarious! Good luck in LHC! 😄
Once people see trash, they think they might as well dump too, including local homeowners. Sad!
I have seen trash that is obviously from homeless “RVers”. A lot of it is hazardous (batteries, oil from changes, glycol, tires, etc.).
I found an abandoned, older Fifth Wheel on a forest service road. I was afraid to approach it in case someone was deceased inside or a tweaker emerged shooting! It was empty. I am always armed, but you are at a disadvantage when they can see you before you are even aware they are there.
I have even found campfires left burning in Coconino National Forest when burn restrictions were in place! I carry extra water now in case I have to douse an abandoned campfire.
I do some boon-docking myself, but cleaning up other people’s campsites is getting old! Maybe more restrictions are not a bad thing. The few always ruin it for the many, but judging from all the trash I now find; I am not so sure it is “the few.”
😡
A large employer had some type of batteries being thrown out. Since our trash site is up river, this person asked if they should be disposed of a different way. “Crickets.”
Looking thru some of the boondocking area's I see brake parts, an auto transmission, old easy boy & couch, & basically, a lot of homeowner trash, my point being most garbage is donated by trashy locals, not boondockers!
Exactly!
I am a year round local. Your normal boondockers are not the problem. It's not us leaving the trash either. It's the homeless that try to live in the desert for free. They pack whatever possessions they have left in trucks and RVs and bring it with them. Then something happens to them like getting arrested or a vehicle breakdown they just leave it behind. At least that seems to be the case in Lake Havasu City. We have trash removal service.
Yup in my experience every homeless camp becomes a trash heap left behind for someone else to clean up.
Let’s blame the locals for everything. Does it make you feel better to blame us?
@@KrisD007 Yes it does, when blame is falsely put on boondockers, causing areas to be shut down, it does make me feel better. Most of the shutting down of public lands is because Karen locals complain because they are mad that someone else can enjoy views for free that they had to pay for. The other big factor in it is environmentalists who dont want anyone to be able to step on the land unless they are a part of their paid membership.
I went to the balloon festival in Jan and stayed at the state park. While there, I explored the area for info like you showed in the video- GREAT JOB and GOOD JOB passing the locations. I haven't looked yet but GPS locations helps people like me BE SURE I'm on the same page with you. Please post GPS in ALL videos in the future, thank you!
It seems these areas that want to be clean should pass a local tax to get clean ups done. EVEN if boondocking is banned, trash and abandoned vehicles will happen. The local tax would fund cleanups and wouldn't happen without a boondocking presence.
Oh yes we need higher taxes, I was just telling that to my husband that I was tired of all the money in my paycheck and hoped the government would take more.
I have a suggestion, organize a clean up with the folks there. Let the sheriff know you are doing it so he can get the word out to the locals. We need to make sure it is kept clean, that will show them we care and maybe apply pressure to the ones doing the dumping.
How does the sheriff get information to locals? Phone calls? Mailers? Door knocking? I’m one of thousands who refuse to pay for our newspaper of 5 pages about nothing.
People throw their trash all over where I live in Florida. Dump is free, closed only two days a week, yet, they dump on the side of the road, stick garbage in trees, throw it in the waterways...horrible humans.
We got a laugh out of you saving the only useful part of this video until the very end. Thanks for that.😂
Last year I decided to start turning some people in.
[ I realize it's easier for me because I'm just one guy, a 'Self-Contained', plain white cargo van (100% stock). I pull-up, park, open my Bay sliding-door - from inside, that's my porch. I break camp in under 3 minutes.
So I realize if you're family and have dogs, it's not like that for you ]
**But the last few years I witnessed atrocities to our lands. Dumping trash, sewage, equipment, aggressive 4-wheeling in campsites, shooting weapons, letting their dog-packs run lose and not caring if they attack other dogs. Especially in free camp sites.
These are NOT the RV and Campers I grew-up with and they're ruining it for everyone - I don't blame the residents.
But it is time for the RV community to respond. So arrive at camp and take BEFORE n AFTER photos:
1- certainly document it wasn't you
2- they pull-out and leave their messes and you have photos - so turn them in. Press charges if asked to
Thank you! I live here and know some of our high school and college age kids trash the desert, but they aren’t 100% to blame as other posters are saying.
when we were there last year during fireworks show week there was some camping in that area up by the park.. but after it was over they made sure everyone was out.. we stayed up the road in the BLM area which was great. it the gravel pit area.. too many people not doing their part to keep places clean, low noise and the pack in and pack out rule.
There’s another BLM past Walmarts heading North which is on higher ground and lots more space. Difficult to site from hwy but after a few days during daylight were fine. If you go in 3mi & are lucky you can find a spot to view the lake! I did NOT notice anyone dumping anything but use caution navigating thru esp to higher ground. My stay was Mar-Apr ‘24 no issues at all, never had a sheriff & stayed a wk! I will return! I camped in a 2018 Chevy Exp 3500 extd wb, pass converted to RV with custom hightop. Only other upgrade was new COOP’s LT all around.
