Colorado River near Big River, California and Parker, Arizona

by Will
(Arizona)

This is an excellent camping area near the Colorado River. The view of the Colorado River Valley and the surrounding mountainous desert terrain is superb! The “P” for “Parker” on the nearby mountain to the northeast is clearly visible, as are many other mountain ranges in every direction. The agricultural fields of the valley and part of the Big River community can also be seen. It's very close to residential areas, yet it feels much more distant. The Colorado River is just over 2 miles away as the crow flies.

There are several good RV camping sites on the “desert pavement” here. This is a well known boondocking location and there are usually a few RV campers to be found here in the winter.

RV Campground GPS Coordinates: N 34 09.913’ W 114 22.246’

Elevation: 650 feet

Campground Directions: From the Colorado River drive 4.5 miles west on Hwy 62 to a BLM road on your right (north). It will be 0.3 miles west from the turnoff for Big River.

More Camping: There are more places to camp further west along Hwy 62. There’s plenty of good “desert pavement” out here which makes for excellent camping.

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Big River RV Camping Journal

February 6th, 2012

It’s pretty easy to hike in any direction here. I’m right next to a ravine which leads to a small wash that’s fun to explore. I set up my “Wildlife Cam” here. It has a motion sensor and takes pictures or video when movement is

detected. I got a picture of a coyote, a bobcat, and a rat so far! The roads can be fun to explore on mountain bike.

Weather: During the last couple weeks it’s been very nice with temps usually in the low 70s and sunny skies. It drops down to around 40 at night, but lows can range from 35-45 degrees. Highs were in the 60s on some days. No rain, except for a few sprinkles. Most days have been calm with little wind, but when the wind does blow, look out! Gusts of 40 mph or so are common at these times.

Wildlife: I’ve seen several small lizards; saw one today with a missing tail. I’ve also seen many jack rabbits, small birds, and even an owl while hiking in the nearby wash (I either saw 4 owls or the same owl 4 times). I saw a bobcat come within 50 feet of my campsite, then it went down into the small ravine here. I saw quite a few coyotes while hiking.

Insects: None really. There are just some thirsty bees that come to visit whenever water is out on the ground. Each time I wash my hands outdoors they fly on by!

Cell Signal: Verizon mobile broadband internet works excellent here and is very fast with the external antenna. I’m getting all bars, and likewise with cell phone calls.

RV Solar: Plenty of sun here. With the solar panel tilted to face south I usually get a full charge by noon.

RV Campground Rating: 8 out of 10. There's very little wind, the view is excellent, and the Colorado River is just down the road. There's not much to complain about here!