levi and nicole in sedona the diesel apartment

Sonoran Desert Living and Microadventures Across the American Southwest

We’re Nicole and Levi. For nine years, we called a 39-foot motorhome home while living full-time in a Tucson RV park.

In 2026, we left RV life behind and moved to an acre in the Sonoran Desert. And we still love exploring Arizona in our Jeep Wrangler, often with a small squaredrop camping trailer in tow.

Here, we share backroads, ghost towns, small museums, historic sites, roadside oddities, and other hidden gems across the Southwest. We also write about dispersed camping, desert wildlife, and what it’s like to build a life in the Sonoran Desert.

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I wanna see where that road goes

Backroads, ghost towns, small museums, scenic drives, and other places worth seeking out across Arizona and New Mexico.

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I WANNA EXPERIENCE THE SONORAN DESERT

Explore North America’s most biodiverse desert, from wildlife and wildflowers to mountains, monsoons, and landscapes that change with the season.

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I WANNA SLEEP SOMEWHERE WITH A VIEW

Dispersed campsites, campgrounds, backcountry trips, and the details that help you decide if a place is worth the trip.

Recently on Rooted in the Dust

From forgotten places and desert roads to coyotes in the yard and weekends in the squaredrop, here’s what’s new.

Backroads, Wildlife, and Other Desert Distractions

Subscribe to Rooted in the Dust for Southwest trips, Sonoran Desert nature, camping, and life in southern Arizona.