Quick Answers
- The Parker Strip is an 11-mile stretch of the Colorado River between Parker Dam and Headgate Dam, lined with white sandy beaches and home to one of the busiest water sports corridors in the Southwest
- Buckskin Mountain State Park sits directly on the Strip with 68 campsites, electric hookups, a beach, a boat ramp, and hiking trails above the river
- La Paz County Park, 8 miles north of Parker, has 114 RV sites on the riverfront starting at $15 per night with water, electric, boat launches, three dog parks, and a restaurant and beach bar inside the park
- Emerald Cove Resort on the California side has over 800 full-hookup sites with pools, a Tiki Bar, gated security, and direct Parker Strip river access
- Havasu Getaways in Parker is on Hookhub with private land along the Colorado River corridor
Lake Havasu City gets the name recognition. The Parker Strip gets the river.
The 11 miles of Colorado River between Parker Dam and Headgate Dam form the most concentrated water recreation corridor in western Arizona, a stretch of warm, calm water flanked by white sandy beaches where the main activities are water skiing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, tubing, and sitting on the bank watching other people do all of those things. The Strip runs along Highway 95 on the Arizona side with Parker to the south and Parker Dam to the north, and on the California side, the community of Earp hosts several of the corridor’s largest RV resorts directly across the river.
For RV travelers who want the Colorado River without the commercial density and higher prices of Lake Havasu City, 30 miles to the north, Parker and the Strip corridor offer the same water at a lower cost and a more relaxed atmosphere. The infrastructure is substantial, ranging from a state park on the river to a county park with a pirate-themed beach bar to an 800-site gated resort on the California shore.
What Is the Parker Strip?
The Parker Strip is the section of the Colorado River between two dams: Parker Dam on the north end, which impounds Lake Havasu, and Headgate Dam on the south end near the town of Parker, which diverts water into the Colorado River Indian Reservation’s irrigation canals. Between the two dams, the river runs relatively calm and warm through a narrow desert valley, with sandy beaches developing on the inside bends where current deposits silt and sand along both the Arizona and California banks.
The geography creates a natural water sports corridor. The dam-controlled flow maintains consistent water levels throughout the recreation season, the warm desert climate keeps the water temperature comfortable from spring through fall, and Highway 95 running parallel on the Arizona side provides easy pull-off access to multiple beach and launch points along the Strip’s full length.
Parker, Arizona, sits at the southern end of the Strip in La Paz County. The town serves as the commercial hub for the corridor, with fuel, grocery, and equipment rental options along the highway. The Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) reservation borders the town, and tribal land extends along portions of the river corridor.
What Can You Do on the Parker Strip?
Water sports: The Parker Strip has become one of the Southwest’s premier destinations for boating and water sports. Water skiing, wakeboarding, jet skiing, and tubing are the primary activities, with boat and jet ski rentals available from multiple operators in Parker and from the resort properties on both sides of the river. The current between the dams is manageable for recreational boaters, and the sandy beaches provide natural pull-up points for beaching a boat and swimming from shore.
Fishing: Largemouth bass, striped bass, flathead catfish, and channel catfish hold in the river structure along the Strip. The calmer backwater channels and lagoon areas, particularly near La Paz County Park and the river bends, produce the most consistent fishing.
Swimming and beach days: The white sandy beaches along the Strip are the corridor’s most accessible feature for travelers without boats. Several beach access points along Highway 95 are free, and both the state park and the county park have designated swimming areas with restroom facilities.
Emerald Canyon Golf Course: Located directly across the road from La Paz County Park, the 18-hole course sits in a dramatic canyon setting between desert mountains with views that most resort courses charge significantly more to access.
Hiking at Buckskin Mountain: The Buckskin Mountain trail system above the state park climbs into the desert hills east of the river, providing elevated views of the Strip corridor and the surrounding landscape. The trails are short but rocky, and the desert terrain rewards early morning starts before the heat builds.
Pirates Den Resort and the Thirsty Pirate Beach Bar: Inside La Paz County Park, the Pirates Den Resort operates the Black Pearl Restaurant and the Thirsty Pirate Beach Bar directly on the river. Walking the county park boardwalk between your RV site and a waterfront bar is one of the more unusual campground amenities in the Arizona RV network.
When Is the Best Time to Visit?
The Parker Strip has a split season that depends on whether you want water or quiet.
Winter (October through March) is the snowbird and long-term stay season. The RV parks and county parks fill with seasonal residents who park for months at a time, and the social atmosphere at places like La Paz County Park becomes more like a community than a campground. The river is too cool for most water sports, but fishing, hiking, golf, and the restaurant and bar scene at the Parker resorts are fully active. Temperatures sit in the 60s and 70s during the day.
