HikeArizona.COM

Sorry for saying we'd have some summaries for new trails around Yuma, AZ. We tried really hard to find some hikes around Yuma for the website. I knew of at least one and when we went down for Thanksgiving we tried to hike it, but found out the land surrounding the "trailhead" is privately owned and the new owner will not allow anyone to use it. Furthermore two other possible hikes I located by topographical maps and by talking to Yuma locals have been swallowed up by YPG and other Military proving grounds (although it looks like they were always on Military Reservations but the Military allowed people to use the areas in the past). This all leads back to there is absolutely nothing to do in Yuma, AZ. We will continue to try to find hiking trails around Yuma (besides Betty's Kitchen...if you consider it a hike) since we are often forced to return to Yuma for family related reasons. We decided to come back to Mesa early and do some hiking here, so it was not a total lose.

Matt and Jane Karls

Ya know, I've stayed there a couple of times over the years and noticed the same thing. At least from town it is hard to walk to an interesting place. I ended up touring the Yuma territorial prison. They have photos of many of the inmates and some little captions on what they were in for. I liked the ones that said "Crimes against nature". They ended up taking those down though because too many folks wanted details.

Well this may not be official hiking, but the Imperial Sand Dunes are amazing... just a few miles from yuma, and you can hike on them!

Go here to see.

You are just really close to the Kofas when you get to Yuma...a must see. That is, if the idea of a Palm forest interests you (no matter how small)

BoyNhisDog wrote:Ya know, I've stayed there a couple of times over the years and noticed the same thing. At least from town it is hard to walk to an interesting place. I ended up touring the Yuma territorial prison. They have photos of many of the inmates and some little captions on what they were in for. I liked the ones that said "Crimes against nature". They ended up taking those down though because too many folks wanted details.

Probably more like crimes against Yumanity. (*oof*)

I know there is at least one well known MTB trail -- no reason you can't hike on it! -- along I-8 east of town. Can't remember the name of it off hand. Also, what about hiking in the hills west of the Colorado and north of I-8, like Picacho State Recreation area? It's not military land.

Interesting bit of trivia: The Yuma HS sports (official) sports nickname is "The Criminals". I'm not joking. Why? Because the school was originally housed in the old territorial prison. Or, as I liked to say (when I was a guard at the jail in the 80s), because most of them are.

Why did you bring up this 10 year old thread?

As I have commented ad nauseum about hiking and biking and kayaking in Yuma over the years, people are probably tired of it. However, there are three guidebooks to hiking in Yuma. There is also the Arizona's Wild Areas book, which has some of the nearby wilderness areas. The guidebooks are available at the visitor's center in the historic downtown area.

I have posted quite a few mtn. bike rides and hikes, and kayaking adventures over the years around that area. I will always return to Yuma every winter, even if only for a couple of days, to go hiking, mtn. biking, road biking or kayaking. The most popular mtn. bike area, as any local biker will tell you, is Sugar Loaf, but it seemed a bit too technical for me, but the younger guys love it. Muggins Mtns, the Kofa, the Colorado River... so much to explore there!

azbackpackr wrote:Why did you bring up this 10 year old thread?

I think the thread surfaced because of a spam post earlier today.

Ah.