What a shame.
I started going to Parker and Havasu in the 60's.
I remember not seeing anyone on the river or lake for the entire weekend.
When the London Bridge was blocks stacked in a fenced in yard.
It was wonderful and pristine.
Just like home (OC), it's so crowded and trashed it's sad and sickening, and the "f-wads" ruin it for everyone.
I have been doing this lifestyle a long time. We are losing places quickly. Unless boondockers and RVers can form clubs and perform major clean ups and establish a standard of behavior that others can respect, we are going to lose even more places.
go to a truck suppl repair shop for your tire blocks, they are far better than the ones sold at rv dealers.
Very informative and sadly too true.... The few will always ruin it for the many.
You need to try camping at telephone cove it's a part of lake Mead it's beautiful
Hate to say that but anything subject of a YT video turns into a place... you dont want to go. I will NEVER show any of the places I go 😂.
Yep you are absolutely right same thing happened in Mount Charleston you used to be able to camp for free take your trash in take it out with you when you leave!!
El Capitan State Park in N. Ca. is closing for a year to overnight parking starting in January, for construction.
I am sorry to say this but everybody that has a pickup truck will have to volunteer picking up that junk and hauling it off or they will not let you back in there down the road. It looks like the locals are trying to start a landfill maybe on purpose to get you all ran off. Great video, Thanks
It is absolutely getting more difficult to Boondock… No question about it. Some of it is from locals and some of it is from transient campers. I have seen people leaving all their trash and even tents and trailers behind and it just absolutely makes me feel helpless. Even some of the places in traditionally acceptable areas end up having trailers that just sit there and rot forever.
That really sucks about the trash. It’s disgusting. I live in Havasu. I have lived here for 13 1/2 years. I am getting myself started on some camping and your information was helpful. I hope no more campsites get closed. I have always said……..It’s what bad people do that makes life hard for the good people.
That trash is in all likelihood coming from the locals. Dumping isn't free anymore and locals get away with it. The BoonDockers do contribute but you are right, we take the blame. Really sad.
So let’s blame the locals 100% because it could never ever be a boondocker? I live here I know kids whose parents have no idea what they do but you can’t blame locals 100%. They aren’t dumping sewage.
In my travels around the West I've noticed that the towns are really big on selling you all the disposable and pointless crap you can carry but stingy as hell providing legal dumpsters and trashcans when it's time to discard said stuff. Then it's YOUR problem and you're expected to take it elsewhere. For some people 'elsewhere' appears to be the woods or desert. Not the right thing to do and I'm not making excuses for it, but if towns don't want trash and junk everywhere then they need to make it easy for people to do the right thing. Otherwise they're just incentivizing bad behavior.
When I go to town for what I need
I unwrap everything and put it in my own containers while in the parking lot and leave the trash in the bag they provided in their trash before I leave
I've seen the same thing as I travel.
How about the towns like Leadville that make you pay six dollars for a special garbage bag just for the privilege of dumping it in a publicly funded garbage container?
A merchant is a merchant. Nobody twisting ones arm for consumer to buy. Taxpayers pay for dumpsters and haul out of garbage. There is a local landfill north of LHC you know.
It's about responsibility folks. In the past when I frequently camped for FREE on BLM land near Havasu, I always made a visit to the landfill once every 2 weeks and also to town and paid the State Park or an RV park to dump my back/grey effluent. Y'all quit looking for excuses and grow up and be responsible camper.
If you can hear someone caugh your too close! 😂
Pack it in pack it out is the rule 🌎
😅 when I was younger we always went to lake Havasu City to see the London bridge the museum and swim and ride boats and do everything 👍 but people do not keep the place clean that's why places are shutting down 🥺
One of the big problems for the environment is that people don`t pick -up after pets
Back in the day, Craggy Washington was very cool.
No boat, no off road vehicle, no bike and don’t fish. Been there once. Cya. You enjoy.
I do occasionally boondocks in Payson and Big Lake area in Arizona. Me and my wife always leave with more trash , not what we brought with us. It's an unfortunate thing that we clean up other people's trash, but am willing to do this for a little bit of freedom left.
In the area of Parker Arizona there's a lot of Indian property that they would be more than willing to lease it .
Part of the issue in Lake Havasu is the urban sprawl. More and more new developments on the fringes of town, mostly gated. Once the new developments go in you do get more complaints from homeowners. I do agree that a lot of the dumping on public land is done by locals. I've seen it myself. It's not all on public land, drive around town and you'll see plenty there too.
I would have loaded up my truck with that refuse and taken it to local landfill myself. I know that would help even though I would have had to pay for it. But most boondockers are old, broke, UA-camrs, or don't care. Good report. 👍
It’s always the few that messes things up for the many.
