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Nearby Parks:
Bucksin Mountain State Park
Buckskin Mountain State Park
Lake Havasu State Park
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| National Park Overview: |
 | From desert bighorn sheep to the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher, birds and other animals at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge rely on the life-giving waters of the lower Colorado River. The refuge protects 30 river miles - 300 miles of shoreline - from Needles, California, to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. One of the last remaining natural stretches of the lower Colorado River flows through the 20-mile-long Topock Gorge.
A great river in a dry, hot land attracts wildlife and people like a powerful magnet. Today, many thousands of visitors annually flock to the refuge to boat through the spectacular Topock Gorge, watch waterbirds in Topock Marsh, or hike to the Havasu Wilderness Area.
Wildlife dwell in a precarious balance with the people who recreate here. Remember, we are guests in the home of lower Colorado River animals and plants. |
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| Camping: |
| Recreational vehicle and tent camping is available at the Fivemile Landing concession at Topock Marsh. All other areas of the refuge are closed to camping by either land or water.
Several campgrounds and hotels are located in or near Needles, California. Call the refuge headquarters for additional information. |
| Trails: |
| The passage of the Wilderness Act of 1964, the Arizona Desert Wilderness Act in 1990, and the California Desert Protection Act in 1994, together designated 17,606 acres, or 32 percent of the refuge, as wilderness.
This wilderness area offers quiet desert beauty for the prepared hiker. The first rule is to bring plenty of water. Every plant and animal has adapted to desert living. Cactus store water during rainy periods. Palo verde trees drop their water-wasting leaves when rain is scarce. Lizards and snakes find all the water they need from the food they eat.
Remember to carry in and carry out all your trash to keep the wilderness clean and free of human traces. Collection or introduction of plants, wildlife, rocks, items of antiquity, archeological resources, minerals, and fossils is prohibited on National Wildlife Refuge lands.
The wilderness area is open to foot traffic only. All mechanical transports, (including bicycles), horses or similar pack animals are prohibited. |
| Boating: |
| There are free boat launches on Topock Marsh at North Dike, Fivemile Landing (on County Route 1) and Catfish Paradise (on Oatman Highway/Route 66).
Local boat launches that allow access to the Colorado River include the Topock Gorge Marina, Arizona (exit 1, I-40), Park Moabi (located 11 miles south of Needles, CA on I-40), and Havasu State Park at Windsor Beach (on London Bridge Road in Lake Havasu City). There are many other private and public boat launches along the Colorado River.
No Wake zones exist in the harbor of Fivemile Landing on Topock Marsh and the entrance and harbor at Topock Marina. |
| Fishing and Hunting: |
| Fishing:
Fishing Hot Spots:
Levee Road : Many fisherman use the Levee Road access off of Barrackman Road and Arizona Highway 95. Levee Road follows the Colorado River to a turn around just before Topock Gorge Marina and the I-40 bridge. Fishing is popular near this turn around. Along the way there are numerous rock jetties, sandy beaches, and pullouts to fish from after a short walk.
Topock Marsh : Topock Marsh has modest amounts of bass, crappie, panfish, catfish, and carp. Catfish Paradise offers a universally accessible fishing pier. Three sites offer boat access to the marsh: North Dike, Fivemile Landing, and Catfish Paradise.
North Dike marks the northern boundary of the marsh where water diverted from the Colorado River enters the marsh. North Dike offers a boat launch as well as fishing directly from the dike.
Catfish Paradise has a universally accessible fishing pier and boat launch with a non-water bathroom facility.
South Dike is about a one-quarter mile hike into a water control structure that controls the return flow of Topock Marsh water to the Colorado River. Fishermen can hike or bike into this area. A highway sign marks this area for parking.
New South Dike is a one-quarter mile hike to a bridge where water flow from the South Dike continues on to the Colorado River.
Mesquite Bay 1 and 2 : Within Lake Havasu City limits on London Bridge Road are two fishing piers. Each bay is closed to all watercraft entry, has its own fishing pier and constructed underwater fish habitat areas, and is set aside for visitor use without watercraft disturbance.
