Parker, Arizona – Out and About

Buckskin Mountain State Park

Buckskin Mountain State Park is the sister state park of River Island State Park and is situated about a mile south of River Island. If you are camping at either one you can visit the other one using your camping pass. Buckskin is also along the Colorado River at Big Bend and offers a Visitor Center/Gift Shop, RV sites (80 sites), dump station, day use area, boat launch, hiking trails, swimming area, and fishing. We spent the day at the park hiking around and picnicking at the day use area. We hiked up the River View Trail which provides a scenic lookout of the Colorado River and great views back to the campground.

We then crossed the street, via a walkway above the highway, and hiked the Market Trail. This trail leads north to the River Island Market and the construction site for the new RV site area of River Island State Park.

The day use area has a beach area, picnic tables, and shelters where you can watch the birds, the boaters, and the burros. It is a lovely state park with great hiking and great views of the river.

Cattail Cove State Park

Cattail Cove State Park is another Arizona State Park along Lake Havasu. It is about 13 miles north of River Island State Park and requires a separate day use fee ($3 a person), i.e., our River Island State Park camping pass is not accepted at other parks except Buckskin Mountain State Park. The park offers camping (61 sites), primitive boat-in camping sites, boat launch, swimming area, amphitheater, and a variety of hiking trails. We spent the day hiking around the area. The views are spectacular from many of the lake shore trails.

The park is currently working on an Upper Cattail camping area which will add quite a few more camping sites. We are looking forward to that section being opened. This is one of our favorite Arizona state parks.

California

Another easy day trip from River Island State Park is heading south to the Parker strip and then crossing the bridge over into California and heading north along the west side of the Colorado River. There are a number of resorts, recreation areas, and burros along the way. There are plenty of areas to stop and soak in the views.

The west side of the Colorado River in California has lots of resorts and recreation areas but very few amenities. It has a much more quiet relaxed feel than the Arizona side of the river but shopping and restaurants are few and far between and almost non-existent.

Parker Dam

The Parker Dam is about 16 miles north of Parker (4 miles north of River Island State Park) and crosses the Colorado River about 155 miles downstream of Hoover Dam. It straddles the border between Arizona and California. The interesting part about this dam is it is the only dam in the world that stands more underground than above ground. This was necessary in order to reach the bedrock for the foundation of the dam. The presence of the dam creates Lake Havasu to the north. The dam can be driven over with a car but is closed at night (11pm to 5am) and closed to RVs and trucks all the time.

Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge – Visitor Center

The Bill Williams Visitor Center is about 5 miles north of River Island State Park at the confluence of Lake Havasu and the Bill Williams River. There is no charge to visit this beautiful place.

There is a peninsular trail with a variety of shelters and sitting areas and a small fishing dock. There also offer a boat launch area for kayaks/paddle boards/canoes to allow you to paddle your way around the marsh. There is also an auto tour which takes your farther a field along the Bill Williams River. It is one of our go to places for a picnic lunch when we are in the area.

There is lots to see and do in this area and we ran out of time before we needed to head north to Lake Havasu for a week. Off we go!