Just 98 miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada, is one of our favorite February and early-March destinations for RVing. This is the perfect time to be in northwestern Arizona, with daytime temps hovering around the 60s and 70s and abundant areas for hiking, biking, boating, camping, sightseeing, and entertainment. We have made this our go-to destination for early spring for the past couple years. A big reason we come during these months is the availability of RV spots in the campgrounds and RV resorts. With kids still in school and snowbirds still farther south, do a little planning and you can book some great RV spots in awesome places.There is an abundance of quality campgrounds in and around the cities of Fort Mohave and Bullhead City, Arizona. These small towns line the Colorado River as it slowly flows south to Lake Havasu. We found that RV parks in this area offer reasonable prices on full-hookup sites, and if you’re a member of RV clubs, you can get additional discounts for early-season stays. Just across the Colorado River is the fun-packed town of Laughlin, Nevada. Laughlin supplies its own experiences with a handful of casinos that offer varied entertainment options for those who enjoy indoor activities, from live music and comedy shows to gaming. We were pleasantly surprised to see the quality headliners playing Laughlin in February and March. This is a great place to attend a concert or show in a smaller, more intimate venue.
For outdoors enthusiasts, to the north of Bullhead City is Lake Mead National Recreational Area, with1.5 million acres of recreational paradise, including canyons, lakes, river, valleys, and the Hoover Dam. Swimming, boating, hiking, biking, camping, and fishing are just some of the activities one can enjoy on this vast expanse of public land.
In the national recreation area is Katherine Landing, located on the shores of Lake Mohave. This is a user-fee area that charges $25 a car or $15 per person walking or biking. However, an America The Beautiful annual pass will cover your fees in the Lake Mead Recreational Area. The campground at Katherine Landing has full-hookup campsites that are big-rig friendly, making it a great choice for RVers who want to be out of the cities. This is a full-service area with a marina, restaurant, picnic areas, boat rentals, and a small store. The area’s mascots are some wild burros that hangout around Katherine Landing looking for watered lawns and handouts from the visitors. Surrounding the Landing are miles of trails, with breathtaking views, for cyclists and hikers to explore.
Lake Mohave also offers some of best fishing and boating in the region, including the opportunity to snag trophy-sized striped bass. Don’t have a boat? No problem. The marina has a variety of boat rental types to choose from, so you can explore the lake and its fishing at your own pace.
Another great camping option is Davis Camp, a Mohave County campground that sits along the Colorado River. Davis Camp has big-rig-friendly, pull-through, full-hookup sites lined with palm trees; rates start at $40 a night. A great beach for fishing, plus opportunities for kayaking, boating, swimming, and biking on miles of nearby trails make this campground a good choice.
For those who love history and exploring, some unique old West towns are situated nearby. A favorite of ours is Nelson Ghost Town in Searchlight, Nevada. Just 45 minutes south of Las Vegas, this abandoned gold mine town gives one the feeling of stepping back in time. A great way to experience Nelson Ghost Town is a guided tour of the old gold mine and property. On the tour, you will learn more about the history of the mine and the region. They also have a collection of vintage cars, military vehicles, mining equipment, and converted-bus RVs to explore. All the owners ask for is a small donation of a few dollars to what they call a toilet paper fund, allowing them to keep their restrooms well supplied for public use.
This area is also close to many historic Route 66 stops, such as Oatman, Kingman, and Needles. Embracing their historic Route 66 heritage, these towns have several museums, restaurants, hotels, and attractions for one to visit. Our favorite was the “town” of Oatman, Arizona, in the remote wilderness of the Black Mountains. Running right through the middle of town is a small stretch of Route 66 that sets the stage for many of the town’s activities. When you arrive in Oatman, the feeling of the Wild West comes alive the moment you step onto the main street. The town is known for its staged Western-style shootouts and bank robberies performed by local volunteers as a way of raising money for charity. Oatman’s other famous characters are the burros that share the wooden-plank sidewalks with visitors exploring the town’s gift shops and restaurants. For a couple of dollars, you can purchase a bag of alfalfa pellets to feed these friendly town burros, and they will love you for it! With mild temperatures, it’s the perfect time of year to walk the streets and enjoy the shops in this small desert town.
So, when making your RV plans don’t be afraid to come a little earlier to northwestern Arizona. You’ll find fewer crowds, affordable fun, and some premium campsites waiting for you.
| We are Mark & Teri Nisbett of Next Trekking Adventure, and you can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. We are high school sweethearts who sold our bricks-and-sticks home of 30 years to travel full-time. We travel in our 2022 Montana High Country fifth-wheel, towed by our Ford F-350 Super Duty truck. We had a rough start to our full-time travel, as five weeks into our adventures we lost our RV to a fire at an RV park. But we didn’t give up on our dreams of seeing the United States. We purchased a new fifth-wheel and pushed on with our RV life. We love sharing our adventures on our YouTube channel and can’t wait to share our season of adventures in Yellowstone National Park with you. |
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