During a recent drive from Ontario, Canada, to Palm Springs, California, my wife and I traveled through 11 states, including parts of Arizona such as Lake Havasu City. We were struck by the noticeable amount of trash in ditches, parking lots, and along highways in Arizona, which made it feel like the most neglected state on our journey. Some areas felt dusty, dirty, and at times, desperate. However, Arizona also offered some of the most scenic miles of our trip.
We are concerned that as housing costs push more people into full-time RV living, the resulting increase in trash, noise, neglect and lack of respect from some RVers could negatively impact the industry. This may lead to more restrictions and a reduction in available boondocking spaces, affecting all travelers. Unfortunately, municipalities and government are forced to manage and make rulings based on the weakest link and that just can’t end well for the majority of RVers.
It's a good thing you found the one and only abandoned RV 😂
I've lived in Havasu 36+years and CAMPED here since 74... Always had to pay to camp in those days .. the boondocking thing is newish and many don't like it much but especially so close to our backyards .. having strangers roaming the hills around us at night isn't the safest feeling thing and we are not used to city life where people are homeless laying on the streets .. I'm personally happy they're banning boondocking close to town. Walmart is far enough out that you can stay closer to the heights maybe .. but. As with all cool things , others ruin it for everyone who is respectful.. those who want to have open borders are brain dead
Boondockers love our land and freedom. Most of us take pride in ourselves and our land. Take a little pride in ourselves please.
In my RVing days I frequented all the campgrounds you mentioned in your video. Cattail Cove (State owned) and La Paz County Park (in Parker) were my favorite convenient dump/recharge stations. It's sad but every week when I went into town for supplies I carried about 50 lbs. of trash (in addition to my own) to dump. LHC has dumpsters located in numerous spots in town to encourage proper trash disposal. I always had chain saws and recip saws to cut up furniture, pallets, and other flammable household items (left by others) which then got burned in a fire pit. There's more than a few paint ballers who no doubt wonder where their blinds went. The sheriff and BLM rangers told me that there's nothing they can do unless they actually see the offenders leave trash. Go figure!
The fact is, that since the pandemic years the entire western Mohave County has seen a huge increase in winter visitors boondocking. But the biggest problems are,
1 the large amount of "good" boondockers that don't respect the 14 day stay limit on BLM and State Trust lands without moving the required distance.
2 , the very large homeless RV community that seemed to show up during the "pandemic" (not the same as our winter visitor/ full time RVers) that set up full compounds and don't leave/ move until legal action is imminent. Then when they do move on they leave rubbish such as the pile you showed in the video on the State Trust land. This homeless community are not going to dump stations when their rigs don't move for months on end.
3 the battle with illegal dumping by "locals" is a constant battle.
In the small community I live in a bit up river from Havasu our BLM land is mostly in the Kingman field office's jurisdiction which covers a tremendously huge area. The Kingman field office has only a few actual rangers and two law enforcement officers. They do the best they can with what they have to work with. We locals work with the BLM, Mojave County Sheriff's department ERASE program and local off-road clubs to police and clean up our areas in hopes of not getting our areas shut down. It is a never-ending process.
I for one likeour winter visitors. The past few years here in Western Arizona we are feeling a little overwhelmed though.
@@chuckbrinkley4958 blm don’t have enough people to enforce the law. But there do there best. 🇨🇦🛠️
Looks like these would be nice spots but I try to camp where I can't see or hear any other campers, homes or OHV's. I value my solitude much more than a view. I wonder if responsible campers that use popular areas might benefit from working together and taking steps to actively prevent the abuse public lands and make an effort to connect with the local enforcement agency officials to back them in their efforts to maintain good public use practices. Organizing trash clean up efforts also goes a long way toward improving community relations. (I pick up lots of other people's garbage.) If I do want to camp in a more populated area I'll usually pay to stay in a fee campground because at least the dirtbags avoid camping near them.
I’ve lived in Havasu since 2001. It’s the kids, high school and up plus weekend Californians leaving a mess. We constantly hear fireworks which scares everyone’s dogs and nothing will be done about it. I’m shocked we can drive 4x4s and golf carts on the streets. We go shooting in the desert during normal hours on the North side off Bison but always pick up our trash. Lots of rich people have purchased many houses to Air BnB so anyone who grows up here can never work one job to afford a house as prices are all over $350,000 for a small home. I guess I woke up grouchy today. We’ve had new neighbors since 2014 and they are super loud. Both kids had trucks with no mufflers. The oldest got several DUIs and came home at all hours. The parents didn’t like the one neighbor on their other side. The parents built another bedroom on their house and pool a foot over on the neighbors property. Those neighbors moved in 2015 and new ones came in who wanted a pool as well. The surveyor confirmed the people were a foot on their land. The new people built a wall on that side which angered the people who built a foot over as well (the husband was a contractor! Those plans have to be approved). The kids would lift fireworks and throw over the neighbors house. Then the neighbors noticed large fecal deposits by their garbage cans. They had cameras and saw it was the younger son dropping trou and making his deposit. Insanity.
