HIKING IN & AROUND QUARTZSITE
Information provided by
http://www.quartzsitetourism.com/Explore_Hiking.html
Palm Canyon Trail
Turn right onto Palm Canyon Road. Follow the dirt road east for nine miles toward the large block mountain. Veer right at the entrance for Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, and follow the signs to the parking lot. Palm Canyon Trail is a short hike and takes you near a stand of unique California fan palms, perhaps the only native palm trees in Arizona.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1 mile (round trip)
- time to allow: 1 hour
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge Nature Trail
The Cibola National Wildlife Refuge Nature Trail is a one-mile loop that will take the visitor through three different native habitats. Halfway around the trail, you can view thousands of Canada geese, snow geese, ducks and sandhill cranes in a 20-acre pond.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Length: 1 mile Loop
- Time to Allow: a little less than an hour
Crystal Hills
South on Highway 95. The turn is 10 miles south of Quartzsite. The road may be rough, but high-clearance vehicles should have no problems. The only site in the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge where you can actually dig for large quartz crystals. Rock hounders can dig and find quartz on the slopes of an ancient volcanic fumarole.
Q Mountain
There is a little hill right near the town of Quartzsite, which is really the only relief to flat horizontal landscape. It's referred to as "Q mountain" because of the huge Q letter and is located several miles to the southeast rising out of broken rock, black and barren. although referred to as a mountain, at 200 feet high It's really just a hill. On an escarpment near its pinnacle, some person, or persons unknown, created a giant letter "Q" in brilliant white. In fact the letter was created by the careful placement of very white quartz rocks. Believe me there is no easy way to get to the letter. Someone went to a lot of trouble to display this symbol of a most unusual town.
La Paz County in Arizona is one of the best areas in the state to hike.The areas around the towns of Quartzsite and Parker are rich with lakes, wildlife and scenic areas. There are also many hiking trails, which take you through old mine areas and ghost towns.For those wanting even more there are some amazing and rewarding areas to the north of Bouse and West of Salome. Our aim is to at least introduce these to you as well.
WHEN TO HIKE
Summer months can be way to hot to consider this. Winter months are better, but prepare for it to be cold on top. Might have a little bit of snow near the summit in the winter. Best hiking months are probably November-April.
HIKING TIPS
Be prepared – enjoy the sights – and happy hiking.Regardless of your plans, here are some common-sense tips you should know ...1. Avoid poisonous reptiles, amphipians and insects that may hide in vegetation or crevices, Use hiking shoes or boots.2. The desert air is dry so make sure you have plenty of water.3. Dress in layers in order to adjust to changing climate conditions.4. Let someone know your plans, some areas do not have cell-phone service.5. Respect private property and contact them if requested for permission
Kofa Mountains - Signal Peak
Lat:33.36893 Lon:-114.06187
This route takes you to the 4,877 foot summit of Signal Peak which is located in the remote Kofa mountains of southwestern Arizona. Do not attempt this hike unless you've developed keen route finding skills and are in relatively good condition. There is a continuous trail all the way to the summit but it is extremely faint in places and difficult to follow - occasionally you may find a cairn marking the trail . From Quartzite, drive south on US 95 for 18.5 miles to the Palm Canyon Road exit. Turn left (east) and travel 3.2 miles on a gravel road to the Kofa Queen Canyon Road turnoff. Turn left (northeast) and follow the road for 7.5 miles to the trailhead. The last 2.7 miles will be in the Kofa Queen Canyon and will require a 4-wheel drive vehicle to make it completely to the trailhead. The trailhead is at the entrance to a large canyon opening, which is the mouth of Indian Canyon. The trailhead may be marked by a large cairn or two steel fence posts, depending on previous flooding conditions. Do not rely on trail markers, follow the prominent wash into the canyon.
Cunningham Mountain
Cunningham Mountain is the highest point in the Dome Rock Mountains, which parallel the Colorado River in southwestern Arizona near the towns of Quartzsite and Ehrenberg. Despite the low elevations of the desert near the Colorado River the mountains this way tend to be very abrupt, rocky ranges with plentiful spires and cliffs. The Dome Rocks lie across the valley from the Kofas and the Castle Domes, with Cunningham's summit coming in at 3,316 feet. Historically, the Dome Rocks were attractive to miners principally. Copper Bottom Mine is located in the valley across the way, and this is a popular place for ATVs.To get there - work your way to the US-95 junction in the center of town. Proceed south 8 miles to an unmarked dirt road on your right paralleling a power line. Drive west into the range about 7 miles. A fairly obvious y-junction will signify when to leave the main road. Go left and up about 1/2 mile, coming to a gate that is almost certain to be locked. There is room for one or two vehicles, although it's unlikely you'll have company on your hike.
HARQUAHALA MOUNTAIN
Lat/Lon: 33.81280°N / 113.3489°W
Harquahala Mountain hold both the distinctions of being South Western Arizona’s highest peak and La Paz County’s highest summit. This mountain rises about 3,360 feet from the desert floor. On a good day the views can be extraordinary. From Salome, turn right onto Highway 60. The dirt road to the trail head is located on the south side of Highway 60 between mileposts 70 and 71. This is a high clearance road only.
HARCUVAR PEAK
Lat/Lon: 33.91640°N / 113.6408°WHarcuvar Peak is a major summit located in the Harcuvar Mountains of western Arizona, overlooking the towns of Wenden and Salome along US-60 in the McMullen Valley. The peak has an obvious anvil shape to it, its summit ridge appearing as a flattened top as viewed from below. It is one of two highly-prominent mountains in the Harcuvar Range. One must contend with rough desert tracks and steep, rocky slopes to attain this summit. However, the climbing is short and straight-forward, and the effort is well worth it. Start in Wenden, Turn north onto Alamo Road, and zero the odometer at the railroad tracks. Go north 1.4 mile, then ease left (west) diagonally onto a road that soon fronts a canal. This road would be on the 71 1/2-alignment, but it is unmarked. On the topographical map, it is shown opposite a well at BM-1916.
