Campground Overview:
Each fall, winter, and spring seasonal visitors come to the Blue Cloud Camping Area located off of California State Highway 62 near Big River, California. Blue Cloud Camping Area is a primitive camping area and serves as an overflow area to the heavily used Colorado River Resorts. Camping at the site is restricted to 14 days within a 28 day period, however visitors keep coming back and are attracted to the area because of its close (but not too close) proximity to the town of Parker, AZ as well as its breathtaking views of the Whipple Mountains Wilderness area.
From Needles, CA, take U.S. Highway 95 south approx. 45 miles to CA State Highway 62. Turn left on Hwy 62 and drive east approx. 12 miles to BLM Route NS776. Turn left onto NS776. The camping area will be on both sides of the route.
Campground at a Glance
Level: |
Semi-Developed |
Season: |
Year-Round |
Nearby City: |
Parker |
Fishing: |
Colorado River |
Campground Website: |
Blue Cloud Camping Area |
Campground Map: |
N/A |
Reservations: |
First-come, first-served basis |
Location: |
Nearby Attractions and Activities:
Blue Cloud Camping Area is located a few miles away from the Colorado River. The river attracts a variety of waterfowl and shore birds including mallards, coots, herons and geese. Hawks, roadrunners, quail, hummingbirds, doves and owls are also abundant in the park. Common animals include cottontail, fox, raccoon, beaver, muskrat, coyote and an occasional bobcat or bighorn sheep. Several species of lizards and snakes inhabit the park, along with an occasional turtle by the river.
Whipple Mountains Wilderness was designated in 1994 and it now has a total of 76,123 acres. All of this wilderness is located in California and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management. The large east-west oriented Whipple Mountains comprise the dominant land form within this wilderness. Whipple Peak is the highest point in the range at an elevation of 4,131 ft. Landforms are diverse and range from valley floors and washes to steep-walled canyons, domed peaks, natural bridges, and eroded spires.
Wildlife species include bighorn sheep, mule deer, wild burros, coyote, black-tailed jackrabbits, ground squirrels, kangaroo rats, quail, roadrunners, owls, the threatened desert tortoise, and several species of rattlesnakes and lizards. The Whipple Mountains provide superior nesting and foraging habitat for a number of raptors; including prairie falcons, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, and Cooper’s hawks. The wilderness is located in the south eastern corner of the sector and consists of 77,520 acres. It is cooperatively managed with the Havasu Field Office.
BlueWater Resort & Casino challenges themselves in bringing guests 24/7 casino action, live entertainment, and resort quality relaxation while enjoying beautiful views of the Colorado River. List of amenities include everything from live concerts, and wakeboarding, to an 18 hole golf course and indoor water slide. If you’re looking for things to do near Lake Havasu, Parker, Laughlin, or Yuma then BlueWater has it all. We are Arizona’s only riverside casino and resort!
Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge is situated in central-western Arizona along the Lower Colorado River, the Bill Williams River extends a short 40 miles before emptying into the Colorado River at Lake Havasu. A portion of the river and its unique habitat are protected within the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge and offers a glimpse into what this landscape looked like hundreds of years ago
Havasu National Wildlife Refuge was established by Executive Order by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941 for the primary purpose of providing migratory bird habitat. The refuge is comprised of 37,515 acres along the lower Colorado river in Arizona and California. The refuge protects 30 river miles and encompasses 300 miles of shoreline from Needles, California, to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. One of the last remaining natural stretches of the lower Colorado River flows through the 20-mile long Topock Gorge.
Nearby Campgrounds:
Campground full or want to see what’s around? Try one of these campgrounds located nearby
