Mittry Lake National Wildlife Area

Mittry Lake is an area of over 2000 acres of marsh and lake managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  There are numerous locations around the lake offering sites for free camping.

We drove south from Quartzsite on January 28th following our friends Rick and Janet Pilger.  After a 5 mile drive on gravel road from the Yuma Proving Ground entrance, we located a site large enough to accomodate both rigs on the crest of a hill overlooking the lake.

With no hookups and no dump station (just like the Quartzsite BLM area), the supply of fresh water  limits the length of our stay. Although we have about a 160 gallon capacity for waste water (e.g., 40x2 gal black water and 40x2 gray water); the on-board fresh water supply is 50 gallons.  When fresh water runs low I use a water bladder to extend our stay.

We enjoyed numerous late afternoon/evening happy hours with Rick and Janet Pilger; Ed and Jan Biller;  and a few neighbors.  We also learned the joy of playing the domino game "Mexican Train".

During our stay we visited an interesting museum a short drive to the east: the "Dobson Museum".

Hand Woven Horse Hair Baskets

Wendi's Indian Baskets

Wendi Dobson owns the museum.  Tours are by appointment only with Wendi acting as tour guide.  Her home and the roughly 10 acres of desert ranch land contain a lifetime of collecting various farm equipment, tools, vehicles, and all sorts of circa 1900 household items and appliances.

 Many of the bottles were collected by locating and excavating abandoned homestead sites.

Wendi clearly knows the history and has an in-depth knowledge of the items she and her late husband have accumulated over the years. Someone who loves history and antiques could spend days and not see it all.

Fine detail in horsehair. You can see the turtle's eyes.

Horsehair baskets.

Very Unusual! Collection of condom tins.

  
I managed to get some fairly good drone video while camped at Mittry Lake.