Picacho Peak State Park & Quartzsite, Arizona

Picacho Peak was the first Arizona State Park we have stayed in so far. It is a small park with trails, scenic views and gorgeous sunsets. We were there for five days during the week and the campground was almost empty. It really made for a peaceful and relaxing stay. There weren’t many biking options in the park, so I checked out the Santa Cruz River Trail in nearby Marana. It was really cool to see the other side of the Picacho mountains from the trail. Mike had fun birding and capturing some beautiful sunsets.

Our next stop was Quartzsite, often called the RV boon-docking capital of the world. It is a very popular destination in January and February due a huge RV show, swap meets and rock/gem shows. The monument of Hi Jolly is a popular attraction. In 1856, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis a idea to transport people and goods across the desert Southwest on camels. The caretaker of over the camels was a Syrian named, Hadji Ali, nick named Hi-Jolly by the Americans. The project was later abandoned , but Hi-Jolly and the camels stayed in the area. Quartzsite is a very quirky place, and has a little something for everyone.