Puerto Penasco and Sandy Beach camping blues

Well if you are a Sandy Beach camping aficionado, you're probably aware that the days of "road warrior" camping are pretty much over.

Like mushrooms, high-rise condos have been springing up almost overnight as this famous (infamous?) stretch of sand has transformed from an unruly rite of passage for young Arizonans, to world class resort (almost). And if you're only getting the news now, I'm sorry.

Camping on Sandy Beach, looking SE.

Of course one person's loss is often another's gain, and both Mexicans and Americans stand to gain a lot from this new Sandy Beach. It's created jobs and other opportunities to make money. It's created a new destination in Mexico that will appeal to vacationers both south and north of the border. And the condos are way swanky. (Okay, I'll admit it. After four days trekking from the Pinacates to Sandy Beach, four of us splurged and rented a condo in the Princesa Condominiums. It was a delightful end to a great wilderness walk.)

But the sad fact remains that beach camping opportunities in Rocky Point are disappearing fast, and will most likely be completely gone in the near future. Right now, The Reef RV Park is the only place on Sandy Beach where you can still experience the "drive up and stake it down" camping of the past. The park is located at the western end of the beach. It has developed sites for RVs and tent camping, plus allows you to camp directly on the beach.

In May, we paid $5 per night to camp in a surviving stretch of open beach between the walls of approaching condos and the park's large, disco bar. Of course, you can also get beach front camping in the developed sites.

As far as eating goes, the Reef bar has a little snack stand that features delicious -- and inexpensive -- tacos. There is also a gourmet restaurant which is an anomaly: Incredibly delicious cuisine, at good prices, cooked by a master chef in an unlikely location.

Sandy Beach and The Reef RV Park.

I don't know how long this stretch of sand will hold out against the onslaught of development. And, to be honest, I actually found the partying atmosphere a little noisy and tiring. But then I may be getting old.