We always stop here on our way to Phx. There are smaller private runs for dogs and also a Boerboel…read moresized area lol. Typically, theyre clean spaces, but some people are just not considerate and leave their pets poop behind :( There are baggy stations in each run, but theyre empty most times we come. BUUUUUT WE BRING POO BAGS always. So, its never a problem. Theres a dog wash here but GEEZE!! Its quite expensive for a self wash. I love this dog run tho. Its a safe space, always open and we get to stretch out legs while our guy trots around jumping from bench top bench.

In a pinch. Good news is it's covered. Has poop bags. Bad news is it's pretty filthy. No fault…read moreof dogs. Badly needs a clean up, but com'mon guys, empty the overflowing trash cans! That said, the store next door is nice and interesting and cheap diesel.

This is a well maintained and fun playground. We stop by every time we drive to Yuma. My kids all…read moreenjoy their time here. Plenty of things for kids to do, for all ages. The park is clean and so are its bathroom. Large field to picnic or kick a ball. Highly recommend stopping by for some fun family time. There is a lot of wildlife to observe as well.

We loved this park!…read more The park itself has a large playground area (seen in photo) for bigger kids to run around. There is also a side, smaller area for toddlers with smaller slides, swings, climbing tubes, etc. Along the perimeter there is a traditional zip line and one with a chair. This is also connected to a trail that goes along the Colorado River that has very nice views and is quite long!

An ideal place to visit any time of the year ( especially wintertime"). One can feed the ducks and…read morefish with food you brought yourself or for a small fee what the conversation has on site. Recently, we brought a pack or two of bread and had a good time enjoying nature and outdoors. You can still feed the ducks when it's closed by throwing their food over or thru the fence. Worth visiting for something completely different.

This is an AWESOME OASIS right along the highway (Open Nov thru April on Saturdays 9-5 and Sundays…read more12-5) with so much to do in a quiet, hassle-free space. The 28-acre site includes a botanical garden featuring Sonoran desert vegetation, a watershed model, a pond for wild and domestic waterfowl, and a display of antique farm equipment. Rumor has it that there is also a mysterious tortoise that hangs out there, but you have to find him!!! The BEST thing about the place it that you can walk around in silence and clear your head, chek out the antique tractors and farm equipment, enjoy the vegitation or just sit in the shade (many benches provided along the way) near the pond and watch the ducks and the other people (very kid friendly) enjoying themselves. I would check out their website, because it's loaded with suggestions and facts about the awesome garden activities. http://www.yumaconservationgarden.org/YCG%20Activities.htm

My family and I have spent time at this park on a number of occasions over the last few years. It…read morehas a lovely view, a nice track around the property to walk or jog, is usually pretty clean, a little playground area for kiddos, and even some bodyweight type exercise equipment stations around the track for those that want to get some strength training in instead of just cardio. The parking lot has never been jam packed so parking is a breeze, and the park is just easy to access. Quick in and out type thing. I wish we lived closer and could frequent this spot more often than we do already.

The northern half of the park is fenced off due to constuction of a flood control basin. The city…read morehas quit watering the accessible part of the park, so that the grass is dead and the trees are dying. At least the contractor is using a water truck on the northern part to keep those trees alive.

Even with the tide really low due to the lack of rain, this makes a great place to relax, picnic or…read morewhat have you. Seemingly all the times we've been here the other groups of people have been very mellow. I mean, yes they're into their own get - togethers but the hootin' and hollerin' you'd expect from other beaches? Not so much here. The lake current is nice and strong; you could float on your back down the river if you wanted too. I got a good workout in there just crawling around and things. Like I said, most of the river is not as deep as after a rainfall. Recommended!

Beautiful park underneath the Ocean to Ocean Highway bridge, which crosses the Colorado River in…read moreYuma on the CA/AZ border. The park has bathrooms, picnic tables under a large pavilion, a play ground, and a sandy beach. There's even an outdoor shower for cleaning off the sand when you're done. On an August weekday around noon, there were multiple families at the park to lounge and swim. The bridge provides ample shade for sitting on the beach or swimming in the water. The water was clear and looked clean. Some kids had tied a rope swing to the bridge and were swing jumping into the water - so fun! Yuma is HOT and frankly quite ugly, without much to offer the passerby outside of food, fuel, and the prison (also worth a stop!!). Gateway Park is an exception - a beautiful spot and a great break point for the weary traveler. Bring swimsuits - you won't just want to dip your feet in!

