With an economical GoneCamper minivan conversion, road trips are affordable and the camping is comfortable!
We recently took a road trip to the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument along the Mexico border. We wanted to take advantage of the perfect Spring weather and catch the desert in bloom! And with the economical GoneCamper, we didn't have to save up for the trip! We just packed the cooler and left!
Organ pipe cactus are a unique species that grows in Mexico, and only cross the U.S. border in a narrow band in southern Arizona. This international ecosystem has been declared a "Biosphere" by the United Nations.
The park has a Visitor's Center with a great overview of the borderland vegetation and climate zone. A short path around the Center has labeled plants, including multiple varieties of cactus.
Organ pipe, saguaro cactus and blooming ocotillo cactus
The highlight of the trip was a tour on the 25-mile loop that encircles the park east of Highway 85. This is a gravel road that is NOT suitable for motor homes or vehicles with trailers. The front-wheel drive Dodge Caravan GoneCamper conversion got a little dusty but handled the road with ease.
After returning to the park headquarters, we reserved a campsite in the campground just down the road. Like many National Forest campgrounds, the amenities were few, but the campsites were well-spaced and clean. Since we needed only a tent campsite (even though we did not pitch a tent) we paid only $16.00.
Below is a video of the campsite and a walk-around of the GoneCamper after we packed the bed in preparation for the drive to our next stop, Saguaro National Park!
Why not join us on the road? You, too, can explore the natural wonders of our great land without worrying about travel expenses like exorbitant fuel costs of RV's or getting gouged for mediocre motels.
"Traveling Efficiently, Camping Comfortably, Living Frugally"
