11/24 Usery Mountain Regional Park, Mesa, AZ

This is easily one of the campgrounds that are on my "Top Ten" list of favorite places to stay.  Why?  Obviously, the first reason is the beautiful Sonoran Desert.  Second, is that camping spots are very spread apart, giving everyone some privacy and their own piece of the desert to enjoy.  And third would be all the birds and wildlife scampering about.

You can easily find this as you drive through Mesa, Arizona.  First, you will see a mountain north of the city with a slash on it.  The is Pass Mountain, otherwise known as "Scarface."  

Then, you will see a sign pointing to "Phoenix" on another mountain.  This is an air marker on Usery Mountain developed by a troop of boy scouts in the 50s to direct pilots to Phoenix Airport.  Here is more information on the sign: http://kjzz.org/content/25464/did-you-know-phoenix-air-marker-has-been-around-1950s 

Turn right between the two mountains, and head north of Usery Pass Road.  Voila!  Here it is--only 3 or 4 miles from the Mesa city limits, but up on a slope so you feel as if you are in the middle of nowhere.  Usery Mountain is one of several parks owned and operated by Maricopa County, Arizona. 

 

This is the third time I have been to this park, and each time have been happy with my camping spot.  Here is the one I have this time.

Got a nice Saguaro cactus, right next to me.  Neighbors across the street but lots of space on either side for privacy.

You can see how the site is nicely defined and the picnic table and barbecue grill are in the back.  Lots of plants and smaller cactus around me. 

I am going to rest and relax here for a few days, plus get some work and RV maintenance done.  Then I will come back to another site in February.  In the morning and early afternoon, you can hear the birds and little quail scurrying around and making a racket.  Just at dusk on most nights, you can hear the coyotes yipping and howling as they get together for their night's roaming. In some sites, you can also look down at the lights of the city and valley.  

Weather today was sunny (obviously) and 77 degrees!