Redneck Camping

Sunrise on the Lower Colorado River Backwater, Arizona

I have a love-hate relationship with BLM (Bureau of Land Management) lands.  I love the opportunities for dispersed camping and the dog-friendliness.  We have so much federal land in Arizona, and to me it looks like so many more places to explore.

On the other hand, lots of these areas ("resources" in fedspeak) have been overtaken by what I call redneck use.  I had that sense in the recently established Agua Fria National Monument north of us and in areas east of the Phoenix Metropolitan center.

I squeezed in a couple of nights with my friend Maria Langer last week in the BLM area south of Interstate 10 at Ehrenberg.  We were camped adjacent to the Colorado River and some lovely backwater areas.  The coyote and owl songs were delightful and the smell of the river brings back memories of the Grand Canyon's inner gorge.

Sunrise on the Lower Colorado River Backwater, Arizona

The sunrise on the last morning was breathtaking.

Sounds good, doesn't it?  Unfortunately I awoke from a nap to find someone camping too close to us really, for proper camping etiquette.  He was running his generator.  I asked him not to and he seemed amenable but he was gone when I got back from my evening shoot.  I don't feel too badly; he had lots of other spots to choose from.

The Damage.  Maria Langer Photos

 

In addition to noise, there's a shocking amount of trash.  Maria includes clean-up in her stay there, bless her, but it's overwhelming.  As if that weren't enough, the dead-end road near us had barriers to prevent folks from going nose-down into the inlet.  Some genius had decided to push or pull these out of the ground, with their monster truck no doubt.  Some other mental giants (or maybe the same bud light dudes) had deposited a heap of fireworks leavings, perhaps for their redneck New Year’s Eve.

ATV Tracks

Finally, there are ATV tracks through the riparian grasses all around the backwater behind our camp.  Really, some judgement is required when driving these vehicles in wild lands.

 I understand that BLM, like the Park Service, is frightfully understaffed.  They couldn't possibly stay on top of all of this.  I wonder sometimes whether they've just given up on some of these overused areas, figuring that they'll never recover.  I’m saddened by the loss.

First Light, Lower Colorado River Backwater, AZ

I imagine I'll be back, with a kayak perhaps, and a whole lot of trash bags.

More form the trip are in the Desert Gallery on the website.