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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The Desert Environment
The North American Deserts
Desert Geological Terms

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