Initial Impression: So I've been to this park a handful of…read moretimes & if you don't know the area, it can be a little hard to find. The park is huge & secluded & its own parking & restrooms. Pros: Its secluded & has many trees & lush green grass, a perfect venue. It has 1 Ramada so you don't have to share the space. The ramada features 3 rectangular tables about 11ft long. The lighting is dim. There are 2 extra benches to the right of the ramada. The grass is well kept. There is a fun little train track to the right of the park, on certain days & times you can pay a fee to ride the tiny train. The views are gorgeous. There is a huge bbq grill to the left of the ramada. There is one outlet all the way to the left of the ramada by an electrical pole. Its about 250ft from the ramada, you'll need your own extension cord to plug in to it. There is 1 bench to the left of the ramada. The restrooms are right around the corner. About a 2min walk.. Cons: The restrooms are not as close as I'd prefer.... you can't send your kids bu themselves because you can't see them because the hill blocks the restroom. The restrooms are always surrounded by the older senior crowd. I think they play pokemon.... there... the closest outlet is about 250ft away. The lighting is dim... in the ramada. Overall Experience: We had a BIRTHDAY party here & it was awesome, we were not surrounded by 10 other parties or random strangers walking by. The grass area is huge. Its a perfect venue for any event. Maybe Easter or something. We had a jumpee on the left of the ramada & it was perfect. The kids ran around barefoot & there were no stickers anywhere in sight. The grass is very fresh. You can explore to the right along the tiny tracks & go on a scavenger hunt.its quite peaceful & very nice. We loved it.

Gimmicky. Just a bench and a sign and a sidewalk. Really there is absolutely no appeal to this park…read morewhatsoever.

After years of reading the wonderful story, Roxaboxen, to my children, I happened upon the true…read morelocation as I left a meeting of educators (of course!) to return to Phoenix. The modest sign hides the profound importance of this spot--profound if you have an imagination, love reading bedtime stories to your kiddos, or just have a soft spot for the simple times of childhood. The small, understated location is deceiving--even by desert park standards: It looks like a rectangular rise that the home developers simply forgot. But for those who know the book, the broken pieces of glass and careful boulder arrangements bring back the echoes of the children in the story, the "houses" they built, and the games they played. Okay, I'm a little melancholy and prone to Edward Abbey-like exaggeration, but the deliberate simplicity of the park bears a power to make the story come back to life in a really delightful way. And an adult could do worse than just sit for 15 minutes or so and remember what it was like to be young, with an unchecked imagination.

There is only one negative thing about this area, and let's get it out of the way at the top:…read more You need a high clearance vehicle to really experience this place. There are amazing places to camp, hike, and climb in here but make sure your vehicle has at least 7.5" of clearance (more is always better) or else you're definitely going to get some body-scraping going on. If you're renting a car to come out here, some sort of jeep (or a Tacoma) is probably going to be your best bet. You don't really need 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive, you just need to have your undercarriage up above the ground. Once you get in here though, there's some incredible stuff! I hiked/scrambled to the summits of (you can find my GPS files for your mapping software at the links below): Castle Dome Peak: https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=4071 Ten Ewe Mountain: https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=35522 Signal Peak: https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=4066 There's also some really great stargazing in here, and lots of spots to pull over and have a campout. This is one of the better places for boondocking in the US provided, again, that you have the clearance. And since this is a merely a National "Wildlife Refuge" rather than a National "Park", it's effectively free and not very crowded. I only saw one other person (and his dog) in the mountains.

~ Crystal Hill Review ~…read more To get to the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge's Crystal Hill just look for the turn-off sign just past the 95 mile marker ( off the State Route 95). You will then have to drive 6 miles down a dirt and rocky road.. It's tough sledding (15 mph), but most cars can made it if they avoid the large rocks and go slow. I even saw a compact car make this. About halfway down the dirt road you'll see the official Kofa Park sign and Trailhead.. You'll then keep going for 2.5 miles until you're next to a small mountain / hill on your left. Hopefully there are RVs camping so you know you're at the right place. Just turn LEFT into the campground toward the bottom of the mountain/hill. There are several pullouts ( campsites) here, so park and walk towards the hill. There are a few trails up, all with white signs telling you that no digging tools are allowed on the hill. Walk up the trail and make your way to the top. Please feel free to go off trail as you please. The best finds are off the main trails so explore everywhere. Crystal Hill is very family friendly and you're going to find quartz ( mostly white) everywhere. The clear crystal points (very tough to find) can be found if you really look hard off-trail. Remember, limit of 10. TIPS - - 10 rock limit or 10 pounds.. whichever comes first.. - Most people collect then leave their spoils in a pile for others to find.. This helps out younger rockhounds find cool specimens. - The top is pure tailing, but the midway point on the North West side has some good locations for the cool stuff. - If you see small holes in the hillside those might be illegal mines. Small, but you or your kids can crawl in and take a look. Bring a flashlight.