The Colorado River winds its way through the harsh landscape, a glittering ribbon of water that seems totally out of place in the middle of the desert. Starting high in the mountains of Colorado, the river cuts through the canyons and deserts of the Colorado Plateau, crossing southeastern Utah to Lake Powell, dropping through the Grand Canyon in northern Arizona, into man-made Lake Mead in Nevada, and finally reaching the Mojave and Sonoran deserts. The river meanders towards the Mexican border and eventually empties out into the Gulf of California.
The California side
of the Colorado River includes portions of San Bernardino, Riverside and
Imperial counties. On the Arizona side
of the river lie Mohave, La Paz and Yuma counties.
THE CALIFORNIA SIDE
BLYTHE
-
The community of Blythe was named in honor of Thomas H. Blythe, an English
pioneer who had settled in the area in 1877. Even though the center
of town is a few miles west of the Colorado River, early farmers were still
plagued by seasonal flooding until the completion of Hoover Dam in 1935.
Blythe Chamber of Commerce, 201 S. Broadway, Blythe, CA 92225.
(760) 922-81660
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CIBOLA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE - 20 miles south; P.O. Box AP, Blythe, CA 92226. (520) 857-3253. Open daily during daylight hours, free. More than 16,000 acres of protected river and marsh lands are home to numerous wildlife species, including at least 200 species of bird. Strictly controlled hunting of legal species is allowed with a valid hunting license and appropriate stamps for the state in which you will be hunting.
INDIAN INTAGLIOS - 15 miles north off of US 95, Blythe. Open daily, free. Six giant white rock intaglios (figures incised on the surface) were carefully laid out on two adjoining mesas by ancient Indians. The figures represent animals and humans, the largest being human-shaped and measuring 171 feet in length.
PALO VERDE HISTORICAL MUSEUM - 150 N. Broadway, Blythe, CA 92225. (760) 922-8770. This museum displays home furnishings, implements and old photographs of pioneer families of the Palo Verde Valley. Wagons and farm equipment are on display, and a desert garden of local flora is located behind the museum.
NEEDLES
- This city was named for the needle-like mountain
peaks that can be seen across the river south of I-40. Founded in
1883 as an important railroading center, it is still a depot for the Burlington
Northern Santa Fe Railroad. Fishing, boating, waterskiing and jet-skiing
are all very popular along this stretch of the river.
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WINTERHAVEN
- Located across the Colorado River from Yuma,
Arizona, along I-8. Situated within the Fort Yuma Reservation of the
Quenchan Indian tribe, this community of more than 3500 is the largest on
the reservation.
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PICACHO STATE RECREATION AREA - 26 miles north via an unpaved road. P.O. Box 848, Winterhaven, CA 92283. (760) 393-3052. Open all year, free. Picacho S.R.A. preserves a section of the Colorado River in near-perfect natural condition. There are several camping areas, some accesible by car while others are boat-in or hike-in only. Other activities include boating, fishing, rafting, water-skiing, hiking, bird watching and visiting Indian petroglyph sites.
QUECHAN MUSEUM - Indian Hill, P.O. Box 11352, Yuma, AZ 85366. (760) 572-0661. The museum is comprised of 3 rooms: the Spanish room, the US military room and the Quenchan room. Two rooms contain artifacts and documents relating to Spanish and US military actions and as well as their relationships to the Quenchan Indian tribe. The Quenchan room contains historic tribal artifacts such as pottery, weapons, clothing, cradles and old photographs.
