Picacho State Recreation Area - Park in Winterhaven - Picacho Rd, USA

Went there today, 02/03/23. Nobody there. Drove a 2005 Chevy Malibu the 40miles or more of dirt road. Excellently maintained! It’s beautiful there. Didn’t see any critters at all. Only people we saw were Rangers. Was hoping to see a burro or two. Brought a picnic lunch and enjoyed the awesome view. Bathrooms are available and very clean. Paid our $10 day use fee gladly. Perfect place for camping and fishing. Have a sweet ghost photo in the daytime from here! We will come again!

There is some great off roading in this area with excellent views. High clearance 4x4 is needed on some of the trails. Just know your vehicle capabilities and keep your ego in check and turn around if needed.

Picacho State Recreation Area is an amazing place to visit in Southern California. It is very isolated, at about 18 miles one way on a dirt road, but well worth the drive. There is a campground, fishing docks, boat ramps, boat in campgrounds, and a few hiking trails. The scenery at the recreation area and on the drive to the area is amazing. I also saw some burros, or donkeys off of the dirt road on the way to the recreation area as well. Definitely worth a day trip if in the area.

I visited the park for the purpose of biking the park road. Almost the entire 19 miles to the Colorado was sandy, corrugated and/or with loose gravel. There were few sections with packed dirt. Thus, the road conditions were challenging. The elevation gain was 1600 feet (round trip total) and gradual going north, but after summit was fairly steep descent. For me, that translated to a few hike-a-bike sections on the return trip. At the end of the trail, there is potable water. I biked road in mid November with temps 50s to mid-80s. No breeze in afternoon. Take a mountain versus gravel bike. For drivers, 4 wheel drive, 4 wheeler or motorcycle. Glad I experienced the ride, but it was earned.

Overwhelming displays of wild wetlands in the desert. A delightful place. Explore the back canyons for other wonders. Remote, and worth the effort. I would not try w/o 4x4 (saw 2 flats & 1 broken axle & broken shock along roadside). This place can bite back. But my 4x4 Tundra truck had no issues in 4H, and I used 4L in the back canyon. Been back twice, going again.

This park is quite a surprise. Driving through the desert one suddenly comes to an oasis created by the Colorado River. Picacho is the site of an old gold mining town. An excellent trail is provided to see the mountain vistas, the ruins of the gold min, and an old jail. One can also your the wash and squeezes.

Nice campground with a lot of good campsites in the main campground. There are other sites on the water, further up the river but it's a long drive and you'll need 4-wheel drive. The road in from Winterhaven (Picacho Road) is about 20 miles of bumpy dirt road. A car with good tires and a driver who knows how to judge the conditions can get to the main campground. Fees are $10 for a vehicle day pass. $30 for a campsite. Additional vehicle are charged. Overall, a very quiet, peaceful, desert park with boat access and great views of the river, as well as the desert landscape. Guide tips: Check the weather before you go. There are washes to traverse that could be affected by rain and because it is excessively dry most of the year, fires may be prohibited at the campsites. Have a fishing license, if you plan to fish. Also, bring everything you need with you. The nearest gas station or convenience store is an hour away.

Prepare for a long drive down a maintained dirt road. I made the trip in a front wheel drive GMC Acadia with no trouble. If you're squeamish about narrow roads through the mountains, the drive may be intimidating. But, if you are willing to brave 19 miles of desert dirt road, you will be rewarded with a beautiful drive (beginning around mile 9) and the most amazing areas to explore along the Colorado River. I can only imagine that this is close to what ancient people saw when visiting the mighty Colorado (almost... There 8s that pesky Hoover in the way up stream). Definitely will be back and prepared to camp for a weekend.