Palm Canyon Road

Total Miles
7.1

Elevation

647.75 ft

Duration

0.5 Hours

Technical Rating

1

Easy

Best Time

Spring, Fall, Winter

Trail Overview

This graded, wide, and maintained gravel road makes a beeline from US 95 to the parking area for Palm Canyon in the KOFA Wildlife Refuge. Along the route, you will encounter amazing vistas of the surrounding La Paz Valley that stretches 20 miles wide. Once you arrive at the parking area, you'll want to enjoy the 0.5-mile walk into the canyon to see the only native palm trees in Arizona. There are storyboards explaining the geology, flora, and fauna of the refuge. Bring along binoculars if you visit at sunrise or sunset so you can look for the elusive bighorn sheep that this refuge was established to protect. While the road is a maintained road easily accessed by any vehicle from a mountain bike to a diesel pusher motorhome, summer and winter monsoons can wash the road out and create ruts that could be a challenge for lower vehicles. Be sure to check the weather before heading out.

Photos of Palm Canyon Road

Palm Canyon Road
Palm Canyon Road

Difficulty

This is an access road designed for use by street vehicles, motorhomes, and tourists. The route is not a challenge and the payoff is the vistas from the Palm Canyon trailhead and parking area.

History

This area was used by General Patton for desert troop training and there is evidence of that to be found to this day! KOFA was established as a wildlife refuge to provide a haven for desert bighorn sheep. They are very elusive and sighting one is a magical experience.

Technical Rating

1

Status Reports

There are no status reports yet for this trail.

Access Description

Palm Canyon is well marked on US 95 about 20 miles south of I-10 near Quartzsite, Arizona. Look for the large sign on the west side of the US95-Palm Canyon Road intersection.

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