38 miles north of Wenden and U.S. Route 60 on Alamo Road
Known for excellent fishing, Alamo Lake attracts many visitors in the mild months of spring, winter and fall. Located on the Bill Williams River, the park offers developed and undeveloped campgrounds, boat rentals and a general store complete with tackle and live bait. A variety of wildlife, including mule deer, foxes and bald eagles, and the desert wildflowers and cacti that surround the lake make it a perfect place for nature lovers. Day-use and overnight camping fees apply.
Information: 928-669-2088; www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/alamo.html
Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge
52 miles north of Quartzsite on State Route 95
Home to the largest surviving cottonwood-willow woodland of the lower Colorado River, this scenic natural area is rich with riparian vegetation and rare, endangered wildlife. The habitat offers limited hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, camping and hiking.
Information: 928-667-4144; http://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/arizona/billwill.html
Bonelli House
430 E. Spring St., just north of U.S. Route 66 in downtown Kingman
Tour the historic house, built in 1915 of locally quarried stone. Inside, see period pieces from Kingman’s heyday, as well as a large wall clock that was once reportedly the only clock in Kingman.
Information: 928-753-3175; www.kingmantourism.org/to-do-and-see/kingman-attractions/bonelli-house.php
Burro Creek Recreation Area
15 miles southeast of Wikieup on U.S. Route 93
Situated along Burro Creek, this recreational area offers contrasting deep-blue pools and a rushing tree-lined stream surrounded by cacti in a Sonoran Desert canyon. Activities include hiking, backpacking, camping, rockhounding and bird-watching. Amenities include fire grills, picnic tables, a ramada, restrooms and group camping areas.
Information: 928-692-4400; www.az.blm.gov
Chloride
35 miles northeast of Kingman, 4 miles east of U.S. Highway 93 on Chloride Road
A town that revels in its quaintness, Chloride offers town-wide yard sales in May and October, the Wild Roses of Chloride, the world's only all-female gun-fighting troupe, bed and breakfasts and RV parks as well as a glimpse into its history, when silver was mined and the town bustled.
Information: 928-565-2204; www.chloridearizona.com
Colorado River Historical Museum
On State Route 95 from Bullhead City, drive less than a half-mile north of the Laughlin Bridge
This museum offers a unique perspective on northwestern Arizona history. Learn about area geology and ancient fossils, see artifacts of the early Mojave Indians and discover the age of steamboats on the Colorado River – complete with models and photographs.
Information: 928-754-3399; www.bullheadcity.com/tourism/Hismuseum.asp
Dateland
50 miles east of Yuma on Interstate 8 at Milepost 67
By all accounts, this small, southwestern Arizona oasis is a roadside hotspot. The area, with its soaring desert temperatures and deep reaches of groundwater, provide ideal conditions for growing date palms. Date palms, believed to have originated in the Middle East, are also thought to be the world’s oldest food-producing plant — a fact not lost on the proprietors of Dateland Palms Village, who have built a tradition of serving the sweet fruits in about every way imaginable. Their world famous date shakes are a cool and tasty way to interrupt a long, hot drive.
Information: 928-454-2772; www.dateland.com
Dolan Springs
30 miles northwest of Kingman
Called the “Gateway to the Grand Canyon West,” Dolan Springs lies at the base of 6,900-foot Mount Tipton in the Cerbat Mountains. Visit Dolan Springs for access to Lake Mead, to see one of the world’s largest Joshua tree forests, to visit gold mines or to go rock hunting.
Information: 928-767-4473; www.dolanspringschamber.com
Gold Road Mine Tours
In Oatman, 25 miles southwest of Kingman on U.S. Route 66
Enjoy a one-hour guided tour of an underground mine and old gold-mining ghost town, dug when a Mexican miner literally stumbled on a chunk of quartz gleaming with gold. Cameras are welcome on the tour, which travels into the original 1900 shaft, directly below U.S. Route 66.
