On behalf of the Quartzsite Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism and everyone in the Quartzsite region, we welcome you.
Quartzsite is the Gateway to the Arizona Peace Trail,
a 750 mile Off Road Vehicle (OHV) Loop Trail system from Yuma to Bullhead City. Riders will experience dramatic elevation changes that range from 170 ft. along the banks of the Colorado River to the 7070 ft. mountain tops in the Hualapai Mountains.
The Arizona Peace Trail is ideal for a day trip to explore around Quartzsite. Or take an overnight adventure or several days expedition! Combine the Arizona Peace Trail with over 1,000 miles of BLM designated OHV trails in the Quartzsite area. To learn more visit www.ArizonaPeaceTrail.org.
Quartzsite is known for its RV and ATV friendly atmosphere. ATV trails lead in all directions room town with beautiful desert scenery along the way. For ATV and 4-Wheel drive enthusiasts there are hundreds of miles of roads and trails to take you into every nook and cranny imaginable. From slot canyons and blue faced mountains to cool oases and tall peaks, there is something for everyone.
Quartzsite has a variety of Jeep and ATV trails from easy graded roads to difficult 4WD trails, on up to very difficult 4x4 challenges. All trails are detailed on this website with maps, descriptions and photos plus GPS & gpx tracks. https://www.jeeptheusa.com/quartzsite-jeep-trails.html
CAMPING
Quartzsite is a small town in the Arizona desert off I-10 that is surrounded by BLM land, only about 17 miles from the southern California border and 100 miles from Mexico. While normally a quiet desert community during the summer, it starts filling up in October with winter RV snowbirds seeking to avoid snow shovels and heating bills. The local population swells from as little as 3,000 to over 2 million.
The real influx happens in January when the annual RV swap meets occurs. The swap meets takes over the entire town with hundreds of vendors selling anything from common house tools and cooking gear to specialized wares for RVers including RVs. Thankfully, there are plenty of RV parks in town or nearby and lots of BLM land where RVers can boondock without utilities free or nearly free.
The La Posa Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) was created in 1983 to fulfill the needs of winter visitors and to protect the local desert ecosystem from over-use. The campground is approximately 11,400 acres in size, flat landscape, sparsely vegetated with plants such as Creosote bushes, Palo Verde trees, Ironwood trees, Mesquite trees and various species of cacti.
Campers must be 100% self-contained for waste and gray water in order to utilize this area since vault toilets are not provided.
A Special Recreation Permit is required September 15th - April 15th. Camping is allowed in the LTVA between April 16th - September 14th at no cost, but the standard 14 day limit applies. Host and services are not provided during the off-season. Fees are $180 for long term permits valid for 7 months and $40 for short term permits valid for 1 to 14 consecutive days. There is no limit to the number of short term permits that can be purchased. These sites are not considered overnight campgrounds so the minimum fee for camping is the $40 permit. During the off-season, the standard BLM camping regulations and 14 day limit with no fee applies. The permits are valid in any of the six LTVAs in California or two LTVAs in Arizona. Permits may be purchased from the Bureau of Land Management Yuma Field Office or on-site from the LTVA host.
Many RVers trek to AZ during the winter months, to camp in the desert in designated Bureau of Land Management areas.
Those who have made the trip are familiar with the various BLM locations and may even have a favorite stretch of desert to pull into. If you are doing the "Quartzsite thing" for the first time, a bit of an orientation to the area may be helpful. Quartzsite consists of the area surrounding the four corners where Interstate 10 and U.S. Highway 95 intersect. There are two roads which parallel I-10: Main Street runs north of 10 and Kuehn Street runs south of 10.
Free camping not to exceed 14 days in a 28-day period is permitted in non-fee Quartzsite BLM areas. These areas are a bit further away from the four corner intersection of Quartzsite. Get specific current info and driving directions at the BLM site:
- Plomosa Road: Off 95 north of Quartzsite on north and south sides of Plomosa Road.
- Hi Jolly/MM112: About 3 miles north of Quartzsite on US Highway 95.
- Dome Rock Mountain: West from Quartzsite about 6 miles.
- Scaddan Wash: About 3.5 miles east of Quartzsite.
- Road Runner: On the west side of US 95, about 5 miles south of Quartzsite.
Once settled on your piece of Quartzsite BLM land...it's off to the shows. Mostly it's about meeting new and old friends out in the desert. And browsing the vendors' wares at the shows and in various flea markets.
You can make the climb to the top of Q Mountain for a nice view, visit Hi Jolly's gravesite, or take a day trip to see some petroglyphs. Count on being dusty - you won't be disappointed. Relax and enjoy the sunny skies and warm to moderate winter temperatures.
There are also a number of private RV Parks, Campgrounds & Mobile Homes, in Quartzsite, as well as some pay showers and a couple Laundromats. Take the time to drive around the area and see what there is that might be going on. You will meet plenty of RVers who can help with any questions.
POINTS OF INTEREST
This area is special – Not just for its popularity as an RV Winter camping area, and its show and Swap meets. The area is also favored by ATV and Off-road enthusiasts for its Trail systems. But this area is rife with other discoveries as well.
Above all, we hope you feel welcome here. However you choose to spend your time in Quartzsite, we want to do whatever we can to make your experience extraordinary. In fact, we hope you come to love it here as much as we do.
