PICACHO STATE RECREATION AREA

Last week, we drove to the Picacho State Recreation Area which is about 25 miles north of Yuma, in the state of California.  Once you get off the highway the first few miles are paved roads but the next 18 are rough gravel that made for slow going.  It took us over an hour to get there with a few stops along the way to take photos of the scenery and the “famous” Picacho peak that can be seen from Yuma.  The Quechan Indians lived in the area and the peak was important in their myths and legends.

We had our lunch at a picnic site on the banks of the Colorado River and learned about the history of the area. 

Around 1862, a young prospector from Sonora, Mexico discovered gold in the hard rock surrounding Picacho Peak.  By 1890 a successful, large-scale gold mining operation was booming and the gold mining town had a population of approximately 2500.  At the turn of the 20^th century, steam-powered paddlewheel boats traveled the Lower Colorado River to deliver mining supplies and passengers.  The first paddlewheelers were side driven, not stern driven ones that were common on other major rivers such as the Mississippi River.

After lunch, we went for a long hike that took us over 2 hours along one of the trails to the old mill site at Picacho.  It was a great day for a hike.  Here are some trail photos.

The drive back was slightly quicker as we knew the road better but it sure was nice to feel smooth pavement again.  Getting away from the resort into the desert is a great way to spend a day.