Hunting:
Closed Areas:
Topock Marsh : Entry is prohibited from October 1 through the last day of the State quail season. The east boundary on the marsh is marked by regulation buoys and signs. The west boundary of the Topock Marsh closed area is the Arizona shoreline of the Colorado River. Fishing is permitted from the shoreline of the river. The only exception is through traffic on Levee Road and the entrance to the Bermuda goose observation tower parking lot.
Topock Gorge (from Castle Rock Bay north to Interstate 40) : Hunting is prohibited in the waters of the Colorado River, those refuge lands within 1/4 mile of the waters of the Colorado River, and those lands in California.
Open Areas:
Lake Havasu City : We allow hunting on refuge lands and waters south of Castle Rock Bay to the north boundary of the Lake Havasu City limits.
Pintail Slough : Pintail Slouth is made up of all refuge lands north of the North Dike and west of Mohave County Road 1. There further restrictions upon the hunting of this organism, see park rangers prior to hunting for additional information.
Big Game : Hunting of desert bighorn sheep is allowed on a permit basis only. Permits will be issued by the Arizona Game and Fish Department through a formal permit application and computer drawing.
Migratory Birds (Arizona and California) : Dates, daily bag and possession limits will be in accordance with respective State regulations, except that doves may be taken in Pintail Slough only during the September season.
Quail and Cottontail Rabbits (Arizona and California) : Dates, daily bag, and possession limits will be in accordance with respective State regulations, except that in Pintail Slough, quail and cottontail hunting is permitted in season except during waterfowl season (including the Juniors'-only season).
Frogging : Bullfrogs may be taken during the season by gig, spear, bow and arrow, or hook and line, and with the aid of an artificial light. See the Arizona Game and Fish Department fishing regulations. |
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| | Note to Park related businesses:
List your vacation cabin, weekend getaway, log cabin rental, romantic cottage, vacation home, resort, hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, country inn, campground, RV park, horseback riding stable, canoe livery, river rafting, outfitting, sporting goods store, guide service, RV rental or any other park related activity, park related attraction or park related service on Google or StateParks.com. (more).... |
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| Related Links: |
| Pintail Slough - Information about Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. | | ColoradoRiverinfo.com: Havasu National Wildlife Refuge - ... Waterflow Reports Weather Copyright 1998 River Info(tm) Havasu National Wildlife Refuge is located along the Colorado River ... D. Roosevelt created Havasu National Wildlife Refuge to provide ... | | Argonaut-SW Monitors Culvert in Havasu National Wildlife Refuge - Pipe/Culvert discharge monitoring application with SonTek/YSI Argonaut-SW current meter ... Argonaut-SW Monitors Culvert in Havasu National Wildlife Refuge Argonaut-SW Monitors Culvert in Havasu National ... | | BLM Arizona News Release - Prescribed Burning at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge Affects P - News Release For Release: November 1, 2001 Prescribed Burning at Havasu National Wildlife Refuge Affects Public Use Havasu National Wildlife Refuge will be conducting a prescribed fire (called "a ... | | Bird Checklists of the United States - Bird Checklists of the United States Havasu National Wildlife Refuge Offices in Needles, CA Havasu National Wildlife Refuge encompasess 37,515 acres adjacent to the Colorado River. Topock Marsh ... | | JERKWATER CANOE & KAYAK CO., INC. - Jerkwater Canoe & Kayak Company offers equipment, guides, paddling trips, mini-vacations and ... RIVER TRIPS TRIP HIGHLIGHTS HAVASU NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE The Havasu National Wildlife Refuge runs ... |
| Directions: |
| From Interstate 40, watch for a Havasu NWR exit sign close to the California/Arizona border. Follow the signs to the refuge.
To reach Topock Marsh from Needles, California, cross the Needles bridge into Arizona following Highway 95 north, then turn right onto Courtwright Road and watch for the refuge sign.
The refuge office is in Needles, California. From Interstate 40, exit on J Street and go southwest (uphill) 0.06 miles. Turn right at headquarters entrance sign and follow the signs; the office is in the back. |
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