Finding a good, no-fuss place to dump your tanks out in the West Valley of Phoenix can sometimes feel like a chore, but if you find yourself near Surprise, Arizona, you’re in luck. The city’s name has always made me chuckle a bit, but there are no bad surprises when it comes to a spot like HV-RV Storage. It’s a straightforward, practical place for road-weary travelers to get the essential job done, located right on 159th Avenue with easy access to the main drags. It’s exactly the kind of place you want to have marked on your map when you’re exploring this side of the metro area.
This part of Arizona is all about getting outdoors. Surprise is kind of the gateway to some incredible recreation, and that’s why so many of us RVers find ourselves passing through. Just a twenty-minute drive south, you’ve got the White Tank Mountain Regional Park. This isn’t just some city park; it’s a massive 30,000-acre expanse of rugged desert beauty. We’ve spent hours hiking the trails there, looking for ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks and watching the sky catch fire during sunset. It’s one of those places that reminds you why you got into this lifestyle in the first place. Then, to the north, you have the massive, deep-blue waters of Lake Pleasant calling your name. It’s a hub for fishing, kayaking, and even boat-in camping. Having a reliable dump station like HV-RV Storage nearby makes it easy to extend your stay in the wild just a little bit longer. And if you need a dose of civilization, you can catch a spring training baseball game at Surprise Stadium or hit one of the many beautiful desert golf courses.
So, what’s it like to use a dump station at a storage-only facility like this one? If you’re used to the hustle of travel centers, this will be a breath of fresh air. These places are all about security and predictability. You’ll pull up to a gated entry, and you’ll likely need to have called ahead to get access or check in with an attendant. The biggest perk is the space. The lanes are designed for big rigs, so you’re not going to be jockeying for position with a bunch of eighteen-wheelers. It’s a quiet, low-stress environment, which is exactly what you want when you’re focused on doing a clean and thorough job with the black and grey tanks. You can take your time, go through your checklist, and not feel rushed.
Now, the trade-off for this peace and quiet is a lack of ancillary services. There’s no fuel, no propane, and no convenience store on-site. You have to think of this stop as purely utilitarian. It’s where you handle the dirty work. You’ll need to plan your grocery runs and fuel stops for other locations in town. But HV-RV does offer a couple of key amenities that make it a great option. First, they have water. It’s a rinse-only spigot, so you need to bring your own dedicated non-potable water hose for flushing everything out. Second, and this is a big plus, they have trash disposal. After you’ve cleaned out the tanks, being able to toss your bagged trash right there on-site is a huge convenience. It’s one less thing to worry about carrying with you.
One thing to be very mindful of is their policy on pets. Like many storage facilities, they don’t allow pets on the property. So, if you’re traveling with your four-legged family members, you’ll need to make sure they get their exercise and potty breaks at a rest stop or park before you pull into the facility. Also, there are no public restrooms or showers, and no electric hookups, so it really is a dump-and-go kind of place.
The cost is currently unlisted, which is common for these types of businesses. My experience with similar spots in the Phoenix metro area is that they usually charge a small fee, somewhere between five and ten dollars, for a single dump. Of course, the best practice is always to call ahead. Not only can you confirm the price and the payment methods they accept, but you can also verify their hours. Many storage yards have hours that follow their office staffing, which is often a standard nine-to-four or nine-to-five schedule. You don’t want to roll up at six in the evening expecting to get in.
For a successful visit, a little pre-planning goes a long way. First, make that phone call. Second, arrive fully stocked with your gear: gloves, sewer hose, connectors, and some disinfectant wipes for cleanup. Third, think about the Arizona sun. From May through September, the temperatures can be brutal. Try to schedule your visit for the morning, before 10 a.m. if you can. Trust me, you’ll be a lot happier. A great way to plan your day is to pair your stop at HV-RV Storage with a trip to the White Tank Mountains. You can handle the chores in the morning and then reward yourself with a beautiful hike and some incredible views.
In short, HV-RV Storage is a fantastic, low-crowd, and straightforward option for anyone needing to dump their tanks near Surprise. It may be light on amenities, but the on-site rinse water and trash disposal cover two critical needs. As long as you confirm the fees and hours, bring your own gear, and plan around the desert heat, you’ll be in and out in a flash, ready for your next Sonoran adventure.
22611 N 159th Ave, Surprise, AZ 85387
(602) 509-1071
Cost: Price not available
Category: Storage facility
Has Water
hv-rvstorage.com