56°F
weather icon Clear

Big Bend of the Colorado attractive to outdoors lovers

Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area, the newest addition to Nevada’s state park system, nestles in the southern tip of the state adjacent to Laughlin. The recreation area offers year-round picnicking, camping, boating, fishing, hiking and wildlife watching. It protects two miles of shoreline and many acres of marshland, washes and rugged desert arroyos. It keeps intact natural habitat that is home to many desert creatures and attractive to a wide variety of waterfowl, shorebirds, songbirds and avian hunters.

Big Bend of the Colorado lies 100 miles from Las Vegas. Drive south on U.S. Highway 95 through Searchlight to the Laughlin turnoff onto state Route 163. The scenic route twists through a mountain pass to descend toward Laughlin at the river’s edge. Just before you reach the resort town’s hotel-casinos along the Colorado, turn south on the highway to Needles, Calif. Watch for signs for the recreation area, which lies within Laughlin’s boundaries one mile south of Casino Drive.

The cooler months of the year are the most appealing time to visit Big Bend of the Colorado, where winters are mild and spring and fall are mellow. Summers are scorching, frequently reaching 120 degrees and bearable only if you are in the water or soaking wet. Never visit the area without packing a can of bug repellent. Unless a stiff breeze is blowing, black flies, gnats and other winged pests may harass you, especially in spring and early summer.

The recreation area commands beautiful views of the Colorado. The river rolls by dark green, cold and majestic, swirling with currents from its release from Lake Mojave through the hydroelectric plant at Davis Dam. Laughlin lies out of sight upstream. Across the river in Arizona, Bullhead City spreads out along the highway near the river and climbs into rugged foothills. The river carries busy boat traffic with all kinds of watercraft, including a replica riverboat.

Big Bend is a Nevada recreation fee area, and Nevada residents get a $2 discount on the $9 entrance fee. Popular with boaters and fishermen, it offers a two-lane boat launching area with a paved parking area, space for boat trailers, shaded picnic areas and restrooms. Watercraft launched there have safe access to the river through a man-made lagoon that protects the shore from boat wakes. Boaters pay a $15 per-day fee. Frequent users should consider purchasing annual entrance permits and boat permits, available at entrance stations, Nevada State Park district offices and online at parks.nv.gov. Since Big Bend provides access to the Colorado in Nevada, Arizona and California, those who frequent the area should be aware of the water use and fishing requirements and regulations for all three states.

The recreation area’s 24-unit campground opened in 2008. It offers sites suitable for RVs and tents on a first-come basis. Overnight camping fees are $20, with a $10 surcharge for utility hookups. Campsites have pull-through access to accommodate RVs of most sizes. Restrooms in the campgrounds also include shower facilities. Campsites and picnic sites have tables, grills and fire pits.

In 2009, four miles of hiking trails along six short routes were completed in the developed area of the park. The trails provide walking access to shoreline and riparian areas as well as adjacent state park land that remains undeveloped. Hikers are encouraged to explore the recreation area’s open desert, washes and small canyons. Use of off-road vehicles is prohibited.

Big Bend of the Colorado is considered an outstanding wildlife viewing area, since birds and wildlife are drawn there by the water, food sources and varied habitat. Visitors to Big Bend find the best observation times are early or late in the day. Those who walk quietly or wait patiently at a likely spot will have more success. Since many desert creatures are nocturnal, the best signs of their presence may be found in daylight in the form of tracks left overnight in the sand or damp banks of the river or wetlands.

— Margo Bartlett Pesek’s Trip of the Week column appears on Sundays.

Don't miss the big stories. Like us on Facebook.
THE LATEST
Hike, bird-watch, shop, nibble at China Ranch Date Farm

A verdant oasis hidden in a secluded canyon, China Ranch Date Farm near Death Valley National Park is an excellent cool-seasondestination.

Utah ghost town is rich in pioneer history

Surrounded by serene pastures and stately groves of trees with the soaring cliffs of Zion National Park for a beautiful backdrop, tiny Grafton ghost town invites visitors to step into its pioneer past.

Bring home priceless memories on a Christmas tree cutting adventure

If you’re pining for a freshly cut Christmas tree this holiday season, you could go to one of the pop-up, tented tree lots that dot the Las Vegas Valley this time of year. But if you’re feeling more adventurous, you could round up the family and make a day of it by traveling to more forested parts of Nevada, as well as Utah, Arizona and California, to search for a perfect tree to harvest yourselves.

Holiday trains make for memorable excursions in Southern Nevada

Southern Nevadan families seeking special experiences for their youngsters should consider a holiday train ride. Long after memories of other holidays fade, most children fondly recall the year they rode the train with Santa.

Now is the best time of year to visit Death Valley

The hottest, driest and lowest national park, Death Valley is well-known for its blistering summer temperatures. For that reason, the best time of year to visit is what’s considered the offseason in most other parks: mid-October to mid-May.

Side road through Moapa Valley leads to scenery, history

Autumn is a prime time to explore Southern Nevada’s side roads into places bypassed by our busy freeways and major highways. State Route 169 through Moapa Valley provides just such an enjoyable drive.

Beatty Days festival salutes town’s history

The three-day event, planned for Nevada Day weekend, celebrates Beatty’s founding in the early 1900s and its heritage of mining and ranching. It draws hundreds of visitors to the community of about 1,200 people located 115 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Fall is a fine time to visit Spring Mountain Ranch

Mellow autumn days linger late in the season at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park in the scenic Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area west of Las Vegas.