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Painted Desert Trail

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This information is a public record of the 2005 NRT application and may be out of date if it has not been updated by a trail manager --
check with the trail manager for updated details before visiting.

Painted Desert Trail

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Backcountry Trail
  • Length
    1.3 miles
  • Elevation Gain
    --
  • Route Type
    out & back
 (1 review)

The trail is 1.3 miles with trail markers interpreting the geologic and natural history of the area. It traverses two washes and climbs over a mesa with a picturesque view of the Lower Colorado River Valley and the Sonoran Desert.

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HIKING THROUGH THE VOLCANIC ASH FLOWS.
HIKING THROUGH THE VOLCANIC ASH FLOWS.
  • HIKING THROUGH THE VOLCANIC ASH FLOWS.
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Location: 40 mi. N of Yuma in the Imperial Nat. Wildlife Refuge.

  • States: Arizona
  • Counties: La Paz

The Painted Desert Trail was developed by the Youth Conservation Corps. Construction began in 1980 and the trail officially opened on November 4, 1983. The trail is 1.3 miles with trail markers interpreting the geologic and natural history of the area. It traverses two washes and climbs over a mesa with a picturesque view of the Lower Colorado River Valley and the Sonoran Desert.

The trail is maintained by Refuge volunteers and is used by a variety of visitors, from fourth-grade school children on field trips to adventurous people enjoying a full moon hike. The Painted Desert Trail is the only designated trail on the Refuge and provides visitors an opportunity to explore the Lower Colorado River Valley and the Sonoran Desert. As a National Wildlife Refuge, the trail fulfills four of the "big 6" compatible wildlife-dependent recreational activities, which are: wildlife observation, photography, environmental education, and interpretation.

Accessibility Information

No text provided.

Reviews

Jan 4, 2021
Well maintained

This is a short well marked trail. Has covered picnic area and rest rooms at trailhead

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Allowed Uses:

Dogs, on leash Hiking/Walking

Public Contact

Ken Edwards
USFWS
PO Box 72217
Yuma, AZ 85365
[email protected] • (928) 783-3371
www.fws.gov/refuge/kofa

Contact the trail manager for current maps and visiting details.

More Details

  • Elevation (low): 185
  • Elevation (high): 280
  • Elevation (cumulative): --
  • Part of a Trail System? No
  • Surface (primary): Sand
  • Surfaces (additional): Sand
  • Tread Width (average): 36"
  • Tread Width (minimum): --
  • Running length (minimum): --
  • Tread Grade (average, percent): 3
  • Tread Grade (maximum): 8
  • Running length (maximum): --
  • Cross-slope (average, percent): --
  • Cross-slope (maximum): --
  • Running length (maximum): --
  • Certified as an NRT
    May 31, 2005
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