Used to live in Havasu, I can say in my experience it wasn't the Boondockers that caused most of the issues, but it's hard to give one group access while somehow determining a way to deny access to the transients that are trashing the crap out of the areas. Things got much worse post-covid. Only complaint we generally had with Boondockers was some will get a bit over the top with the UTVs, blasting around all over town and kicking up tons of dust on the out skirts. But that's not only them, also the AirBNBers and vacation home owners as well. Might be fun for them but when you live there full time you get sick of the fact that you cannot have a normal conversation outside of your house because you're constantly competing with not just UTV noise, but extra loud custom exhausts on the UTVs as well.
Yep, "transients" didn't want their two big screen TVs anymore, or their desk, or their solid wood dresser (it probably didn't go with the decor of the backpack or shopping cart, right?) Blame the most vulnerable. How very American of you.
You could do a clean up day if you did that it would show that you cared and possibly it would show the sheriff's department that you cared
FYI Crystal Beach is not near the bridge nor in city limits. Crystal beach is far north past walmart
We camp throughout this area and further South toward Yuma. Each year we pick up trash around our camping area. Guarantee this trash is from locals. I live in a popular camping area near Bend, Oregon. Locals used to trash our area until the State and Counties made trash disposal cheap! Problem solved. Volunteer groups are slowly cleaning up the garbage and construction debris.
I can’t speak for all states or even all BLM campsites within my state. However before I retired, I lived all across beautiful Arizona. The problem we have now in southern Arizona is the shady people setting up camp sites around and with 10 miles of our town. They are NOT people like yourself who have the money to afford nice vehicles or campers. You are obviously responsible and respectable citizens. The problems here are the people with broken down trailers and old motor homes. The trash and refuse is Terrible. They have sprung up everywhere. They are basically traveling vagrants. It is NOT LOCALS. The trash and tent cities they throw up are destroying the desert. I feel you and your fellow boondockers. You respect the land and others. Unfortunately the land-squatters are destroying this privilege
Poverty creates so much suffering, indeed the evils of addiction and abuse often come from poverty. The silicon valley zio eugenicists have financialised the economy and stolen those folks jobs and houses. Lets have some compassion.
As far as gray water it is fairly innocuous. Soap seems to deteriorate, soak in, but it can be unsightly.
Just came across your channel. I live in Havasu. You did a Great Job. One thing that needs to be mentioned on BLM (not sure about Trust Land); you can only stay 14 days, then you have to relocate 25 miles (eta). So, this would mean, you would have to leave Havasu after 14 days. Go to Quartzsite (for example) and then you can return. PS..I have dogsat for Nomads; if ever a need. I am on Rover (w +235 reviews) & book Private clients; as well. Happy Travels. Also, try to stay away from the hugh powerlines. Alot of Electronic Frequency's buzzing thru your brain.
I've seen the locals dump more trash than campers, and I think it's a result of the cost to dispose of certain items. So we were dealing with a bigger issue, which is related to why many are choosing this lifestyle: cost.
Boondockers / Nomads Quartzite AZ
We boondock, and i agree with your opinions and assessment of the whole situation. Its easy and politically expedient to blame the ones who are law abiding and follow the rules. Shutting down camping won't stop the trash dumping. We've seen abandoned boats as well as travel trailers on BLM lands.
That low spot looks as if flash floods could be a problem.
It's happening at truck stops n rest areas nation wide.
I have camped around LHC for years, but I go away from people, I go out into the desert. I keep my camp area spotless and the law has never had any problems.
I used to stay across the hwy from the most southern access road to SARA park. Across from the ball field. Not sure if that's closed too? I would be about the only camper there - except when the fireworks show was on. A little tricky to get in there, but a great spot with view of city and lake. Is it closed now also?
Yes. The area across from Sara park is now closed to overnight camping.
@TheFreeses515 The area I am talking about is further south from the area you were at in the video. It's high up on a hill across from the ballpark.
As a Arizona resident I can say that this is happening all over Arizona, if snow birds can't respect our lands, they will lose access to them, we don't go to your state and trash it, if you are a snow bird, and witness some asshole dumping their toilet or dumping trash, take a picture of their plate, and call them in, the good ones we love you, the bad ones, just stay home.
The Bumdockers destroyed the Lake Pleasant areas
People who live on the land (boondockers) are generally far more respectful of trash, dog/people poop, fire pit waste, etc.... compared to the locals who visit to weekend-party and think they own the place so they can do what they want.
Take some of the trash with you if you see it