Up along the Salt River just a few miles out of Mesa, are 4 picnic areas that turn into dry RV camping in the winter. We have enjoyed the view and the quiet at Pebble Beach for a number of years but this year due to budget cuts Pebble Beach and another were closed.
So we tried out one of the other parking lot campgrounds for 3 days: Phon D Sutton. Nobody could tell us who Phon was and the name sounds Asian but we have found out that Phon was a Mesa pioneer. We have affectionately christened this park: PhonDu.
We were pleasantly surprised by the security that the hosts provided, including locking the gate at sundown. Though this park is less than 10 miles from downtown Mesa, there was not much traffic traveling through the area even during the day, which was nice. Also surprising, is that there were only about 10 RV's camping in an area that could hold more than 50.
Situated along the Salt River, it was nice being along the river, lots of greenery and reeds, water birds, and a few rafts floating down river.
We never saw any fish caught; but there were lots of fishing poles in the water.
We never saw any fish caught; but there were lots of fishing poles in the water.
The views were spectacular to the west at Red Mountain in the morning.
At $3/day – senior rate – winter camping at PhonDu can't be beat.
