What you need to know
Quartzsite offers several kinds of camping, including private RV parks and BLM-managed areas. Check the rules for the exact location and your camping unit before arriving; permission and required facilities vary by site.
Camping options include RV parks & Campgrounds, free boondocking, and LTVA paid boondocking.
For private campgrounds, request current availability, the complete price for your party, included utilities, and cancellation terms. The park counts and monthly prices in the original 2021 article are not current quotes.
What is an LTVA?
LTVA means Long-Term Visitor Area. As checked October 2, 2026, BLM's La Posa page lists a $180 winter-season permit for September 15 through April 15 and a $40 permit for 14 consecutive days during that season. Other seasons have different fees and stay limits. Check the current official permit instructions, payment options, site rules, and closures before traveling.
What do LVTAs have to offer?
BLM's desert LTVA program includes locations in Arizona and California. Services differ by location. Confirm the operating water supply, toilets, trash collection and authorized dump facilities for your chosen area, and arrive prepared for the services that are actually available.
Check the self-containment rules for the particular LTVA. BLM's supplementary rules require a permanently affixed wastewater holding tank with a minimum 10-gallon capacity for a unit to qualify as self-contained. Portable holding tanks and port-a-potty systems do not qualify. La Posa, Imperial Dam and Mule Mountain allow non-self-contained camping only within 500 feet of a vault toilet or restroom; other listed LTVAs require self-contained units. Posted site-specific rules take precedence, so verify the current instructions with the managing office.
Propane, there are multiple locations to fill propane in Quartzsite Arizona. However, if you do not know where to get it, you can pay too much.
You can get propane filled at;
- Loves Truck Stop
- Chevron Gas Station
Compare current propane prices, fees, opening hours and RV access before choosing a refill stop. Use a qualified refill provider; the original article's percentage-saving claim is not a current price comparison.
Shopping. With supply shortages, Quartzsite can become short on supplies fast. But if you need supplies, here is what is available in and around Quartzsite Arizona.
- Dollar General
- Family Dollar,
- Coyote Fresh Foods
- Roadrunner Market & Grocery
- Quartzsite Grocery & Drug Store, a grocery wholesaler over by the tent market.
- K & B Tools & Big Market act as more general stores containing automotive parts and hardware goods but not a lot of verities. I had to drive to Blythe for a bolt.
- Walmart is 36 miles away in Parker.
- Albertsons is 22 miles away in Blythe, CA.
- We recommend stocking up on supplies before you come. Buy gas cans and water before you come.
Restaurants & Bars. There is over 30 restaurants & bars in Quartzsite Arizona however out of them we highly recommend these:
- Silly Al's. Silly Al’s is a place that surprised us, for being a hole-in-the-wall place in the middle of the desert, the pizza was great. There is almost always a line and they often run out of pizza. So get your order in early.
- Gringo's; Gringo's is located over by the big tent and the market area. Gringo's is just a little taco trailer with a tent for the dining area beside it. This little taco trailer packs a big punch. We recommend that you try their Tortas. If you want to know more about Gringos check out the video we have listed below.
- Beer Belly's Adult Day Care, Adult Day Care is right in the middle of all the action, it's a great place to stop after spending so much time at the market or at the RV show to get a cool refreshing beverage and enjoy the atmosphere.
- Nellie E Saloon is also known as The Desert Bar in Parker and is located 36 north of Quartzsite. The Desert Bar is a bar and restaurant, that is located deep in the desert by itself. There are only two ways to get to The Desert Bar. one way you can only take ATVs. The other way is a little bit smoother but we recommend that you watch our video before you go.
Water: use only a supply currently designated potable and follow any advisory from its operator. Ask which tap is intended for filling drinking-water tanks, especially near a dump station. An inline filter does not make an unknown or restricted supply safe; follow the equipment instructions and the actual advisory.
If you prefer more filtered water, there are locations where you can refill your water tank or fill smaller portable water containers at a cost. The RV Pit Stop is one of those locations.
Plan enough drinking water for the trip and a verified resupply option, while staying within your RV's loaded-weight and storage limits. Secure containers appropriately; do not load as many cases as physically fit without checking the vehicle's capacity.
Weather varies by season, and desert heat, cold, strong winds, dust and flash flooding can affect a trip. Check the current local forecast and official alerts for your dates, route and campsite. A seasonal recollection is not a forecast or a safe operating range for an RV.
Do not camp or park in washes or other flood-prone low areas. Flooding can arrive from rain upstream, even if the campsite is dry. Identify higher ground and a safe route before bad weather; act on official warnings and evacuation instructions. If flooding threatens, move to higher ground without crossing floodwater. Never drive or walk into floodwater or go around a closure. Do not follow a blanket rule to remain at a site simply because rain is falling.
Strong winds and blowing dust can develop quickly. Plan an appropriate substantial shelter before conditions deteriorate, and secure or stow outdoor equipment according to its instructions while it is safe to do so. Follow current warnings and road restrictions. Neither an RV nor a pickup should be treated as a tornado shelter, and the original truck-sheltering anecdote is not a general wind-safety recommendation. Prioritize people and do not delay sheltering to save an awning or other belongings.
Sources
First published Dec 18, 2021; safety details updated Oct 2026.