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Park It for a Few Days In Parker, Arizona

Parker, the gateway to the Lake Havasu region and the Colorado River. is a small city of around 3,000 people located in La Paz County. Visitors will not be bored. There is an abundance of things to do and see. Enjoy jet skiing, water skiing, and boating. Dine at several bars and restaurants, visit museums, a ghost town, a casino, and the Parker Dam.

History

Founded in 1908, the town was named after Ely Parker, the first Native American commissioner for the U.S. government. The original town site of Parker was surveyed and laid out in 1909 by Earl H. Parker, a railroad location engineer for the Arizona & California Railway. Officially incorporated in 1948, it became the county seat for the newly created La Paz County on January 1,1983.

Climate

Parker has an arid climate characterized by extremely hot summers and warm winters.

Wintertime highs are generally in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Lows during the winter are between 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Desert Bar Church, AKA Nellie E Saloon – Outside Parker, Arizona

Summers can be dangerously hot, with highs in June, July, August, and September remaining in the 100 to 110-degree range. Strings of days over 115 degrees and even 120 degrees are not rare.

April and May both average 90 to 100-degree daytime highs. Even the month of October has an average high of 90 degrees.

Rainfall is scanty throughout the year, with no month averaging more than three days with measurable rainfall. The monsoon that provides much rain in the southern and eastern parts of Arizona, seldom affects Parker.

You MUST bring plenty of water, more than you think is necessary. A sunhat, sunscreen, and sunglasses are also a must.

Lodging & Dining

Arg, matey! The Pirate’s Den RV Resort & Marina, located along a 92-acre waterfront parcel, offers sandy beaches and beach-front cabanas. The Pirate’s Den RV Resort’s Caribbean theme includes manicured lawns with convenient access to a four-star golf course, tennis courts, on-site boat ramp, boat rentals.996 With off-road rentals, two waterfront restaurants and walking pathways throughout the park, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

The Black Pearl Restaurant, on the waterfront, offers scenic views of the Parker strip. Lunch and dinner are served daily with fresh seafood entrees. Grab an ice-cold pint or take-home growlers from Thirsty Pirate Beach Bar.

The Desert Bar a.k.a Nellie E. Saloon, is a rustic and quirky watering hole built on an old mining camp. The bar is open only on the weekends from October until April and closed during the summer. There is a horseshoe pit behind the outdoor Desert Bar and a stage for the occasional live music.

Kofa Inn known as “Parker’s Finest Hotel,” boasts 41 units, individual air-conditioning, boat parking, and 24-hour coffee. You can relax in their garden pool area or play a round at the 18-hole Emerald Canyon Golf Course.

Things To Do

Skiing In Parker, Arizona

Buckskin Mountain State Park is one of the finest views along the Parker strip, an 18-mile stretch between Parker Dam and Headgate Dam. Mountains line the river on both the Arizona and California sides, and the wildlife is as varied as the recreational opportunities along the river. The picturesque park provides a scenic respite, mountain hikes, a desert escape, and a fun-filled water adventure. The park has a campground, waterfront camping, beach, hiking trails, boat ramp, picnic area, basketball ad volleyball court, and park store.

Colorado River Indian Tribes Museum features the artifacts and the history of the Mohave, Chemehuevi, Navajo, and Hopi Indian Tribes. A small donation is appreciated for the entrance to the museum. This small museum offers a look at the comprehensive history of the region’s Colorado River Indian Tribes, their traditions and heritage. Various exhibits and cultural artifacts are housed within the museum, including photographs, baskets, beadwork, pottery, and other crafts.

Parker Dam

Parker Dam offers some of the most amazing views visitors can find in the Parker area of scenic Lake Havasu. Located downstream from Hoover Dam, it sits on the border of Arizona and California. Take in one of the most amazing views of Lake Havasu and the Colorado River by driving just a short distance across the Parker Dam. The dam was constructed by the Bureau of Reclamation between 1934 and 1938. It helps bring power and water to the lower Colorado River Basin.

Swansea Ghost Town is an abandoned mining site with more than a dozen buildings. The Clara Consolidated Gold and Copper Mining Company built a copper smelter in the early 1900s to process ore locally instead of shipping it to Swansea, Wales. Clara Consolidated closed the smelter in 1912, but other companies continued mining until 1924. The town of Swansea existed just five years before it ultimately disappeared. The ghost town is a mystery but visitors can have a picnic lunch and relax in the ghost town while they’re there. Barbecue grills and camping spots are also available.

Fun Facts

  • Parker Dam has a volume of 380,000 cubic yards of concrete. At its crest, the dam is 856 feet long. Water control is provided by five 50-ft-square gates. Lake Havasu backs up behind the dam for 45 miles and covers more than 20,400 acres (32 square miles).
  • The Old Parker Jail was built in 1914 and is located in Pop Harvey City Park. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 3, 1975.
  • The Old Presbyterian Church a.k.a. Mojave Indian Presbyterian Mission Church, located on the southwest corner of 2nd Ave., was built in 1917. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on June 3, 1971.
  • The all-time highest recorded temperature in Parker was 127 °F (52.8 °C), which occurred on July 7, 1905. This was, at the time, the all-time record high temperature in Arizona history until Lake Havasu City reached 128 °F (53.3 °C) on June 29, 1994.

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PHOTO CREDIT

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