Parker Strip: River Landscape, Trails and Hotels

River Landscape and Regional Highlights

At the Parker Strip, river landscapes, state parks, and a variety of trails come together as regional highlights; fishing is also part of the picture. Specific points of interest range from a road along the Colorado River to trail features such as numbered stations, scenic views, and abandoned copper mines. This gives you several ways to plan your trip around your own interests.

Road and Park Landscapes

Parker Dam Road, also known as the “Thread of Life,” is 11 miles (18 km) long and runs along the California side of the Colorado River. Backcountry byways also run through scenic, remote corridors in the Parker Strip Recreation Area. The name, length, and riverside location specifically define Parker Dam Road, while the byways are characterized by the scenic and remote nature of their corridors.

Buckskin Mountain State Park is located along an 18-mile stretch of the Parker Strip between Parker Dam and Headgate Dam. River Island State Park is located on the banks of the Colorado River along the Parker Strip. For Buckskin Mountain State Park, the stretch between the dams is the point of reference; for River Island State Park, it is the banks of the Colorado River. This provides different geographical perspectives for exploring the park landscape.

Trails with Different Features

Two trails in Buckskin Mountain State Park offer different experiences. The Lightning Bolt Trail is a steep, 0.5-mile loop that showcases the campground, the park, and the Colorado River. On the Buckskin Loop Trail, visitors can identify native vegetation at numbered stations using an informative guide from the ranger station. The numbered stations provide fixed reference points for identifying plants.

The Wedge Hill Trail is an easy, 0.5-mile scenic hike that connects to a shared trail system with neighboring state parks. Along with the also 0.5-mile Lightning Bolt Trail, it allows for a clear comparison: both are the same stated length, but they are described differently. Wedge Hill is easy and focused on views, while Lightning Bolt is steep and laid out as a loop. Length alone therefore does not indicate the character of each trail.

Another loop trail is 2.7 miles long and climbs high above the highway to a viewpoint overlooking the Colorado River. The Lamb Springs Trail borders a wilderness area; as it continues into Arizona’s western backcountry, it offers a sense of remoteness. A scenic 0.6-mile trail passes a series of abandoned copper mines that recall Arizona’s past. The 2.7-mile loop and the trail past the copper mines thus differ both in length and in their described points of interest.

Fishing as Another Highlight

Fisheries management on the Colorado River in the Parker Strip focuses on general fishing opportunities for largemouth and black bass.

Discover more destinations: Parker, Salome, Ehrenberg, Quartzsite.

For the broader travel overview: La Paz County.