Picacho State Recreation Area
State Park · Winterhaven, California
Picacho State Recreation Area lies in Imperial County, California, on the lower Colorado River across from Arizona, north of Yuma and Winterhaven. It is one of the most remote state parks in the system: a ribbon of green riverbank in a harsh volcanic desert, reached by a long unpaved road - Picacho Road, confirm its length and condition -. Picacho Peak, a rough volcanic spire, dominates the skyline, and the ruins of a former gold mining camp are scattered in the hills - confirm what can be seen. Camping is primitive - confirm sites and boat-in camps on the river - with few services, and the summer heat can be dangerous, well above 115 degrees F. The best season is roughly October to April. Bring all your water, food and fuel, and a vehicle with high clearance - confirm. Nothing here is built for a casual drop-in visit, so plan the trip as a small expedition and tell someone where you are going.
Picacho Rd, Winterhaven, California, 92283, United States
California State Parks has generally treated Picacho as an open desert park with a staffed or seasonal presence and no regular shop hours - confirm the current hours, any gate arrangements, fee collection and whether a ranger is on site. The unpaved road can be closed by flash floods, washouts or heat and should be checked before you leave pavement. Summer temperatures in this part of the lower Colorado River Valley are among the highest in California, so the park may be effectively closed to sensible visitors from late spring until early autumn, and some services or camps may shut. Nights in winter can be near freezing. There is no dependable phone signal, so leave your plan with someone before you go.
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