It was a free campsite, just off California’s Interstate 10…a quick stop on our way to Tucson, Arizona. There are no amenities offered at Chiriaco Summit Campground, just a place to park…no charge. Reg and I expected a free-for-all with trailers and RVs scattered every which-way around the desert landscape.
However, the Chiriaco Summit rest stop area is a different story. How have we not known about this bustling little town? I borrowed Tripadvisor shots to give you an idea of what we’ve missed on past trips.
Chiriaco Summit is located about 1/3 of the way between Palm Springs and the California/ Arizona border. After a little research, it turns out it’s quite historic. As rest stops go, it’s an oasis of amenities. In addition to gas and a food mart, travelers can recharge at the Chiriaco Summit Restaurant, grab a cup of coffee at Cholla House Coffee, check out the gift shop, visit the General Patton Memorial Museum and even mail a souvenir postcard from the post office.
Chiriaco Summit has a rich history, dating back to 1933 when Joseph Chiriaco built a gas station alongside what would become today’s heavily traveled Interstate 10.
There’s no missing the museum upon arrival. Travelers drive right past it on the way to finding parking. We took a pass on the collection of WWII tanks. Instead, a quick turn to the left took us down a dirt road where we checked in with the campground host.
To say we were surprised would be an understatement. There are 20 individual campsites neatly arranged down a single road. The camp host greeted us as we drove in and suggested we take a spot on the left. So we did, backing into a long, wide site with nothing but a small fire pit and great big views. This might be one of our favorite all-time campsites…it was wonderful.
Not at all what we expected.
carryoncouple 
Leave a comment