Quartzsite Visitor's Guide

Refuge for approximately 7 miles on the dirt road until it ends. DRIPPING SPRINGS There are hundred of Petroglyphs here. You will also find the remains of an old stone cabin and an arrastre. Look along the base of the cliff to the left of the stone cabin for the cave where the spring originates. Once you've found it, listen and you will hear it dripping from the cave roof, forming a year round pool of water. A path takes off to the left of the cave, following the edge of the cliff where more petroglyphs can be seen. Dripping springs is one mile down the road from Dos Picachos Mine. The road is steep and rutted. This is a trip for a 4- wheeled drive vehicle. CIBOLA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is located in the flood plain of the lower Colorado River and surrounded by a fringe of desert ridges and washes. The refuge encompasses both the historic Colorado River channel as well as a channelized portion constructed in the late 1960's. Along with these main water bodies, several important backwaters are home to many wildlife species that reside in this portion of the Sonoran Desert. Be- cause of the river's life sustaining water, wildlife here survives in an environment that reaches 120 degrees in the summer and receives an average of only 2 inches of rain per year. We invite you to visit and enjoy the many wildlife-oriented activities the refuge has to offer and enjoy the scenic beauty of this oasis in the desert. Getting There from Blythe, CA: Drive ap- proximately 3 miles west on I-10 to Neighbors Boulevard/78 exit. Travel south on Neighbors for 12 miles to the Cibola Bridge. After cross- ing the bridge, continue south for 3.5 miles to headquarters. Continued from Page 31 BILL WILLIAMS WILDLIFE REFUGE The Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge weekly tour is now available Thurs- days 8am-10am, September through May. The tour includes the Visitor Center exhibits, Peninsula and Delta Trails, and will focus on the Refuge's habitat types and the plants and animals that use them. Sturdy shoes or boots are recommended; and be sure to bring wa- ter, binoculars, sun screen and a hat to help make this an enjoyable experience! Located in a transition zone between the Mojave and Sonoran deserts, the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge has a unique ecosystem that provides excellent habitat for many resident and migratory wildlife, in- cluding birds, reptiles, butterflies, mammals and amphibians, as well as a diverse array of plants. It also contains the largest remaining stand of native cottonwood and willow for- ests in the lower Colorado River. Tour Information • Months: Sep-May • Group Size: No limit • Departure Times: 8am • Length of tour: 2 hr The Bill Williams River National Wildlife Ref- uge protects the lower course of the Bill Wil- liams River, to its mouth at Lake Havasu res- ervoir, in western Arizona. It is located within eastern La Paz and Mohave Counties, in the Lower Colorado River Valley region. Bill Williams Wildlife Refuge is home to over 6,000 acres of habitat, 355 species of birds, 34 documented reptiles, 40 species of butter- flies, 57 species of mammals, 7 amphibians, and a plethora of indigenous wildlife. Travel north of Parker 18 miles to marker 161 and turn toward the lake. For questions or more information, contact Wildlife Refuge Specialist Joey Saccomanno at 928-667-4144 ext. 128. 32 QuartzsiteVisitorGuide.com Continued on Page 32

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