Friday, April 22, 2022

Snowbird RV Adventure: Benson to Patagonia Lake and Kartchner Caverns

Days 16-21

January 17-19: Before we left Butterfield RV Resort in Benson we filled our onboard propane tank. Days have been warm, but nights get quite cool this time of year. We need propane as the heat source and electricity (AC or DC) to run the fan to pump the hot air.

The first stop on our way to Patagonia Lake State Park was the small town of Patagonia. We've been through it many times, but this was our first time to stop.

Google maps on our iPhone or iPad help us plan our routes and stops. 

First we went to the Wagon Wheel Saloon for a takeout burger lunch. Then we walked to Gathering Grounds for bakery breakfast and dessert treats to take with us to the campground. Patagonia has excellent parallel street parking with lots of space for cars and RVs.

This portion of our Snowbird RV Adventure had three destinations with a total of 138 driving miles.

Patagonia Lake State Park

Patagonia Lake State Park is one of our favourite southern Arizona destinations. The lake is a huge attraction for boaters. It's also a huge attraction for birds and bird watchers.

Site #19 in Patagonia Lake's East Campground.

Each trip in southern Arizona we try to fit in a three night stop here. We prefer the east campground with lakeside options and less congestion. 

A bird feeding and watching station on the trail.

You can read more about our previous visits to the park by clicking the links below:


Kartchner Caverns State Park

January 20-22: We made a detour on our way from Patagonia Lake to grocery shop again on base at Ft. Huachuca. It was 12 miles out of our way but we wanted to shop where masks are required in buildings and vaccinations are required for military personnel.

From there it was only 21 miles north on Highway 90 to our camping destination at Kartchner Caverns State Park.

Site #32 at Kartchner Caverns with mountain views.

Like most Arizona State parks, campsites have both electric and water hookups. Sewer services are provided at dump stations.

Kartchner Caverns Visitor Center cave display.

In addition to being a desert camping destination, Kartchner has a series of underground caverns that can be visited on tours. With my fear of heights and our desire to stay socially distanced we didn't take a tour, but we did visit the extensive exhibits at the visitor's center.

The park has hiking trails with varying degrees of difficulty for visitors to explore the desert floor and nearby hills.

We stayed for three nights and thoroughly enjoyed the park. So much so, we will return next year in November and February. 

Reservations can be made a year in advance for Arizona State Parks. If you're like us and prefer knowing where you will stay, AZ State Parks are an excellent choice.

Campgrounds in many Arizona State Parks were improved during the Covid years including repaving. When we pulled into our site at Kartchner Caverns it looked flat, but a test with our leveling device showed we were significantly nose down.

RV systems are somewhat tolerant of being slightly out of level, but extreme conditions can cause strain on slideouts and running refrigerators, especially in propane mode. 

We have a set of Stackers blocks. They are easy to store in our small RV. We found we needed more so bought a second set of 10 for future conditions that call for a higher correction.

How do you handle RV leveling? -- Wayne and Margy

9 comments :

  1. I get claustrophobic so caverns are not for me either although I love the idea of seeing them. It looks like you are enjoying some sunshine.

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    1. I've seen caves before but it has been a very long time. The demonstration in the visitor's center was a good representation but not the same atmosphere as the real thing. - Margy

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    1. This portion of our Arizona Snowbird RV Adventure has been excellent. It's so nice to have the sun and warmth this time of year. - Margy

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  3. Your travels are so intriguing and fun!

    Thanks for sharing your link at My Corner of the World this week!

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    1. Some Canadian Snowbirds like to come south and stay in the same location for up to six months. We like to travel and see more of the state. - Margy

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  4. Someday we're going to get an RV and take our cats on an adventure. In fact, my first novel is centered around and RV. But it is a horror novel!

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  5. Margy - looks fabulous, especially the lake views. I love going into caverns, but understand it can be difficult to many folks, including those with claustrophobia. We don't have an RV, but my sister recently bought one, and I know she is learning about many of these tips you have so kindly published! Enjoy the rest of February!

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  6. Margy, it looks like you are living your best life! The scenery is beautiful. The cavern looks interesting too. I wondered what the Stackers blocks were. Looks like they did the job!

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Thanks for stopping by. Comments, questions, and suggestions are always welcome. - Margy