Parker AZ 2756a

The first time I visited the lower Colorado River, I was very surprised by the growth from Laughlin (NV) down through Needles (CA) and to Parker (AZ). I've always heard ads about going gambling in Laughlin, and have heard people in LA and San Diego talk about 'going to the river' for a long weekend, but I didn't realize that what they were talking about was essentially one long stretch of suburban sprawl (and congestion) from Laughlin, NV along both sides of the river, to Parker, AZ.

I start this set actually from the south end of this strip. In the next several pictures I do like most people and refer to the area as "Parker", but that is somewhat of a misnomer since the west side of the river is not Arizona, but San Bernardino County, California.

The first time I visited the Parker area was on a trip to explore the Lower Colorado that I made in December of 2006. It was fairly warm, and the late afternoon sun gave the area a very nice, warm glow. It was, though, somewhat disconcerting to have been driving through the desert, and to realize there was desert all along the river, and yet feel like you were in a beach resort.