Outdoor Recreation in Bullhead City


Outdoor Recreation in Bullhead City

The beautiful Colorado River and Lake Mohave, the Black and Newberry Mountains, the striking scenery and warm desert climate offer many opportunities for recreation year-round. Bullhead City offers a long list of recreation programs and operates a community swimming pool. In addition, organized softball, baseball, soccer and football leagues provide a variety of team and individual sports. A trail system is in place with four segments, most in close proximity to the Colorado River, offering hikers a variety of locations for exercise and great views.

Bullhead Community Park
Located along the Colorado River on the west side of Highway 95 toward Bullhead City’s northern end, Bullhead Community Park features a large grassy area with a children’s playground, horseshoe pits, ball fields, sand volleyball courts, beachfront ramadas with barbecues and a boat launch ramp. A beautiful new, large, covered ramada area is available for special events by reservation. Admission is free, but there is a fee for launch ramp use during the summer season. For information, call the Bullhead City Parks & Recreation Department at (928) 763-0158 or (928) 763-9400.

Ken Fovargue Park and Community Swimming Pool
Located on Trane Road, near the Bullhead City Administration Building, this park features lighted basketball courts and ball fields, a children’s playground and the Bullhead City Community Swimming Pool (open from April through mid-September). For information, call the Bullhead City Parks & Recreation Department at (928) 763-0158.

Rotary Park
Located on a 300-acre parcel of land along the Colorado River in Bullhead City, Rotary Park features a sports complex with soccer fields, Pop Warner football and brand-new ball fields. The giant park also offers lighted basketball courts, a skate park, beaches, walking trails, ramadas with barbecues, a boat launch ramp, a fishing jetty, a fish cleaning station and the recently opened Bullhead City Dog Park. Admission is free, but there is a fee for launch ramp use during the summer season. The park is located on Riverview Drive, about a mile west of Highway 95. For information, call the Bullhead City Parks & Recreation Department at (928) 763-0158.

Colorado River Heritage Greenway Trails System
This system of improved hiking trails offers several short hikes in various locations throughout Bullhead City and includes the only designated water trail system in the state of Arizona. Four segments of the trail have been completed to date, with trailheads located at Davis Camp, Heritage Park (just south of the Laughlin Bridge), Ken Fovargue Park and Rotary Park. Kayak rentals and tours are available or visitors may bring their own watercraft and launch at Davis Camp, Bullhead Community Park or Rotary Park. Small, non-motorized crafts can be launched at several other locations in the area, as well. For more information on the Heritage Greenway Trails, contact the Bullhead City Parks & Recreation Department at (928) 763-0158.

Big Bend of The Colorado River State Recreation Area
Located on the shore of the Colorado River (Nevada side), south of Laughlin’s resort area between Needles Highway and the Colorado River, this Nevada State Park offers camping and day-use facilities, plus a launch ramp, swimming area and lots of sandy beaches with ramadas and barbecues. Hiking, fishing and bird watching are among the many activities offered in the park. For information, call (702) 298-1859.

Fisherman’s Access
Located on Casino Drive in Laughlin, along the Colorado River and just south of the Laughlin Bridge, this area offers a green, grassy river walk area perfect for picnicking. There’s a boat launch ramp, ample parking and restrooms. Admission and launch ramp use are free.

Lake Mohave
Nearly 68 miles from end to end, Lake Mohave offers an abundance of coves and natural campsites with some of the best fishing in the Southwest. Located just north of Bullhead City and above Davis Dam, Lake Mohave is part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Just two miles north of Davis Dam is Katherine Landing. The largest marina on the lake, Katherine Landing was first settled by gold miners and is named for Katherine Mine. It now just runs north of the improved marina area. Visitors will find several amenities including: launch ramps; a marina with hundreds of boat slips and a gas dock; a motel, RV park and campgrounds; a store, restaurant and boat rentals that include everything from personal watercraft to fishing boats and houseboats; and a boat repair shop and dry storage area. For information, call the Katherine Landing Ranger Station at (928) 754-3272 or (928) 754-3030.

Davis Dam
Located in Pyramid Canyon, at the northern end of Bullhead City, Davis Dam created the 68-mile-long Lake Mohave. Named for former director of reclamation, Arthur Powell Davis. This $67 million earth and rock embankment spanning the Colorado River has a concrete spillway, intake structure and power plant. The dam is 200 feet high and was completed in 1953 to control floods and to generate hydroelectric energy. Best viewing of the dam is from Davis Camp in Bullhead City or from River Road in Laughlin. The dam itself is closed to vehicle traffic. For more information, call (928) 754-3682.

