Ever heard of Burro Mountain Homestead? Me neither.
Every 4th of July for the past 5 or more years a group of us have been heading to Northern Arizona in our RV’s to cool off, ride the trails and enjoy time with family and close friends. This year however as 4th of July loomed ahead of us, the northern part of our beautiful state was on fire. Not just one fire but several, and very close to where we normally camp.
Tracey and I planned to squeeze in a quick day trip up to our normal camp spot to see how close the fires are and if we are even allowed to camp there. In our busy crazy lives not sure when that will happen.
We have been in touch with everyone in our group that normally go with, and fewer are going this year.
We are contacted by my sister inquiring if we are still planning on going north, when I explain our thoughts about the fires she tells us about a place in New Mexico where we can camp with full hook ups and a ton of trails for riding.
Heck we are game so we contact the few of our group who were interested in going this year and everyone is a go. We call and make reservations and begin to look forward to our long weekend.
Tracey and I along with his brother and his family head out Thursday evening. Although it is not a long drive we are breaking it up as Scott is having issues with his generator and can’t run his AC during the drive to keep the kids cool, so we have decided to break up the drive. As we hit the southeast side of Tucson along I-10 it begins to rain. We don’t see much rain in Chandler, like ever. SO we see the few sprinkles and are enjoying it. Well it doesn’t take long for us to realize we aren’t in Chandler anymore Toto, as it begins raining buckets.
We have been told ahead of time that the office will be closed by the time we arrive at Butterfield RV resort in Benson Arizona and that our paperwork will be by the door and most importantly they already informed us we will need to drop our trailers in one spot and park our RVs in another. They were very kind since they were not overly busy in allowing us to each take up two spots for the price of one.
Sure enough we pull in amid a torrential downpour. We sit for a few minutes, I think at least for Tracey and I, silently debating which of us is going to get out in that rain to get our paperwork. Finally I get out and oh so carefully and probably oh not so elegantly run up to the office door and grab our paperwork to see which spots we are in. I grab Scott and Kerri’s paperwork as well and as I turn to run back out in the rain I am greeted by Stefen, our nephew coming to get their paperwork. I knew I should have brought a kid!!
We figure out which spots we are in, and begin to follow the map to get to the spots.
This is not the first RV park or the first time I have ever had this thought……………………………………………….
I do not believe there is an RV park out there that was actually designed by someone who has actually ever driven an RV!
None of the spots we are assigned are level, which means to drop the trailer we have to unload the trailer. Remember it is pouring down rain. Because of the arc on the sites, Tracey figures it best if we back in “backwards” into the site we will drop the trailer. I get out in the rain and help guide him so he can stop at the most level spot I can see in order to unload and eventually unhook the trailer. Best I can gauge so Tracey gets out and unloads the RZR, in the pouring rain.
I unhook the trailer from the RV, in the pouring rain. Tracey pulls around into the next spot over to get as level as we can, while I chain up the RZR and gas cans to the trailer, in the pouring rain. Tracey then goes to help his brother, in the pouring rain. I have now retreated inside to work on getting things set up.
By now the rain has slowed just a bit and we are deciding if we want to walk to a nearby restaurant for some dinner. Collectively we decide to order pizza and have it delivered and just stay put for the night.
We awake to you guessed it, pouring down rain. We pack up the inside, unhook the RV, drive around and hook up to our trailer, reload the RZR, tie everything down…………. yep in the pouring rain.
Scott seems to be having some issues with his Rhino, so Tracey goes to help. Rhino won’t start, Scott is cranking on it and Tracey is afraid he is going to kill the battery. They push it to the back of the trailer and hook up the winch. It starts pulling it but super slow. Tracey asks if the Scott left it in gear, Scott says No. Tracey asks if the brake is on, Scott says No. Seems to take forever but it finally gets pulled all the way up on the trailer. At this point Tracey comes back inside our RV to get out of the rain I ask if everything is okay and Tracey says they finally got it on the trailer and he left Scott and Kerri to tie it down without his help 🙂 We watch out the window, they finish up and get back inside their rig and we are ready to head out. (oh by the way later in our trip Scott admits he discovered not only was the Rhino in gear but the brake was on as well LOL)
So it has yet to quit raining. We get to about Wilcox and stop to fuel up, in the rain. Our friends Robert and Michelle left Chandler early this morning and are now ahead of us on the way to Burro Mountain. Michelle is texting me pictures of them stopped for fuel in the sunshine, so I know this rain has to stop soon right
We are still battling the rain as Michelle texts that they are getting close to Burro Mountain. The next text I received ” Robert just had an oh shit moment” I am not sure if I should worry or if he just forgot something so I wait to see what she says next. Well apparently at one point on the 7 miles of dirt road leading into Burro Mountain, it was a hill and still a bit wet from earlier rains. Robert was carefully descending the hill when the truck started sliding one way and their trailer the opposite! Hence the oh shit moment, Of course Robert quickly had it under control and they arrived safely. Now I begin to wonder how bad it will be for us in the RV pulling a trailer. No four wheel drive, no traction on these big semi tires……………… Michelle sends a text to let them know when we hit the dirt road and Robert will come out and pull our trailers in with his truck Okay sounds like a plan but still makes me nervous. Next text Robert decides that is not necessary as the weight of our rig will keep us from sliding.
