A Review of Desert Shadows RV Resort
Desert Shadows RV Resort (1-5)
** We rated this park a 4.5**
This resort is our go-to resort when we stay in the North Phoenix area. We originally chose to stay here years ago when we purchased our first travel trailer. We knew virtually nothing about RVs, and RV parks and resorts. We knew we wanted to stay in the north valley area, close to my family, but we didn’t know anything about choosing a place to stay. We relied on the Good Sam’s Club membership reviews to guide us in our selection, and we are quite glad we did. Each time we’ve stayed here, we’ve had a good experience, so we keep coming back! Please note that this resort is a 55+ Active Adult Community. Many people live here full time. There are also part-time residences and RV sites available. In addition to longer stays, there are pull-through and back-in RV slots for shorter stays. These sites have different age criteria, so check with the resort if you have any questions!
RV Park: Desert Shadows RV Resort
Location: 19203 N. 29th Avenue • Phoenix, AZ 85027
Open year-round
Proximity to town: Located in North Phoenix right next to I-17 and Loop 101.
Cost: Summer (4/1 – 12/31) Rates: 47+tax.
Winter (1/1 – 3/31) Rates: 58+tax
*Weekly rates also available*
*We save 10% by using our Good Sam’s Club Discount Card.
Dates: The most recent stay was May 2018. Over the course of the last four years, we’ve also stayed in December, October, March, and November.
About our rig(s): Heartland Road Warrior 355 Toy Hauler. The Road Warrior 355 is a double-axle, forty foot long toy-hauler with three slides, three awnings, and a retractable back-patio.
UPGRADE!
We upgraded our rig during our stay last December! We arrived in Phoenix in our Road Warrior, and we left in our 2018 Class A Fleetwood Southwind. We’ve since stayed three times in our Southwind.
Spaces / Facilities / Amenities
We stayed in a back-in site during our first stay. It was a tight spot, but it was pretty because it was between citrus trees and permanent residences. After the first trip we know to request the pull-through sites located at the front of the resort. As far as tight spots go, even the pull-through spaces have palm trees, cement poles, electrical boxes and other obstacles that make maneuvering into the site a little challenging. Even though all of the spaces have cement pads and convertible picnic bench/tables, you might have to pull your rig away from the cement pads to be able to open your awnings. There have been a few times where we couldn’t open our awnings.
When it is HOT, it is HOT. I know this is a no-brainer when it comes to staying in Phoenix. We’ve visited in the spring, the fall, the winter, and baby summer, and we’ve experienced both cool and hot weather. We intentionally don’t go to Phoenix in the summer because we know how brutal the summers can be. The short-term spots have little to no shade, so there isn’t a lot of help to protect your RV on hot days. If you aren’t able to open your awnings, the heat seems even more oppressive. One October it was well over 100 degrees for our entire stay. Our 5th wheel has two air conditioning units that ran almost the whole day, and the rig was still warm inside. The air would shut off for less than a minute, and then it would come right back on. The same thing happens in our motorhome. Just be aware that you will need to prepare for hot weather well into the fall and early winter, and maybe even as soon as the early spring.
There is wifi available in the park. If you want free wifi, you will need to hang out in the main building where there is free wifi. There are wifi plans available for purchase if you need to have internet in your rig. Check with the office for pricing. If you buy internet (like I did this last trip) be prepared to have internet that moves at a glacial pace at night. I get no work done at night.
You will be able to access network TV channels if you have a decent antenna. As far as cable TV goes, the resort doesn’t have cable for short-term guests. If you plan on staying for an extended time, talk to the office about your options. We’ve got the Hopper (or Dish Outdoors), and we have excellent Dish Network service because there are no trees to block the reception.
One of my favorite (and least favorite) things about Desert Shadows is the desert zero-scaping. It is beautiful and very Arizona, but no grass can be problematic if you are a dog owner. Every pull-through site is gravel. Even the dog run is only dirt and gravel. If you have a picky pooch that doesn’t want to go potty in the rocks, you will run into problems. There are a lot of dog-owners in the resort. The dog run is a popular hangout. At any given time of day, you might have five people to chat with while your dog plays. It is fun!
There is propane delivery and trash pickup on certain days of the week. Check with the office for details. Curbside trash pickup is free the two days of the week they provide the service. You have to pay for propane delivery, but it is convenient. This time, we went next door to Costco and filled up. It was fast and cheap at Costco!
Other Information
The RV Resort is located right off Interstate 17. There are certain times a day where the road noise is loud.
There are a lot of friendly people who stay here, and in turn, a lot of mean people. Some dude in a Subaru almost ran me over the other day. I mean, heaven forbid I cross the road well ahead of him when he decided to drive 45 MPH in a 15MPH zone. The look on his face when he sped up as he approached me was of pure malice. Sorry that I’m crashing your retirement zone, dude. I’m in my 40’s with no kids. It’s not like I’m causing a ruckus there.
Also, there are a lot of mean people who don’t like dogs. I get that. What I don’t understand is the sign posted in many people’s front yards that reads “no dumping” or “no pee or poop. Your dog can’t read, but you can.” I’m always terrified of walking my dogs past this particular strip. I have to go past it to get to the dog run. My dogs aren’t in their yards, but they have pooped in the street. I carry bags, and I clean up my dogs’ messes, but I still get looks. I try to tell my dogs not to poop, but it’s hard to tell them not to do something they are outside and trained to do.
Some activities are age-restricted. That’s cool. I’ll play shuffleboard and bocce ball when I’m 55. I can wait, and I understand the restrictions. I’m a rules girl, so I don’t mind following them.
Some of the convenient gates are for people who live at Desert Shadows full time. The only time it bugs me is if I want to go to Costco or In-N-Out Burger. Then, I have to take the long way around.
Our Experiences
We obviously love this resort. We keep staying here because the benefits far outweigh the negatives. I am sure we will keep coming back, too. I tried to rent a full-time spot for a year even. No dice. You can’t rent here if you are under 55. Some 55+ places are allowing for 45+ with no kids now, but not Desert Shadows. So, I wait. Patiently.
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