Lime Kiln Canyon Road BLM Boondocking ~ Arizona Strip

​Lime Kiln Canyon Road runs from Mesquite, Nevada south through the mountains to the Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument in Arizona. This travel route is an alternative way to get to Whitney Pass Road, which goes up and over the mountains to Whitney Pocket in Gold Butte National Monument. Between Mesquite and the two National Monuments, Lime Kiln Canyon Road goes through several miles of Arizona Strip BLM territory, which offers some unique boondocking opportunities. 

A previous article features the Lime Kiln Canyon Road Jeep trail from Grand Canyon Parashant to Mesquite and the photo album for this venture reveals more views of the majestic terrain. All travel routes in this region are dirt roads and they certainly can be rough enough to limit access to high ground clearance 4x4 vehicles. Lime Kiln Canyon Road is maintained and this dirt road is smooth near Mesquite, but just like with any mountain pass trail, the higher you go, the rougher it gets. Way up in the mountains, the hairpin switchbacks are too tight for extra long vehicles and there is a narrow gap between rock outcrop walls. What this all means is those who drive RVs and trailers will be limited to camping at the official Arizona Strip BLM Dispersed Camping area in the lower elevations near Mesquite.

A strong cel phone data signal can be found in the official BLM Dispersed Campground and Mesquite is just a few miles downhill, so stocking up is easy to do. This actually is a good spot for an RV basecamp, especially if you hauled an ATV or mountain bike for the adventure. Several hiking, biking and ATV trails branch out near the BLM Dispersed Campground, so there is plenty to do in this part of Lime Kiln Canyon.

A high ground clearance 4x4 vehicle is recommended beyond the BLM Dispersed Campground when heading south on Lime Kiln Canyon Road. There are several roadside campsites higher up in the mountains that offer a chance to escape from the crowds. These campsites are featured in the photos for this article and as can be seen, the location is a definitive desert mountain environment. There is not much firewood to be found, so it is best to stock up prior to arrival. Carrying plenty of extra water and some survival food is good to do too, just in case a vehicle breakdown occurs. This most definitely is mountain lion territory, so it is best to protect pets and children when boondocking in the higher elevations along Lime Kiln Canyon Road.

As always, the "pack it in, pack it out" rule does apply when boondocking in Lime Kiln Canyon. Leaving a campsite cleaner than how you found it is always best to do. Since going 200 feet off trail to dig a sanitation hole is nearly impossible in this region, packing a kittle litter bucket or a fancy portable sanitation device is recommended. Other than the basics, a 4x4 and a tent is all that is needed for the higher elevation roadside campsites, because the daytime temperatures are moderate and the nights are refreshingly cool. The views of the peaks are majestic and there are sections of Lime Kiln Canyon that are a haven for climbers and spelunkers. This part of the Arizona Strip BLM is well worth checking out, especially when escaping from the big crowds is the highest priority!