"You've gotta stay at Buckskin Mountain State Park," friends assured us in a Skype message from home. Later, some folks we met at at Fountain of Youth Spa in California told us Buckskin Mountain was their favorite state park and that we absolutely had to stop on our way back to Canada.
After such enthusiastic recommendations, how could we pass it by?
Buckskin Mountain State Park is in the "Parker Strip", a 24 km (18 mile) stretch along the Colorado River marked by Parker Dam to the north and Headgate Dam to the south. This stretch of the river is bracketed by colorful peaks on both the California and Arizona shores – including Buckskin Mountain itself to the east – making it a popular spot for both water sports and mountain activities.
Buckskin Mountain State Park Campground
The campground was a bit of a surprise: it's small.
Although the park, founded in 1967, is about 1,600 acres according to Arizona State Parks: The Beginning, the campground itself is compact and tucked neatly into a bight of the Colorado. A ten-minute walk is enough to cover it end to end.
Even so, the sites are well laid out, and the river views are spectacular (see images below) especially at sunset.
RV Sites at Buckskin Mountain
The campground has three types of sites: standard RV/Camping sites, tent sites, and Cabana sites.
- RV/Camping Sites: The 68 camping and RV sites are at the northern and eastern end of the campgrounds. They are generally well-spaced back-in sites but one loop has eight drive-throughs. All have a BBQ grill, picnic table, water and 30A service; fifteen sites also have a sewer connection. According to park literature, there is no size limit for rigs at these sites.
- Cabana Sites: Twenty-one cabana sites run along the Colorado side of the campground. Each cabana is two and a half walls with a concrete floor and a roof, giving a cool shaded room for dining or river watching. Intended for tents to be pitched between the cabana and the river, these sites are also popular with smaller RVs (they have be able to park in front of the cabana strip without impeding traffic). Each cabana site has a picnic table, BBQ grill and 15A service.
- Tenting Sites: River Island Campground, 1.5 miles (3 km) north on US Hwy 95, is "ideal for tent campers" according to Your Complete Guide to Arizona State Parks. "It offers a ramada with a campfire … sandy beach, cove, and boat launch area."
Our receptacle had reversed polarity, but within half an hour of our reporting this, a cheerful ranger came to fix it. It turned out to be the same fellow who originally wired the cabanas, and he shook his head and muttered, "Oh, man, I can't believe I did that!" The friendly and helpful service is, according to various online reviews, typical of this state park and one reason for its popularity.
Camping fees range from $25.00 to $28.00 per night per vehicle depending on the site. There is a 14-night stay limit.
Activities at Buckskin Mountain State Park
- Water Activities: Boating, fishing, swimming (along all shoreline, with some unguarded designated areas) and beach play are all popular.
- Wildlife Viewing: A surprising variety of mammals, snakes and lizards, and birds can be observed at the park.
- Hiking: A network of hiking trails starts at the entrance to Buckskin. The short but steep Lightning Bolt Trail, the longer Buckskin Trail with its guide to desert vacation, and trails to Interruption Point scenic view and abandoned mines are all worth the walk.
It is this range of activities, combined with scenic splendor and friendly service, that make this such a popular park.
Sources
- Arizona State Parks: The Beginning, ed. Charles R. Eatherly, Arizona State Parks, no date
- Your Complete Guide to Arizona State Parks, OhRanger.com, APN Media, 2010
Thomas Alan Gray - Tom has been writing for over 30 years; curiosity leads him to dig into a wide variety of topics.
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