Picacho State Recreational Area

Overview

Picacho State Recreation Area is a remote desert park along the Colorado River on the California-Arizona border, accessible via 24 miles from Winterhaven (18 miles unpaved). The park is currently OPEN with first-come, first-served camping only. Key closures as of late 2024/early 2025: the Lower Dock is washed out and unusable from recent rains, the Lower Dock and Kayak-in Group Campgrounds are closed until further notice, Main Campground sites 17-25 unavailable through February 25, 2026 due to Stewart Lake Trail work (expect noise 6am-5pm), and the Stewart Lake Trail is closed from site 17 to the Colorado River overlook. The park features 54 campsites, 3 boat launches, and 4 boat-in camps. Access requires carrying extra water and supplies. Picacho Road is the recommended access route (high clearance 4x4 recommended due to deep sand); Indian Pass Road requires advanced 4x4 skills and should be avoided by those towing trailers. Summer thunderstorms can cause flash flooding making sections temporarily impassable. Wildlife viewing is excellent with wild burros, bighorn sheep, bald and golden eagles, and thousands of migratory waterfowl along the Pacific Flyway.