TREASURES IN THE DESERT

When you mention the word treasure in the same breath with the state names of Arizona and California, most people associate it with gold, silver and other priceless metals and gems. However, not all treasures are there for picking up. Some should be collected as experiences to be enjoyed. Obviously, I’m talking about the landscape here.

Just west of Yuma (about fifteen miles) along Interstate 8 are the Imperial Sand Dunes. These dunes hug the highway and spread for several miles on either side. They have been sculpted by the wind and weather over centuries and are beautiful to see—especially at sunset or sunrise.

Early twentieth century travelers across the desert couldn’t maneuver their vehicles through the deep, shifting sand, so plank roads were built to accommodate the earliest automobiles. Planks were laid side by side through long stretches of sand so that cars and trucks could traverse the Dunes, although the ride would have been a bit bumpy. Remnants of the plank road still exist in the Dunes, and are protected for future generations to marvel at and enjoy.

RVers can park overnight in several locations through the Dunes, in spots designated by Bureau of Land Management. Many recreational RVers have discovered the area, so each weekend or holiday the area is packed with RVs hauling off-road vehicles. If you treasure the desert for its peace and quiet, you may be disappointed by the loud roar or these modern day explorers and their all-terrain vehicles.

About five miles west of Yuma, a one-mile road leads to Algadones, Mexico, a small town on the border. You can park on the U. S. side of the gate and walk into the town, where you’ll find great buys on a variety of goods, including prescription drugs, eyeglasses and dental procedures. I’ll tell about our visit to Algadones later, as well as our journey to that favorite wintertime shopping mecca of RVers—Quartzsite.

In Yuma proper is the Yuma Territorial Prison, which will provide you with a glimpse of what life was like for outlaws unfortunate enough to have been caught in the late 1800s. It wasn’t pretty! The tiny cells were likely hot enough to bake bread during the summer. The prison was constructed by inmates and housed up to 350 prisoners between 1876 and 1909.

My uncle likes to tell about his train stopping in Yuma when he was a young Navy recruit on his way to San Diego during the closing days of World War II. He says he stepped out onto the platform of the station and saw nothing in all directions but sand. Things have certainly changed! Surrounding Yuma today are lush green, irrigated fields that help feed the nation.

Just north of Yuma along the Colorado River are Mittry Lake Wildlife Area and Imperial Wildlife Refuge, great locations for bird watching and fishing. Great numbers of water fowl make this their winter home, too, in addition to the thousands of human snowbirds who flock here as soon as the weather turns frosty up north.