All for naught as by the time we reach the dirt road a couple hours later it is all dry and we have no issues.
As we arrive at Burro Mountain Homestead we are greeted by the camp host, Dewey. In his tye dye shirt and denim shorts, his pony tail and contagious smile, we just have to smile. Dewey tells us where to unload our trailers (as once again pull through does not mean it is big enough for our rig and trailer) Once we unload, then unhook the trailer Dewey shows us what spot to camp in. We pull in and before setting up we go into the office to register and pay. We are greeted by two more very polite helpful and smiling people. They seem genuinely happy we are here. We fill out the necessary paperwork, pay for our stay and receive info on activities taking place during our stay as well as trail maps of the area for riding.
Our entire stay at Burro Mountain was most enjoyable. Not sure if I have ever been anywhere that I have felt that welcomed by folks that don’ t know me!!
Burro Mountain Homestead not only has hook ups for us dry camping pros to enjoy, they have tons of riding trails that you just ride out from your camp spot and off you go. These are the two reasons we ventured out into the unknown to experience Burro Mountain, but what we got was so very much more! Burro Mountain has permanent residents as well as campers like us. I think there were several in our group that enjoyed it as much as we did that for a half a second if all our responsibilities at home went away we would consider never leaving this mountain!
In addition to the two reasons we drove into New Mexico, we were blessed by almost daily events at the Homestead. One morning there was breakfast in the lodge, super cheap, good food prepared for you and good company; okay well we chose to sleep in so you will have to ask Leslie and Larry about breakfast! One evening there was a social hour in the Corral followed by dinner which was bring your own food and cook on the big grills. There were guided ATV rides two different days. We joined them for karaoke one night in the lodge, Dewey I think you missed your calling–loved hearing you sing. One day they held a parade, so we didn’t read about it even though it was posted on their website, so thankfully Scott and Kerri came prepared with enough decorations to share with us. Everyone decorated their ATVs and lined up for the parade. Someone checked us in and taped a number to our RZR (there would be judging for best rig). As the lady in charged approached our RZR, she taped a number on the front and walked to Tracey’s side and said, “last name?” to which Tracey responded “Hayden” it makes me laugh even now typing it because her response was “no, already have one of those pick a different one”. LOL. evidently Scott and Kerri were ahead of us in line! So he looked at me and I just shrugged, so he told her to use “wiley”. As she rights the name down she looks at us and says, “you know you are going to get wet right?” uh excuse me, WHAT? As we look around at the others getting in line we begin to notice they all have water guns, water cannons, water balloons, all things water! Now get this in your head, other than a few kids, all of these folks are older than we are! So very slyly I reach into the glove box and pull out our handy dandy clear rain ponchos. We quickly put them on and think we are ready to go, when a gentleman pulls up beside us and says “oh those aren’t going to help you!” What have we gotten ourselves into? For the next hour or so we paraded all through Burro Mountain Homestead, where we were shot with water guns, water pistols, water cannons, garden hoses, hit by water balloons and had buckets of water dumped on us. Residents came out to sit along the parade route and “squirt” the paraders with water. We can’t remember the last time we had so much fun doing something so silly, but next year we will be prepared!
Our group spent one day going out on a trailride together and had a blast. The regulars are very happy to share with you where the best trails are and how to get to certain spots. Another afternoon our group minus Tracey and I took another trailride that I am sorry we missed. So next time we will have to convince them to go again and take us. Tracey and I spent the afternoon, working remotely. Returning phone calls and emails, scheduling home inspections for clients etc. Not an easy feat when there is no cell reception or wifi at the campground 🙁 To be honest that is our ONLY complaint and if not for being out of touch with our daughter even that would not have bothered us much.
One evening we joined everyone in the Corral, bringing our own drinks sitting at the picnic tables and making new friends. Social hour was followed by dinner provided by Burro Mountain, they fed us BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, beans, coleslaw and ice cream sundaes for dessert. Dinner and dessert was a line up and fix your plate, there must have been 100 people in the Corral, but all went smoothly as one of the owners called out table numbers and when your number was called you could get in line for food. Funny how folks don’t listen and then complain their number wasn’t called hahaha. It was all in good fun, the food was yummy and the company stellar. Loved sharing our table with George, a marine veteran who had recently lost his wife but still continues to come to the mountain. I give the man credit joining in to a table of twelve! Great conversations.
The morning of July 4th we watched a flag raising ceremony where our nephew Stefen was asked to help raise the flag and then to lead us all in the Pledge of Allegiance. We sang Patriotic songs and said a prayer for our country. What an amazing event.
Just before dark we all loaded up in and on our ATVs and headed out to a meadow just a little further up the mountain. Here we unloaded our chairs and picked a spot to watch the fireworks. The fireworks were about 15 miles away as the crow flies, about 32 miles by the roads in Silver City. So only a few could we hear but we saw many more. We said some oooooo’s and aaaaahhhh’s and enjoyed each others company.
All in all we can’t wait to visit our new friends on the mountain again, in fact we already made our reservations for Labor day weekend!