| Winter in Quartzsite, by Jaimie Hall |
10/21/07: Thanks to Quatzsite resident Terry Paulsen for updates to this article.
|
Originally little more than a stage stop and way station on the California-Arizona line, Quartzsite, a small town of 1900 residents, plays host to several hundred thousand visitors in January and February each year. The majority of these part-time residents arrive in hundreds of recreational vehicles of every kind and style.
Why do those thousands of RVers come to Quartzsite
in the winter? Warm weather and the many shows and swap
meets! Beginning in 1967 with the first
Pow-Wow Gem and Mineral Show,
Quartzsite has grown to the point where today twelve
main shows plus a variety of special events attract visitors.
The "season" runs from November to March with the
main shows in January and February.
Located 17 miles east of the California-Arizona line
on either side of Interstate 10, Quartzsite at the height
of its show season is one of those places RVers should visit
at least once in their travels. Yes, it's crowded and traffic
is horrendous, but to join the throngs of RVers out in the
desert and experience the shows is a phenomenon not to be
missed.
Many RVers return year after year. Not only is desert
camping inexpensive, there are other draws as well. History
is evident: Patton trained troops in the area, Hi Jolly's
grave commemorates the army's experiment with camels in the
1850s, and evidence of mining is plentiful. In addition, there
are ghost towns to explore, along with stone cabins, petroglyphs,
and intaglios. Intaglios (in-tal-yos) are gigantic human,
animal and geometric figures on the desert floor. The largest
human figure at nearby Blythe measures 171 feet. Several smaller
ones are in or near Quartzsite. (Click
here for photos of Blythe intaglios.)
Recreation is plentiful. The
Quartzsite Roadrunner Gem and Mineral Club offers silver-smithing classes,
rock hounding field trips and guided four-wheel drive tours.
Hundreds of miles of dirt roads are accessible to hikers,
ATVs and 4-WD vehicles. Pick up a tourist newspaper and you'll
find activities galore.
If rains falls in the right months in the winter, the
plains around Quartzsite will be over-flowing with desert flowers
in bloom.
QUARTZSITE VISITOR INFORMATION
Key streets: Quartzsite lies between exits 17 and 19
of Interstate 10. Main Street parallels the Interstate on
the north, Kuehn Street on the south. Highway 95 (Central
Blvd.), connecting Yuma and Parker, bisects the town. The
intersection of Highway 95 and Cowell (one block north of
Main) begins north/south and east/west numbering.
Tourism: Visit both chambers of commerce when you arrive for maps and tourist information.
Quartzsite Business Chamber of Commerce: 101 W. Main St (just east of Post Office) Telephone: 928-927-9321. Pick up a free business directory and check the Web site for RV park and BLM camping information.
Quartzsite Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism:
1240 W. Main Street Box 640
Quartzsite AZ 85346
Telephone: 928-927-5600.
Pick up a free directory organized by services and a nice folding map with day trips ($1).
Camping: Check with the chambers for RV park information. If you want a hookup spot for January or a longer season, best to make reservations. Dry camping parking lots (paid) and RV parks abound in Quartzsite close to the shows or within walking or biking distance.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) offers 14-day dry camping areas in all directions from town. La Posa Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA), one mile south of town off Highway 95, offers dry camping with water, dump and trash dumpsters available for permit holders. The full-season permit costs $180, a 14-day permit costs $40. Permits can be used at any of the other LTVAs near Yuma and in California as well.
Water, dump, propane: Free water and dump is available in Blythe, California at the Lovekin exit (go south). Two vendors in Quartzsite are Mort's Campground and the RV Pit Stop.
Laundromats/showers: Q-Laundromat at 205
E. Main has lots of washers and dryers. Showers in sanitized
rooms are $5, including all supplies. Palm Plaza Laundromat
is at 255 N. Central.
Mail: Have mail sent in care of General Delivery:
Quartzsite, AZ General Delivery 85346-9999
During the winter months the Post Office operates an annex on the east side of town on North Plymouth Street, near the town hall and library. All general delivery mail is handled in the annex building.
Because of crowds in Quartzsite, veteran visitors pick up their mail in Blythe (where they also go for grocery shopping, water, and dump):
Blythe, CA General Delivery, 92226-9999.
The Blythe post office is at 200 E. Murphy St. (at Broadway) north of Business I-10 (east of Lovekin).
Getting Around: Your best bet is to park
on the edge and walk or ride bicycles. Traffic and parking
can be horrendous, especially when the RV show is on. If you
need to do errands, go early in the morning and use the Interstate
to get from one end of town to the other and closer to your
destination.
Internet: Love's Truck stop
has Wi-Fi only for existing
My Love Rewards
members. There's an Internet café on Main Street,
just east of Pro Mack and Little Dealer. The Library (opens
at 8:00 a.m.) has 13 Internet computers available to the public
on a first-come, first-served basis.
Quartzsite
RV Show: The Sports, Vacation & RV Show takes
place in the big tent on south Hwy 95 in late January.
More links about what to see and do in Quartzsite
December,
2006 Field Report from Alice Zyetz
Jaimie Hall
1/9/05
(updated 10/21/07 and 6/24/21)
