40 San Diego Reader April 21, 2016
Gather No Moss TRAVEL STORIES AND TIPS FROM OUR READERS
Snowbirds flock to Quartzsite in January, when the tiny desert town can swell in size to 250,000 plus.
Quartzsite: Arizona’s
rock city By Ken Harrison
What do you get when you cross one million snowbirds and desert rats, and add blocks of swap-meet junk? You get Quartzsite, AZ, in January.
Starting in the fall, tens of thousands of bargain-hunters head their RVs to the western Arizona town of 3643. Most choose dry camping on surrounding federal Bureau of Land Management desert, seen for miles in any direction. Find a spot in the sand, and there’s your campsite.
In the middle of it all is a big white exhibition tent, the size of Bing Crosby Hall at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Add numerous RV dealers showing off their latest rigs, and blocks of swap-meet tents and makeshift sales tables. It’s so huge I couldn’t get to most of it in my three-day visit.
On Main Street to the north, and Kuehn Street to the south, both parallel- ing the I-10, you’ll find acres of pop-up tent sales booths. Some just park an old RV, throw out a table, and sell their stuff. Most anything can be sold in Quartzsite as long as you obtain a $50 seller’s permit from the city. It’s a picker’s paradise. It’s not billed as such, but it has to be the largest swap meet in the world. Quartzsite is famous to rock hounds, with many stores offering gems and mineral rocks from around the world. Upon stopping at T-Rocks, right off I-10 at Quartzsite Boulevard (Exit #17), I gazed upon hundreds of bins and tables with categorized rocks. Who knew there were so many shades of quartz? I thought I bought some turquoise...but it very well could have been blue-dyed gravel. The only rock I probably should have had an interest in was “Leaverite,” as in, “leave’er right” there — an often-repeated joke among Quartzsite folks.
Being in the sunny desert, sellers
Win $25 for your travel tips or a Reader T-Shirt or hat for the best travel photo of the week. Go to SDReader
.com/travel for more information. Find maps for the hikes and more Roam-O-Rama columns online at
SDReader.com/roam La Jolla Cove is visible to the south of Scripps Coastal Reserve
Golf is played a little differently here than it is at Torrey Pines
stay open year-round. It’s worth a stop anytime if you happen to be driving through, even just for gas — usually 50 cents less than across the border in Blythe, CA.
November through February are the big months, but January is when the big exhibition tent is up, and the local chamber of commerce and the Quartzsite Improvement Association host several concerts, gem and mineral shows, and a pow wow.
Other Adventures T
he Scripps Coastal Reserve, or ”the Knoll,” offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean
from coastal bluffs and an easy walk through coastal sage-scrub habitat. Owned by the University of Cali- fornia as part of their larger Natural Reserve Sys- tem, the Scripps Coastal Reserve aims to provide a dedicated space for scientific research, education, and public service, contributing to stewardship and understanding of California’s diverse ecosystems. The Biodiversity Trail offers an easy walk, with many signs posted along the trail informing visitors of the area’s natural history, including plant and animal life and geology. This route begins by walking through areas domi-
nated by California sagebrush (Artemisia californica) and large stands of California bush sunflower (Ence- lia californica), which bloom in great abundance from January to March. Following the trail to the edge of the cliff, you will be rewarded with a view of the
Pacific Ocean, including the surf break at Black’s Beach north of the overlook. A paved road offering pedestrian access to the beach can be found further north of the reserve, past Black’s Canyon, but there is no beach access from the Biodiversity Trail. The view to the ocean will be overlooking the Scripps and La Jolla submarine canyons, which plunge to over 730 meters below the surface. Large marine life, such as gray whales, often take advantage of the deep waters off the coast during their annual migra- tions — keep a lookout from December to April. Kelp beds in the La Jolla Cove to the south provide habitat to many species of marine life and appear slick on the water’s surface. Over 265 fish species have been documented in the cove, representing half of all marine fish species found in California. Looking down between the overlook and the Scripps Research Pier, an exposed rocky intertidal zone at continued on page 42
have no problem leaving all their stuff outside. Because the wind blows, everything outside — cars, antiques, junk, and even some people — are covered with a light coating of dust. Even stuff sold in what looked to be permanent buildings had dust all over the merchandise. But almost nothing is permanent in Quartzsite. By March, the weather starts to heat up and most of the snowbirds, swap meet’ers, food stands, and RV dealers are gone. By July, when temper- atures can reach 120 degrees, the only things left are a few restaurants and gas stations. And a few broken down RVs left like sunken ships in desert sand. Some junk stores, rock or jewelry shops brave the heat and wind and
Read before you go
SDReader.com/Travel
San Diego Outdoors with the Museum Canyoneers SCRIPPS COASTAL RESERVE
ROAM-O-RAMA Spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean await visitors after a short, easy walk through coastal sage scrub.
Distance from downtown San Diego: 16 miles. Allow 20 minutes driving time (La Jolla). Take I-5 N to the La Jolla Village Dr. exit. Turn left (west) on La Jolla Village Dr., and continue onto N. Torrey Pines Rd. Turn left onto La Jolla Shores Dr., and nearly immediately, turn right on La Jolla Farms Rd. After 0.1 mile, the gate for the Scripps Coastal Reserve will be on the left. Limited street parking is available on La Jolla Farms Rd., and additional parking may be found on La Jolla Shores Dr. or on the University of Cali- fornia, San Diego campus. Hiking length: 0.5-mile loop along the Biodiversity Trail. Allow 30 minutes to hike and read informative trail signs. Difficulty: Easy, with no measurable gain/loss of elevation. Hours open: 8 a.m. to sunset. No dogs or bicycles allowed. No facilities.
laurelpupa: Wildflowers Carpet Mud Canyon
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