Information: 928-768-1600; www.goldroadmine.com
Grand Canyon Caverns
25 miles west of Seligman on Route 66
Formed from ancient seas, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes over millions of years, the Grand Canyon Caverns is a natural dry limestone cavern 210 feet underground. Fossils and bones of long-extinct animals, like the giant ground sloth, have been found in the cavern. Today visitors can choose from several tours offered through the cavern, going down and back out by elevator. Other amenities include an on-site motel, restaurant and curio shop.
Information: 928-422-4565. www.gccaverns.com/index.html
Harquahala Peak Observatory
Take I-10 east from Quartzsite to Salome Road, exit left (north)and drive 9.6 miles to Eagle Eye Road and turn right. Follow Eagle Eye Road for 8.5 miles to a dirt road and head north to the observatory.
Built in 1920 by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, this deserted survey center was never equipped with telescopes. The delicate equipment, perilously packed in by burros, consisted of special gages and meters designed to measure the heat, rays and distance of the sun. The observatory’s recorded data was used for weather forecasts. No services. Four-wheel-drive required. Steep and rugged desert terrain in some places.
Information: 623-580-5500; www.az.blm.gov/pfo/harqc.htm
Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
From Interstate 40 take Exit 1 near the Arizona-California border, then follow the signs to the refuge.
This refuge protects 30 river miles 300 miles of the lower Colorado River’s shoreline
and Topock Marsh from Needles, California, to Lake Havasu City. Popular recreation activities in the refuge include fishing, boating, hiking and wildlife watching.
Information: 760-326-3853; http://southwest.fws.gov/refuges/arizona/havasu
Historic Route 66 Museum
In the Powerhouse Visitors Center, in downtown Kingman on U.S. Route 66
The longest original stretch of U.S. Route 66 runs through downtown Kingman, giving it the moniker “The Heart of Historic Route 66.” Murals, photographs and life-sized dioramas chronicle the development and history of the “Mother Road.”
Information: 928-753-9889; www.kingmantourism.org/route66museum
Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area
10 miles west of Yuma off Interstate 8
Endless piles of pure sand and never seemed so fun. Be prepared to share it with plenty of loud, sand-faring buggies and motorbikes.
Information: www.californiadesert.gov/resources.php?code=impsan
Joshua Forest Scenic Road
Spanning 54 miles of U.S. 93 from Wikieup to Wickenburg
Along this scenic drive, visitors pass through one of only three Joshua tree forests in the state. As the Joshua trees fade, the saguaros pop up amid dark volcanic rock and granite boulders that give way to Burro Creek, and then the valley of the Big Sandy River hugged by the rugged Aquarius Mountains to the east and Hualapai Mountains to the west.
Information: www.arizonascenicroads.com
Kingman Army Airfield Museum
4540 Flightline Drive, off U.S. Route 66 in Kingman
Take a close-up look at the planes of days gone by, in this World War II air base converted into a museum.
Information: 928-757-1892; www.kingmantourism.org/to-do-and-see/museums/kingman-army-airfield-museum.php
Lake Havasu State Park
699 London Bridge Road, Lake Havasu City
This park is an ideal place for outdoor recreation. Amenities include three boat launch ramps, camp sites, beautiful beaches, nature trails, an interpretive garden, special events area and the famous London Bridge nearby.
Information: 928-855-2784; www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/havasu.html
Locomotive Park
In downtown Kingman, across from the Powerhouse Visitors Center on U.S. Route 66
See Engine No. 3759, which traveled millions of miles on the rails before it was given to Kingman by the Santa Fe Railroad in 1957 as a historical monument. While you’re at it, check out the red caboose, added in the 1987 “Great Locomotive Pull,” when 1,200 Kingman residents pulled the engine 30 feet forward to connect the caboose.
Information: 928-757-7919; www.kingmantourism.org/to-do-and-see/kingman-attractions/locomotive-park.php
Martinez Lake Resort
35 miles north of Yuma off State Route 95
The perfect place in the desert for cooling off with a little boating, birding, fishing, feasting or simply going with the flow.
