Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area
For millennia, the Lower Colorado River divided what is now southwestern Arizona. You could ride alongside the river for a thousand miles, and find only one safe place to cross. At this one point in the Sonoran Desert, the river narrows briefly to channel between rock outcroppings.
Yuma Crossing was named for the Yuman Indians who once regularly passed through here. Later, Spanish explorers, gold hunters, and European settlers traveled through on their way west.
Eventually, the river was dammed, canals were built to control flooding, and water from the Colorado was diverted to quench thirsty crops. Many people benefited at the expense of the river’s ecosystem.
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area was created to honor the American Indian, Hispanic, and Anglo cultures that thrived around the nexus of this crossing point. Within a few miles of Yuma Crossing, you can go whitewater rafting, play a round of golf, hike a desert trail, try your luck at a casino, and visit an art museum.
Preservation efforts focus on renovating local buildings, including the Hotel Del Sol and Gandolfo Theatre, so they can be used again. Non-native species are being removed and replaced with indigenous plants. The habitats around the East Wetlands are being restored.
As it has been since the dawn of time, Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area is a worthwhile destination.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Post a Comment
Share your park story today. Post your park experiences, recommendations, or tips here.*
* Your comments will appear once approved by the moderator. NPCA staff do not regularly respond to postings. We reserve the right to remove comments that include profanity, personal attacks, or are off-topic. Opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the position(s) of NPCA. By submitting comments you are giving NPCA permission to reuse your words on our website and print materials.