Quartzsite 2024

Every year I seem to take several pictures of things that catch my eye as we drive in and out of Quartzsite and LaPosa South LTVA. Even though we do not always stay there we do buy the 2 week pass, a couple of times during the season, to be able to use the dump station with our blue boy, get rid of our garbage, and fill up our fresh water bladder.  Most years I keep putting them in a album then we leave and I have not done anything with them and they eventually get deleted. This year I have decided to share a few of them in this post.

Where Quartzsite is now located, was from 1863 to the 1880s the site of a waterhole and later a stage station, called Tyson's Wells, along the La Paz - Wikenburg Road on Tyson Wash, in what was then Yuma County, in the newly created Arizona Territory. It was about 20 miles from the Colorado River steamboat landing of La Paz and 25 miles from the landing of Erhenburg from 1866. The next stop was 25 miles to the east at Desert Station.

In the valley around Tyson’s Wells, individual prospectors successfully worked various places during the Colorado River Gold Rush of the 1860s up until the 1950s. While some large-scale operations in the early 20th century faced failures, the area remained significant for gold seekers. (When you ride into the desert near the mountains you can see where there are still mines being worked.)

Today Quartzsite as of the 2020 census, had a population of 2,413 residents. During the winter months that population expands into the millions. It is a popular destination for snowbirds, just like us looking for a place to enjoy a warmer climate then the winters we lived through throughout our pre-retirement days. 

The Dome Rock Mountains overlook the town to the west. Granite Mountain and Oldman Mountain add to the scenic beauty. Nearby going south is the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge and north the Plomosa Mountains. 

It is surrounded by BLM land (Bureau of Land Management) and is approximately 17 miles from the southern California border and 100 miles from Mexico.

The town is famous for its gem and mineral shows, along with the Quartzsite Sports, Vacation, & RV Show which draw over a million visitors annually.

I am going to end this by saying we do enjoy spending time there. It is quiet at times and a madhouse of people and vehicles at other times. We find our spot tucked in on BLM land either alone our with friends and thoroughly enjoy our time. 

The following are some of those random pictures that caught my eye.

Heading west on Main Street.

The "Big Tent" 

Just a few of the many RV's for sale during the show.

This little guy stands at the main entrance road into the show.

Some of the stores in Quartzsite.
Top right is Gem world I have been known to spend a few dollars.
Middle right Coyote Fresh Foods in my opinion they have an
excellent meat counter and some pretty good bake goods.
Bottom Right looking out at I-10 from the bridge on US-95.
The semis going east and west are a constant reminder of all
 the things they move for us every day.

Yes, they even have a Yacht Club.

There were camel rides for a short time.

Where we live there are some big fish in front of businesses.
We have seen cities with moose and buffalo.
Here in Quartzsite they have camels.

Top left I thought I had gotten a picture of all the traffic on Kuehn
Street but I also got some shoppers.
Top Right I was actually behind this guy.
We were both turning right on to Main Street.

I believe this is the Hagely General Store Ruins.
The last rammed-earth building built in Quartzsite.
It was built by Anthony Hagely in 1893

Hagely General Store Ruins. These remnants, dating back to the 1890s, stand as a testament to the town’s history. The Hagely store was once a bustling hub for trading goods and sharing news, and its weathered walls now evoke a sense of nostalgia and survival. 

For the ten years we have been coming here we often questioned what kept this place from totally collapsing there were some boards holding it up but it was totally open to the weather. When we came back in January this year and went by this structure had been built over it. They are trying to preserve it. It is an important part of the history of this town and how wonderful to see this. 

Ocotillo

I take a lot of pictures of the Saguaros all beautiful. This one
looked like it was waving at me.

This one looked like a little munchkin to me.

Driving into LaPosa South LTVA

While Tom was emptying our black tank and filling our freshwater
tank I took a ride around LaPosa South. Someone put this together
not far behind the water stations. Interesting I did not take a picture
of their RV parked inside the circle.

One of the first things I noticed back in 2015, the first time we landed out here, was how many different kinds of rigs, not brands though there are an overwhelming number of those, but all the different types of  "homes"  people live this lifestyle in. I guess would be a better way to put it. When we are in Quartzsite we see people living in cars and million dollar rigs and everything in-between. Tents, cars, vans, travel trailers small and large, truck campers, cargo trailers, homemade campers, pop-ups, 5th wheels, Class C's, Class B's, and Class A's. We see rigs specifically for off roading and we have seen people living in boats. A couple of years ago we saw a fire engine someone had converted into and RV and we saw one guy living in what looked like a large wooden box. There are a lot of school buses big and small, plus city buses, and buses that would have traveled across the country converted into homes on wheels. Panel trucks, ambulances and the list goes on. Sometimes you see a rig and you wonder how it is making it down the road in one piece and then you see one you know just came off the "showroom floor". We see young people with families and older adults, even older then us, and every age in between. The list could go on and on but I will stop here. Well maybe one more observation. What we have found is there is a friendliness that hardly ever existed when we lived in sticks and bricks along with a willingness to help and get to know your neighbor even if it is just a short conversation while we are waiting for the fresh water tank to fill. Now I do know that is not always true and we had some nice neighbors in our last sticks and bricks and I am sure some of you did also. There are, of course, times to be cautious about who you come in contact with, always trusting your instincts, but for the most part it is a good life living among good people. 

Below are some of the pictures I have taken of the different ways people live this lifestyle.

Well if you made it this far I hope its because you enjoyed the pictures. 

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We Hope You Enjoyed a Wonderful St. Patrick's Day!☘

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