Information: 800-876-7004; www.martinezlake.com
Mohave Museum of History and Arts
400 W. Beale St., Kingman
Dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the history of northwest Arizona and Mohave County, the museum offers a variety of exhibits pertaining to the settlement and heritage of the area. Browse collections that include dioramas and a mural of early Kingman settlement, memorabilia of Andy Devine, a local cowboy actor, Indian crafts and a Mohave Village, a re-creation of an early Arizona street, old farm and mining equipment and more. A gift shop offers Indian crafts, books and other local memorabilia.
Information: 928-753-3195; www.citlink.net/~mocohist/museum/index.htm
Oatman/Goldroad Mining Towns
30 miles southwest of Kingman on Route 66
Named after the Oatman family, victims of an 1851 Mohave Indian attack, Oatman began as a mining tent camp. It flourished until the closure of the mines and the building of I-40 took it off the map. Today Oatman and Goldroad, just 2 miles north, offer an authentic Old West adventure. Visitors can explore the Historic Oatman Hotel and other original buildings and mine shafts, shop for handmade Indian jewelry, leather goods and other souvenirs, or spend the day petting and feeding wild burros who visit the Oatman streets.
Information: 928-768-6222; www.oatmangoldroad.com
Parker Strip
35 miles north of Quartzsite on SR 95
Between 1871 and 1908, Parker’s commerce centered around a mere post office. Today, it centers around an abundance of activity on the Colorado River and the 11-mile stretch of shoreline known as the Parker Strip. Housing everything from upscale resorts to remote camping spots, the Strip has become world-renowned for its water skiing and other aquatic competitions but there are also plenty of places to enjoy the quiet side of the Colorado.
Information: 928-669-2174; www.parkerareachamberofcommerce.com
Quartzsite
At the junction of State Route 95 and Interstate 10
Check out this quirky gem of a town with plenty of Arizona-style activities.
Information: 928-927-5600; www.quartzsitechamber.com
Sanguinetti House Museum
240 Madison Avenue, Yuma
Meander through the picturesque home and gardens of Yuma’s pioneering merchant.
Information: 928-782-1841; www.yumalibrary.org/ahs
Winchester
Three miles north of Vicksburg on State Route 72
This is quite possibly the shortest-lived town in history. When gold was discovered in a nearby mine in 1909, the town of Winchester was built to accommodate the rush. A year later the gold veins were tapped out and the largest town along the Arizona-California Railroad became the smallest, going from a population of 2,000 to zero. It has since existed as a ghost town with a few remaining structures and remnants.
Information: 928-859-3846; www.ghosttowns.com/states/az/winchester.html
Yuma
50 miles west of Dateland on I-8
Yuma is fast becoming a big-city contender in the Southwest. The city offers fun and unique experiences for just about everyone. Yuma’s fascinating geological and human history is recounted in places like the Sanguinetti House Museum, Fort Yuma Quechan Museum, the Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park, and Yuma Crossing State Historic Park. On weekends from October through May, the Yuma Valley Railway puts the wind in your hair with round-trip tours of the area, while local ghost tours, conducted by Yuma Spirit Hunters, will simply stand your hair on end. Nearby, acres of mountainous sand dunes beckon pedestrians and off-road enthusiasts alike.
Information: 928-782-2567; www.yumachamber.org
Yuma Crossing State Historical Park
201 N. 4th Avenue, Yuma
Once a major military and railroad hub, this park preserves relics
like an authentic Southern Pacific steam locomotive
from their early Arizona endeavors.
Information: 928-329-0471; www.pr.state.az.us/parkhtml/yumacross.html
Yuma Territorial Prison State Park
1 Prison Hill Road, Yuma
Check out the year-round, felon-free festivities at this former state penitentiary and high school.
Information: 928-783-4771; www.pr.state.az.us/Parks/parkhtml/yuma.html.
