Big Bend of the Colorado park offers beautiful views of the river

Big Bend of the Colorado State Park preserves two miles of scenic river shoreline, marshlands and desert canyons in Nevada's southernmost tip near Laughlin. One of the newest additions to the state's park system, this park keeps intact a natural area replete with plants and animals losing ground elsewhere in Laughlin because of its burgeoning growth.

To find this developing recreation area, drive south from Las Vegas on U.S. 95 through Searchlight to Highway 163. A four-lane scenic route twists through the mountains toward the resort town on the river. Just before you reach the casino corridor parallel to the river, turn south on the Needles Highway. Big Bend of the Colorado lies on the left side of the highway one mile south of Casino Drive, an overall distance of 100 miles from Las Vegas.

The park commands superlative views of the majestic Colorado River as it rolls along dark green, swirling with currents and cold from its release from Lake Mohave through Davis Dam. It carries busy boat traffic with all kinds of fishing and pleasure craft, personal watercraft and large tourist boats. Laughlin's resorts lie out of sight upstream and development stops short of the park boundaries. Across the river, Laughlin's sister community, Bullhead City, Ariz., spreads out along the far shoreline and sweeps up into the foothills.

Open year-round, the park offers picnicking, camping, boating, fishing, wildlife watching, exploring on foot and seasonal swimming. The cooler months of the year remain most appealing, for when summer temperatures reach 120 degrees, visitors can't cool off unless they stay in the water all the time. Never visit the area without a can of insect repellent in hand. Unless a stiff breeze is blowing, black flies and gnats may heckle you, especially in spring and early summer.

Explore the canyons and waterfront by following informal foot trails, arroyo bottoms and abandoned jeep roads. The area rewards you with memorable views of the river, eroded rock formations and glimpses of a surprising variety of wildlife.

Waterfowl such as ducks, coots and geese congregate near the river and in the marshy wetlands near the shore. Herons and egrets frequent the shallow margins of the water. Vegetation encourages populations of songbirds and hummingbirds. Hawks, eagles and owls winging overhead hunt for birds, rabbits, small mammals and reptiles common in the park. Other predators often sighted include coyotes, foxes and bobcats. Attracted by undisturbed access to the water, bighorn sheep, beaver, muskrats, raccoons and water turtles frequent the park.

Big Bend of the Colorado State Park evolves following a master plan of staged development resulting from an extensive study of the Colorado River and adjacent areas. Initial phases laid out access roads, parking areas, boat launch ramps, breakwater to create a quiet boat bay, camping areas, shaded picnic tables, restrooms and showers. This fall, visitors encountered a few closures as work on the entrance and campgrounds improved access and facilities. Future developments will include marked trails and other interpretative enhancements.

Visitors to Big Bend of the Colorado pay a $5 entrance fee for day use. Use of campsites costs $10 per night. Boaters avail themselves of the park's launching and docking areas for a fee of $15. Those boaters who also camp in the park pay a reduced combined use fee of $20. Frequent visitors may save money by purchasing annual passes for this park, available for $50 for entrance fees and $100 for boating fees.

Natural beauty and recreational potential surround visitors to Big Bend of the Colorado State Park. Nearby attractions include the sophisticated pleasures of Laughlin's resort hotels and casinos and a resort development on nearby Mohave reservation lands a few miles south. Appealing outdoor adventures abound on both sides of the river. In the Newberry Mountains along the way to Laughlin, explore the Christmas Tree Pass area, especially Grapevine Canyon with its notable displays of ancient petroglyphs. Upstream, visit Katherine, the National Park Service development on Lake Mohave above Davis Dam. In the mountains across the river lie Oatman ghost town and nearby Goldroad Mine, open to tours.

Margo Bartlett Pesek's column appears on Sundays.