SoCal & AZ Overland Adventure Dec. 2011 Part III

Day 3: Ferguson Lake to Imperial & Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

Mandatory pose on Ferguson Lake overlook with Steve and Shellie.

Crossing over the Colorado River into Arizona.

We made a short stop at the Camp Laguna Desert Training Center.

Past Martinez Lake we enter Imperial National Wildlife Refuge along Red Cloud Mine Road. The Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles (50 km) of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California, including the last un-channeled section before the river enters Mexico. The Imperial Refuge Wilderness, a federally designated, 15,056-acre (60.93 km2), wilderness area is protected within the refuge.

There a several overlooks of the river and its backwaters along the way. The river and its associated backwater lakes and wetlands are a green oasis, contrasting with the surrounding desert mountains. It is a refuge and breeding area for migratory birds and local desert wildlife. The Red Cloud Mine Road is the only scenic drive on the property, and if you want to go further than to the Painted Desert Trail, you'll want a good, high-clearance 4WD under your seat. There are lookout points at the Mesquite, Ironwood and Smoke Tree pullouts. Meers Point offers a boat launch with tables and toilets on the shore. The Painted Desert Trail is a 1.3-mile self-guided trail though an area of 30,000-year-old volcanic activity that also offers some great views over the Colorado River valley.

Looks like you could put a boat in here.

Back on the main trail.

This was one of the rougher sections of the route.

The trail was washed out pretty bad along the edges so we had to take care not to drop into it.

Our friendly neighborhood burros.

Coming into Clip Wash, we had a few rocky sections to traverse.

We finally make our way back to the river's edge, across from where I camped on the first night.

This looked like a great place to camp or spend a day.

North of Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, we make our way east along Cibola-Ehrenberg Road to Highway 95, then north to Quartzite, AZ to refuel.

We finally arrive at the Kofa NWR and make camp along Palm Canyon Road.

As we stop at the monument sign some guy in a truck pulls up alongside Steve and Shellie. He smiles and ominously says, "It's gettin' dark out..." then slowly drives away...