The Dam Trails

In the Beaver Dam Wash

With a minimal amount of riding on paved roads, we can ride out of Chief Sleep Easy RV Park and find ourselves on several ATV trails through and near the Beaver Dam Wash.

The trails in and around the Beaver Dam Wash all have one thing in common:  the combination of wind and water on sand and rock in a river bottom results in really rough roads.  I’ve started wearing a sport bra when we ride, to avoid “boobies – bouncing boobies – bouncing boobies – bouncing boobies on the trail.”  Sung to the Game of Thrones theme.

And speaking of boobies:  not far out of the wash on the south side we found the Thelma and Louise

Thelma and Louise

monument – complete with the exit sign leading over the cliff.  I have yet to make a contribution.  Not sure what to contribute, as I do not own – and will never own – a large enough bra.

Although we had directions from the BLM on how to find the Tri-State Monument, we found it on our own on the back roads through the wash.  The monument marks the spot where Arizona, Nevada, and Utah meet.  Here I am, standing in three states at once!

Tri-State Monument

Did you know you can ride the back roads from Beaver Dam to Mesquite, Nevada, and end up in the parking lot of Dotty’s Casino, overlooking the Eureka and a short ride on paved roads to the gas station?  This ride, however, is a one-and-done, as it is quite challenging.  For the first time ever, we hit a hill the Polaris couldn’t climb.  Thankfully, Paul was able to back us down and we found another way.  Next time I go to Mesquite, I’ll be taking the car. 

Did you know you can ride the back roads from Beaver Dam to the Virgin River Canyon Recreation

Overlooking the Virgin River canyon

Area campground?  That was a beautiful ride over the mountains and into the Virgin River Gorge.  We did have to use the main road to cross over I-15 into the campground, but having lunch at a picnic table with restrooms nearby was well worth it.

As you come out the north end of the wash, you come into what can be called a Joshua Tree Forest, as the trees are everywhere.  We learned in a John Sandford novel that the early Mormon pioneers gave these trees their name – as they reminded them of Joshua raising his hands toward heaven.

Joshua Forest

There are miles and miles of trails out of the wash, so we still have lots to explore.  And  I still can’t get that tune out of my head.  Dam.

Beaver Dam, AZ, U.S.A

Beaver Dam Station and Dam Bar

Beaver Dam is an unincorporated community in Mohave County, Arizona, located along the pack horse route of the Old Spanish Trail from 1828 and the later wagon route of the Mormon Road between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles from 1847. The town was named for a beaver dam that occupied and held back the waters on the wash when the first Mormon party under Jefferson Hunt established the wagon road through the area in 1847.

The Mormon Road was used by Forty-niners in 1849 and Mormon colonists and other travelers from then on.  The road passes southward from the Beaver Dam Mountains to the Virgin River along Beaver Dam Wash to where it met the river. From 1855, the road was a major wagon freighting road until the railroad arrived in Nevada in 1905. Beaver Dam was first settled by Mormon colonists in 1863.

The Beaver Dam Wash from the Bridge on Main Street

The town is built on both sides of the Beaver Dam wash – an impressive feature that you can cross at the bridge on Main Street.  Otherwise, you’re traveling through on ATVs, which, by the way, you can still do on the old Mormon Road.

The town is about as small as they come.  It features a golf course with a lodge and the town’s only restaurant.  There is a small convenience store which adjoins The Dam Bar/Dam Deli – an inaccurate sign as there is no deli – just a bar with a couple of pool tables in the back and karaoke on Wednesday nights. The Mojave County Fire Station and Driver’s License Division are located in Beaver Dam, as is the Littlefield post office.  Beaver Dam features an elementary school, a junior high, and a high school.  I know the high school has a cross-country team, as I see them running sometimes when I’m out in the afternoon.  The only thing Beaver Dam has an abundance of is trailer parks.  I’ve found six so far.  I suspect the population more than doubles during the winter months.

There is a car dealer in Beaver Dam, but there is no gas station in Beaver Dam – yet.  One is currently under construction, but according to the locals, it’s been under construction for several years now with no completion date in sight.

So why is there always so much traffic in and out of Beaver Dam?  Two words:  lottery tickets.  Beaver Dam – and its nearby neighbor, Littlefield, have the distinction of being the only towns in Arizona on I-15.  All those travelers between Salt Lake and Las Vegas have to buy their lottery tickets somewhere. The Lodge, the convenience store, and the Dam Bar all sell Arizona lottery tickets.  When the jackpot was over $400 million, cars were parked up and down Main Street and the line in the convenience store was out the door.  Alas, the winner came from Massachusetts!  Maybe next time…

When winter season arrives, the locals keep things hopping.  There’s a Flea Market every weekend, lawn mower races on the second Saturday of each month, and of course, the Beaver Dam Jam scheduled for May 6.  So much to look forward to…

Snowbird 102

Happy New Year!  In October of 2017 we pulled the trailer to Beaver Dam, Arizona for our second attempt at being snowbirds.  Taking the major lesson learned from our 2016 snowbird adventure, we knew we needed to go further south than Hurricane.  It was just too cold there in the winter and our trailer is too poorly insulated.

Why Beaver Dam?  Our first inquiries were in Mesquite, Nevada.   Two of the RV parks in Mesquite were glorified blacktop parking lots with hookups and the occasional tree.  And the one we were interested in wouldn’t take us because our trailer was more than 10 years old.  It’s official – we’re trailer trash!  So we turned to the Arizona Strip – just eight miles east.

Chief Sleep Easy RV Park in Beaver Dam was almost empty in September when we drove through. 

The parking was gravel with a few trees, and the parking spots looked really close together.  As we drove through, we selected several spots that we would ask about.  But when we met with the park manager we learned that they were almost completely full for the winter season.  Almost.  She had recently had a cancellation.  Site 32 was open if we wanted it.  We took it. 

By November the park was full, and the gravel drive strips came alive with trailers, carpets, bistro sets and plants, and of course, people.  Many of the residents knew one another from years past.  They welcomed us with open arms.  Paul joined right in with the guys drinking their afternoon beers, and even recruited a couple of them to repair our roof. 

Chief Sleep Easy hosts weekly activities and several potlucks during the season – all with the idea of helping the residents get to know one another.  And while there’s not much in Beaver Dam, Mesquite is only 8 miles west, and the Beaver Dam Wash offers dozens of trails to ride. 

Why is the park called Chief Sleep Easy?  Looking up from the clubhouse, you can see the Chief lying down, sleeping peacefully with the knowledge that his park is well cared for.  His head is at the right, nose protruding.  They say that when the thunder roars, the chief is snoring.

I have my planter boxes in front of the trailer, and a new bistro set graces the front entrance.  We are here for the winter.  Happy New Year!