Parker, AZ Tourist Attractions
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Parker (pop. 2,897) was established in 1908 on the east bank of the Colorado River. It is the county seat for La Paz County.
Buckskin Mountain State Park
Buckskin Mountain State Park is 11 miles north of Parker on the Colorado River, with a grassy shoreline backed by low cliffs.Buckskin Mountain State Park features varied wildlife, recreational water activities, a sandy beach and camping facilities. The hiking trails offer scenic views that include a series of abandoned mines, overlooks of the Colrado River, and life on the Colorado River from an ant's perspective.
La Paz County Park
La Paz County Park is on the Colorado River, eight miles north of Parker, with a long waterfront, tennis courts, a baseball diamond and boat launch.
Parker Dam
Parker Dam is the deepest dam in the world, located 15 miles north of Parker on the Colorado River. It forms the Lake Havasu Reservoir.
River Island State Park
River Island State Park is on the Colorado River north of Parker, with campsites and boat launches.
Surroundings
The surroundings of Parker include the Colorado River Indian Reservation to the south and the Gibraltar Mountain Wilderness.
Colorado River Indian Reservation
The Colorado River Indian Reservation occupies 268,691 acres of the area surrounding Parker along the Colorado River. Four tribes are represented: the Mohave, Chemehuevi, Hopi, and Navajo.Historic sites on the Reservation include the Old Mohave Presbyterian Mission and the Poston Memorial Monument.
Colorado River Indian Tribes Museum
The Colorado River Indian Tribes Museum, two miles south of Parker, has artifacts from the Anasazi, Hohokam and Patayan cultures. The collection of artifacts includes Chemehuevi basketry, Mojave pottery, Indian beads, and jewelry. Photos show Tribal history dating back to 1865, when the reservation was established.
Gibraltar Mountain Wilderness
Gibraltar Mountain Wilderness is located east of Parker, with rugged peaks and walled canyons. The wilderness area offers opportunity for rock climbing, hiking, sightseeing, and photography.
Swansea
The ghost town of Swansea has ruins of over a dozen buildings. It is located east of Parker.
Rawhide Mountains Wilderness
The rugged Rawhide Mountains are located near Swansea along the Bill Williams River.
Banded Canyon
The Bill Williams River flows through Banded Canyon, part of the Rawhide Mountains Wilderness near Swansea.
Swansea Wilderness
Swansea Wilderness is located along the Bill Williams River near Swansea. It includes a river canyon, vehicle access to the river, and Black Mesa.
Black Mesa
Black Mesa is a volcanic upland located in the Swansea Wilderness area on the Bill Williams River. Also known as Black Mountain, the mesa took its name from the visual site of coal beds in mesa formations.Black Mesa provides the Hopi villages with a permanent supply of drinking water because it is a large watershed.
Parker Pictures
