We have around 60 RV parks in our Thousand Trails membership. However, Thousand Trails is owned by Encore which has many other RV Parks, Condos, Time Shares, etc. Some of the Encore RV resorts allow Thousand Trails members to come in at a discount. It’s such an offer that brings us to Countryside RV Resort in Apache Junction, AZ for a three night stay. This town is in the eastern most part of the Phoenix metro area and the beautiful Superstition Mountains are quite nearby.

This is primarily a “snow bird” park that fills with folks escaping the northern winters. Road after road is filled with “park model” trailers, most of them older but well kept. Most have some level of site improvement such as car ports or a built-on rooms or landscaping. The sites are small and folks find ways to make use of every square inch of space. The RV sites sport a small concrete slab and utility hookups. These sites are also rather small, especially those that abut against the park model sites which, as I say, are making use of every inch of space. The only trees are tall palm trees which are picturesque but offer no shade.

Our early October stay put us in the resort just ahead of the first winter arrivals so the property was very quiet and empty feeling. There are people around. Apparently, they stay year around – weathering the Phoenix furnace-like summers. In a month or less I’m guessing this place will be filling up with it’s 55+ crowd of winter people.

At the heart of the campground is an Activity Center and pool. There’s a large meeting hall and library plus a billiards room, post office, shuffleboard, and other amenities. I think it would be interesting to try this place out in January-March when things are in full swing.