Lower Colorado River, Arizona - January 13-17, 2006 (Re-run)

Headed for Quartzite, AZ, we entered the state from New Mexico on Interstate 10.  Shortly after, we came to one of my favorite spots along that highway: Texas Canyon.  Here are some of the most unusual and colorful rock formations in Southern Arizona.

 Quartzite is a small town on the western edge of Arizona that draws enormous numbers of RVers each winter.  It started years ago with a rock show, but developed into a cultural event for RVers.  RV dealers and other vendors always show up, too.  While we stayed in an RV park with hook-ups, most people take advantage of free camping on the BLM land that makes up the surrounding land.  Several hundred thousand RVs can be seen scattered around the desert.

Just north of Quartzite, the Parker Dam controls the Colorado River and creates Lake Havasu.  This whole area looks like a moonscape, with insane mountains and formations.   Looking across the river, campgrounds can be seen in California.  There are many campgrounds on the Arizona side, too, and Buckskin Mountain State Park, where we stayed, is one of the nicest.

 

 Bill Williams River Wildlife Preserve is a great spot for fishing and bird watching.

In 1958, American businessman Robert P. McCullough saw an opportunity to create a planned city on the shores of Lake Havasu, so he bought some 16,000 acres and started Lake Havasu City.  When the London Bridge was to be replaced, he bought it and had it torn down and shipped to Arizona.  With each piece labeled, the bridge was re-assembled and helped attract both tourists and new residents.  Today it is second only to Grand Canyon as an Arizona tourist  attraction.  Cost of purchase, shipping and re-assembly was about $10 million.