This morning we headed to another Forest Service campground called White Oak, further south of Green Valley, near the Peña Blanca Lake.  Since this is Easter weekend, and the campground is small, it is also full, but there is a lot of area beyond the campground that is camp-able by the BLM rules—pullouts with fire rings.  We found one and settled down because high winds up to 50 mph were forecast to begin at about 11am.  The wind did come, and it blew and blew all night long.  Van Morrison shook and rattled.  When we woke up, the wind had died, but it was about to rain, so we high-tailed it out of there because we were on a remote dirt road with multiple signs warning about flash flooding.  Beautiful location, but a popular area for OHVs, ATVs, motorbikes, etc. so not quiet and calm.

We headed toward Arivaca, about 30 miles west and slightly north.  Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge is there.  Arrived at the refuge in the pouring rain, another beautiful spot.  This is rolling, semi-arid grassland punctuated with mesquite woodlands.  So green!! I’m sure it not like this in June when the heat sets in.  This gorgeous place allows free camping in designated spots with fire rings.  There are at least 100 spots, widely dispersed over the entire refuge.  We slept in site #75 for two nights while it rained, then drove into town to get rid of garbage and to check out the mercantile.  The people in town are very friendly.  They have free access to water behind the store, plus regular gas and propane fill ups too, so we can fill up with everything we might need right there. The town dump is a fenced in circle of maybe two dozen dumpsters with free and easy access to all, so we have an easy place to get rid of trash too.  We like Arivaca and LOVE the wildlife refuge.