Desert And River Regional Parks

Riverside County, CA

 
Lake Cahuilla Mayflower Park Riviera Marina Park McIntyre Park
Miller Park Palo Verde Park Goose Flats Area PVID Access


Cahuilla Lake, near Indio California, is nestled
against the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Riverside County California extends from Santa Ana River the eastern end of the Los Angeles basin, eastward to the Colorado River. It includes the desert regions of the Coachella Valley and Palm Springs, as well as the San Jacinto, Little San Bernardino and Santa Rosa mountains. It contains portions of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Salton Sea State Recreation Area, as well as most of Joshua Tree National Park.

Thirty-six regional parks also exist within this diverse geography, operated by Riverside County Regional Park and Open-Space District. These county facilities provide some of the best adventure and recreational opportunities in Southern California.

Eight of these parks are located in the desert region and/or along the Colorado River. They offer a wide range of facilities and recreational opportunities, from camping and hiking, to water skiing and river kayaking.

Take advantage of these less known county recreation areas. In peak seasons, when national and state parks are booked full, you can usually still find a campsite in one of these excellent regional parks. And unlike most county, state and national parks of the desert, Riverside County regional parks are open year round.

General Information

Seasons / Hours

  • All parks are open daily, year round. Hours for facilities at individual parks will vary.

Climate, Geography, Setting

Located in the Colorado Desert (the Sonoran Desert west of the Colorado River), all of Riverside County desert and river regional parks experience extremely hot summers and mild winters, with very little rainfall.

Monthly temperature/precipitation normals can be obtained from the DesertUSA city of Blythe, California (in the Palo Verde Valley) and city of Palm Springs, California (in the Coachella Valley) pages.

Description, Things to Do, Camping

Lake Cahuilla Recreation Area

710 acres, 3 miles south of La Quinta/Indio on Avenue 58. Situated at the base of the Santa Rosa Mountains, the centerpiece of this gem-of-a-park is Lake Cahuilla, constructed in the 1960s and filled by aqueduct from the Colorado River.

  • Fishing
  • Picnic facilities
  • Swimming pool (open April to October)
  • Dump station
  • Showers
  • Horseback/Camel riding
  • Hiking
  • Camping - (reservations recommended) Group; 85 tent; 65 RV (elec & water); Primitive

 

 

 

Mayflower Park

24 acres, 6 miles northeast of Blythe just north of 6th Ave and Colorado River Road. Grassy campsites, covered picnic ramadas on the river, small lagoon.

  • Boating/Fishing
  • Picnic facilities
  • Showers
  • Heated swimming pool
  • Swimming Lagoons
  • Launch ramp
  • Camping: 28 tent; 152 RV (elec & water)

 

Riviera Blythe Marina Park - A 5 star resort on the river.

14-acre, concession-operated park off Interstate 10 on Riviera Drive in the city of Blythe. This is the most developed of all the local parks, with all the comforts of home.

  • Boating/Fishing
  • Picnic facilities
  • Showers
  • Heated swimming pool
  • Swimming Lagoons
  • Spa
  • Cable TV
  • Laundromat
  • Store/propane
  • Launch ramp
  • Camping: 285 RV & Tent, many with full hookups

McIntyre Park A 5 star resort on the river.

87-acre, concession-operated park 6 miles southeast of Blythe on 26th Avenue and the Colorado River. Has large grassy sites with shady trees on a protected riverfront beach area.

  • Boating/Fishing
  • Picnic facilities
  • Showers
  • Dump station
  • Swimming
  • Launch ramp
  • Snack bar
  • Grocery store
  • Supplies/bait/propane
  • Camping: 140 tent; 160 RV (elec & water); Group (reservations required)
  • No pets April thru November

Miller Park

5 undeveloped acres on the Colorado River,12 miles southwest of Blythe at Highway 78 and 38th Avenue.

  • Boating/Fishing
  • Primitive Camping
  • No water, no facilities
  • Campground Host



Palo Verde Park

3 miles south of the town of Palo Verde on California Highway 78 along an oxbow of the Colorado River. It is adjacent to Cibola National Wildlife Refuge; it is 2 miles west of the Palo Verde Oxbow BLM site on the Colorado River, which has a launch ramp and primitive camping.

  • Boating/Fishing
  • Camping
  • Water/Flush toilets
  • Playground

Goose Flats Wildlife Area

230 acres, 3.5 miles southeast of Blythe at 18th Avenue and the Colorado River.

  • Boating/Fishing

PVID Fishing Access

2 acres, 10 miles north of I-10 on Highway 95 on the Colorado River.

  • Fishing only

Rules, Regulations, Precautions

  • Fires must be confined to existing stoves or fire rings.
  • No off-road vehicle use allowed in the parks.prohibited.
  • All persons under 18 must be accompanied by a legally responsible adult.
  • All plants, animals, natural features and archeological resources are protected and may not be damaged, injured or removed.

Resources & Nearby Attractions

Resources


Cities & Towns

Parks & Monuments

Recreation & Wilderness Areas

Historic & Points of Interest

 

-- Bob Katz

 

 

 
Related DesertUSA Pages

 

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