Grapevine Canyon
Native American petroglyphs, created by indigenous people an estimated 800 to 1,000 years ago, adorn the walls of this canyon located near Christmas Tree Pass, northwest of Bullhead City. There is a two-mile gravel road leading to the trailhead off Highway 163 about 10 miles west of the Laughlin Bridge. The canyon was named for the grape plants found in the area. A short and somewhat strenuous walk from the parking lot is required to reach the petroglyphs. Ranger-guided hikes are offered regularly. For information, call the Katherine Landing Ranger Station at (928) 754-3272 or (928) 754-3030.

Colorado River Museum
The museum includes replicas of the area landmarks, Native American artifacts and displays of historical items from early settlers to the first slot machines. Located on Highway 95, just north of the Laughlin Bridge at Davis Camp, the museum is operated by the nonprofit Colorado River Historical Society. It is open September through May, Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, call (928) 754-3399.

Davis Camp
Originally built in the 1940s as the housing area for the workers building Davis Dam, this huge Mohave County park stretches along the Colorado River from the foot of Davis Dam south to the Laughlin Bridge. It features beaches with ramadas and barbecues, a boat launch ramp, swim beach and riverfront camping areas. The RV park offers partial and full hook-ups and a laundry facility. For information, call (928) 754-7250.

Arizona Veterans Memorial
A beautiful riverfront park in Bullhead City is the setting for the Arizona Veterans Memorial, dedicated in the memory of more than 3,000 military men and women from the state of Arizona who were killed during wars and armed conflicts over the past 100 years. The largest portion of the memorial overlooks the Colorado River and contains a line of giant flagpoles paralleling a curved wall standing nine feet high and 40 feet wide. Displayed here are bronze plaques engraved with the names of each of the service men and women who died defending our nation. On each side of the memorial wall are giant bronze eagles surrounded by 50 stars representing the 50 states.

The Arizona Veterans Memorial Park also contains a pyramid-shaped stone memorial honoring the U.S.S. Arizona, which was destroyed in the attack on Pearl Harbor that marked America’s entry into World War II. The memorial park is open year-round and admission is free. To get there, take State Highway 95 to Riverview Drive. Travel west (towards the Colorado River and past Rotary Park) until the road ends at Riviera Boulevard, about two miles. Turn left onto Riviera Boulevard and continue about 300 yards, where the road terminates into a large parking lot. Follow the signs to enter the memorial park area.

Oatman
Located in the Black Mountains, southeast of Bullhead City on historic Route 66, Oatman is a Western history buff’s dream. Experience an old western gunfight, enjoy the friendly ‘wild’ burros and browse through the many curio shops, art galleries and stores. Taste the “fixins” at one of the eateries, or wet your whistle at a saloon as you go back in time to the late 1800s, when gold was discovered in the region. Many buildings still exist from that time period, including the Oatman Hotel, built in 1902, and The Glory Hole antique shop, constructed in 1914 as the Oatman Drug Company and Health Club.

Stagecoach rides and off-road tours also are available. The town hosts several events each year, including the Annual Bed Races and Gold Camp Days. To reach Oatman from Bullhead City, take Highway 95 south to Boundary Cone Road. Head east on Boundary Cone Road for about 12 miles and you’re there. For more information, call (928) 768-6222.

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge
Established in 1941, the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge protects more than 37,000 acres and 30 river miles (300 miles of shoreline) along the Colorado River. The refuge starts about 15 miles south of Bullhead City at the Topock Marsh and runs south to the mouth of Lake Havasu. Topock Marsh is a huge wetlands area that is home to many species of fish and waterfowl. There are several launch ramp and camping facilities available and fishing is abundant.

Also, inside the refuge is the scenic Topock Gorge, where the Colorado River winds for several miles through canyons of towering, ancient volcanic rocks. The refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and can be reached from Courtwright Road in Mohave Valley or via the Topock exit on I-40. For information, call the Havasu National Refuge Office at (760) 326-3853.

For online information and downloadable brochures, go to www.fws.gov/southwest/.

Boat Launching Facilities
Boat launch facilities are available at Davis Camp, Bullhead Community Park, Rotary Park in Bullhead City, Fisherman’s Access and Big Bend of the River State Recreation Area in Laughlin. Some launch fees may apply.

The closest launching area on Lake Mohave is at Katherine Landing. Lake Mead National Recreation Area park entrance fee applies and there is a choice of four launching facilities (two paved). For information, contact the Bullhead Area Chamber of Commerce at (928) 754-4121 or visit online at www.bullheadchamber.com.

Golf
The terrific climate allows for year-round golf in the Bullhead City area. Currently, there are several golf courses in the area, including 18-hole courses and nine-hole facilities. The variety of holes and pars offers exciting play for golfers of all skill levels.