Lake Mary Boondocking
5 / 9
After a rough night in the Cracker Barrel parking lot, we decided to keep the next day light. The plan was simple: check out Walnut Canyon National Monument, then score a proper boondocking site near Flagstaff. We rolled into Walnut Canyon around 10 a.m., made it through the gate, and were immediately met with a completely full parking lot. With the camper in tow, we were out of options. No place to wait, and no chance of squeezing in. Thankfully, our America the Beautiful pass meant we didn’t have to pay to enter, because I honestly don’t know how we would’ve managed a refund had we paid. Mission abandoned.
1 / 5
So we pivoted, again, and turned our focus back to boondocking. This time, we headed toward Lake Mary. We found a quiet spot tucked into the trees in Coconino National Forest. There were a few other campers scattered nearby, though no one was around when we arrived. Not long after setting up, a neighbor wandered over to introduce himself. He was a logger, part of a small group staying in the area for work. He also gave us a heads-up that someone in recent days had laid objects near the road entrance designed to puncture tires. I quietly wondered if this bit of sabotage was aimed at the logging crews. Either way, it wasn’t exactly comforting.
By that point, we were wiped out from the previous day and the not-so-restful night before. So we leaned into the downtime. The weather was perfect, right in the 70s. The sun shined bright, and I stretched out by the camper to soak it in.
That evening, we spotted elk moving through the woods at dusk, which felt like a small reward for finally landing a decent site. Unfortunately, the peaceful vibes didn’t last. At 4:00 a.m., a nearby logger fired up a very loud generator and let it run for an hour and a half. So much for sleeping in.
By that point, we were wiped out from the previous day and the not-so-restful night before. So we leaned into the downtime. The weather was perfect, right in the 70s. The sun shined bright, and I stretched out by the camper to soak it in.
That evening, we spotted elk moving through the woods at dusk, which felt like a small reward for finally landing a decent site. Unfortunately, the peaceful vibes didn’t last. At 4:00 a.m., a nearby logger fired up a very loud generator and let it run for an hour and a half. So much for sleeping in.