AdventureGraham: Ferguson Lake

Well, we headed out to our favorite place along the lower Colorado River with our family and friends over the long Thanksgiving weekend. Above photo: Yuma crossing, with the Ocean-to Ocean Bridge and St. Thomas Indian mission. As a natural place where travelers can safely pass over the Colorado River, the Yuma Crossing has been a historical focal point in the region for ages. Today the Yuma Crossing is as important as ever because the Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge, the Southern Pacific Railroad bridge, the 4th Avenue Bridge and the Interstate 8 overpass continue to carry travelers and freight safely across the river.

The Ocean to Ocean Bridge was a critical link in joining the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans with a highway. The bridge was built across the Colorado River between Yuma, Arizona and Fort Yuma, California in 1914 for $76,000 and dedicated during a citywide celebration May 22-23, 1915. At the time of its opening, the bridge provided the first safe, economical crossing of the river at Yuma and it was the only vehicle bridge across the Colorado River for 1,200 miles.

The Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge and the SPRR Bridge seen here in the mid-1920's just before the railroad bridge is completed.

The 336-foot bridge was closed in 1988 due to structural problems. A renovation begun in 2001 and was completed in reopening in 2002. It received Arizona Preservation award in 2003. The bridge is also sometimes known as Colorado River Bridge; Yuma Bridge; Penitentiary Avenue Bridge. The bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

I have quite a few other trip reports from the river:

2010 Thanksgiving Colorado River Trip
2011 Thanksgiving River Trip
April 2012 River Trip
May 2012 River Trip
2012 Thanksgiving River Getaway
April 2013 River Trip
2013 Thanksgiving River Trip
April 2014 River Trip

Meeting up with my sister and brother-in-law at Squaw Lake, where they launch their jet boat before taking in upriver to our lodge on Ferguson Lake.

Squaw Lake campground. For more info on this site, click HERE.

Helping Terry launch his boat.

Passing through Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area. For the BLM site, click HERE.

After dropping off the trailer, my sister followed me overland to the lake while Terry, Autumn, and all the kids headed upriver.

Mandatory shot from the overlook along Ferguson Lake Road (EC800). There are good views toward Martinez Lake, and the Castle Dome Mountains in Arizona from here.

Our 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe got a little dirty on the way in.

We caught plenty of bass and bluegill off the dock. I haven't eaten a largemouth bass since I was a teenager. I was just as delicious as I remember.

Terry's dad, Steve, with a nice flathead catfish, caught with a bluegill.

Sunrise over the lake, Friday morning.

This coffee mug is awesome!

Here's part of a newspaper article from 1977 that mentions our cabin. I think it was a lot smaller back then. Link to article HERE.

Two of some of my favorite things in the morning, coffee and a happy kid.

Breakfast burritos!

Back at it.

So much good food!

Terry's mom had to get a gnarly splinter cut out of her hand.

A lot of time is spent playing cards or enjoying the fireplace.

Coffee, eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausage, and toast is pretty much how our days started out,

Time for a ride out to the sandbar with the family.

This is our little man's second river trip. He won't remember it, but I'll show him these photos when he's older.

Parked along the sandbar just upriver from Martinez Lake.

Plenty of other folks out enjoying the river.

We caught this flathead catfish off the dock using a bluegill for bait. The fishing was pretty good on this trip, considering how late in the year it is. It'll get slower as the weather gets colder.

Our Tahoe, posing on the launch ramp.

After loading all our gear back into our rig, I started out towards civilization again while the wife and kids enjoyed one more boat ride.

Enjoying one last look at the Colorado River while heading back out on Sunday to pick up the rest of my family at Squaw Lake.

I couldn't help stopping for a few more shots along the road.

After picking up my wife and kids, we said our goodbyes to the rest of our family.

Crossing back over the Ocean to Ocean Bridge into Yuma, AZ.

We took the long way home through the sand dunes of Glamis.

My beautiful wife, Autumn, summed it up best- "We had so much fun in such beautiful weather with a great group of friends and family on the river this weekend. I'm always grateful to be able to be making these memories with my own family, just like my parents did."

Early in April, my family and I made another trip out to the Colorado River and Ferguson Lake. My primary focus on this trip was to catch me some large Flathead Catfish. This was also our first time taking our 2011 Chevrolet Tahoe out here. It handled well on the graded dirt roads and had more than enough room for all of our camping and fishing gear.

Click here to check out our 2013 Thanksgiving weekend Colorado River trip.

Ferguson Lake was created when the Imperial Dam was constructed in 1938, to harness the flow and energy of the river. These larger areas of water would provide greater recreational opportunities. The northern end of Ferguson Lake Road terminates just south of the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge, which was created in 1941 to safeguard the area's plant and animal life.

The dirt road into the lake is normally smooth and well graded, although conditions can rapidly change after rainstorms. You better have a 4WD vehicle if you decide to explore some of the many spur trails off the north side of the road. A viewpoint 5 miles past an RV campground provides a panoramic view of Ferguson Lake, the Castle Dome Mountains in Arizona, and the Chocolate Mountains in California. There are also several good spots to camp and fish along the lake.

We headed out Friday evening after work.