Amidst a quarantine and mass pandemic, students and adults alike are looking for locations and campsites where they can escape the heat.
“I go camping mainly to relax and hang out with the people I love,” said Alex Grove, a sophomore.
Camping has become a popular activity these past few months as temperatures rise, and many are seeing how they can get away from it all. Arizona is home to a variety of campsites hosted in unique landscapes all across the state.
“I look for places with uniquely different environments from where I live,” said Andrew Cupo, a theatre teacher.
With all this time on the hands of students and adults, a few locations have even become hot spots in attending for recreation and overnight camping.
Spur Cross Ranch, located in the heart of Cave Creek, has become a destination for many this quarantine. The site features a plethora of wildlife and plantlife that are unique to its desert landscape. A running river can even be found that compliments all of the hiking trails. To preserve the one-of-a-kind environment, the park does not allow overnight camping, however, participants are more than welcome to hike and explore to their heart’s content.
Another thing to put on the camping bucket list is to visit one of the many campsites Payson has to offer. Contrary to Spur Cross’s no camping policy, Payson allows guests to stay overnight.
Numerous water sources, pine trees, and cool temperatures can all be found just a few hours north of the Metro Phoenix area.
In addition to these two locations, Lake Havasu State Park proves as an excellent destination to travel to this summer. Lake Havasu allows overnight camping and there are lots of bodies of water to participate in recreational water activities such as kayaking or simply lounging on the lake. If there’s one place to camp this summer, it’s in Lake Havasu.
Having a pandemic has its pros and cons when it comes to camping. While people may have newfound time on their hands away from school or work, not all campsites are open to restrict the amount of human traffic on their sites.
“It’s harder to get people together but there are less people on the trails in what would be the tourist season, so that’s nice,” said Abraham Paris, a Cactus Shadows alumnus and avid hiker.
However, one thing is for certain, Arizona has countless campsites to visit and can make for a great social distancing activity this summer.