Summer (April through September) is the water sports season. The river is warm, the beaches fill on weekends, and the jet ski and boat traffic on the Strip runs from sunrise to sunset. Weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day are the busiest, with holiday weekends filling every campground, resort, and beach access point on the corridor. Air temperatures exceed 110 degrees from June through August, making on-the-water activity the only comfortable outdoor option during midday hours.
Spring shoulder season (March through April) threads the gap. The water warms enough for swimming by late March; the winter long-term residents begin departing, and weekday site availability improves at the county and state parks.
Why Many RV Travelers Spend a Week or Longer on the Parker Strip
While many first-time visitors arrive for a weekend on the river, experienced RV travelers often stay much longer. The Parker Strip offers enough boating, fishing, swimming, hiking, golf, and riverside dining to keep visitors busy for days without feeling the need to relocate. Instead of packing up the RV after every stop, many travelers establish one base camp and explore different sections of the Colorado River corridor at a relaxed pace.
The area is especially popular with retirees, snowbirds, anglers, and full-time RV travelers who appreciate the combination of warm winter weather and easy access to the river. A longer stay also makes it possible to enjoy the Strip at its best—quiet mornings on the water, afternoons exploring nearby Parker or Lake Havasu City, and evenings back at camp after the day-use crowds have left. For many RVers, the slower pace is what turns the Parker Strip from a weekend destination into one of western Arizona’s favorite seasonal base camps.
Where to Park Your RV on the Parker Strip
Buckskin Mountain State Park
Buckskin Mountain State Park sits directly on the Parker Strip between Parker Dam and the town of Parker, the only Arizona state park positioned on the Strip itself. The park has 68 campsites with electric hookups, a sandy beach for swimming, a boat ramp, picnic ramadas, restrooms, and a hiking trail climbing into the desert mountains above the river. Cabins are available for travelers without rigs.
The state park’s position is its primary advantage: you are directly on the river with state-maintained facilities, a beach within walking distance of your site, and the desert mountains immediately behind you for hiking when you want to leave the water. Reserve through Arizona State Parks. Summer weekends and holiday weekends fill well in advance.
La Paz County Park
La Paz County Park sits 8 miles north of Parker on Highway 95, stretching 1 mile along the Colorado River and offering 114 RV sites. Sites include water and electric hookups at $15 per night, with dry camping available at $8-$12 per vehicle. Riverfront ramadas provide shade along the water’s edge. Two boat launches with ample parking serve the Strip directly from the park. A swimming beach, playground, tennis and volleyball courts, basketball, horseshoes, a putting green, and a dump station round out the list of facilities. Three dog parks are on site.
The Pirates Den Resort operates inside the county park boundary, with the Black Pearl Restaurant and the Thirsty Pirate Beach Bar sitting directly on the river. The Emerald Canyon Golf Course is directly across the road. At $15 per night for a hookup site with a restaurant, bar, golf, and river access, La Paz County Park is one of the most underpriced camping destinations on the entire Colorado River corridor.
Practical notes: cell service is very poor throughout the park, particularly on Verizon. The Colorado River serves as the Arizona-California time zone boundary in this area, and your phone may switch between Mountain and Pacific time unpredictably. Manually setting your time zone resolves the confusion. Sites are close together with minimal privacy, and there are no on-site laundry facilities. The park always has space in the dry camping area, but hookup sites fill early during summer weekends and throughout the October-through-March snowbird season.
Emerald Cove Resort, Earp, California
Emerald Cove Resort sits on the California side of the river, directly across from the Parker Strip in the community of Earp. The resort is the largest single-property RV facility in the Parker Strip corridor, with over 800 full-hookup sites along the river behind a gated entrance with 24-hour security. Two covered swimming pools, a children’s wading pool, a jacuzzi, a Tiki Bar with food and cocktails, a River Rats Kids Club, a sandy beach, a boat launch, miniature golf, and an arcade make it the most amenity-dense RV resort in the area. The family-friendly atmosphere and gated security specifically attract families with children.
Being on the California side means you are technically in a different state and a different time zone (Pacific), which matters for scheduling and phone settings.
BLM Dispersed Camping
Free dispersed camping on Bureau of Land Management land is available approximately 11 miles south of Parker along Parker Pit Road and near Shea Road. These sites sit in the open Sonoran Desert at elevations of 450-600 feet, with no hookups, no facilities, and no shade. Fully self-contained rigs only. The BLM sites are the budget option for travelers who want the Parker Strip water recreation without paying for a campground site.
Havasu Getaways, Parker via Hookhub
Havasu Getaways in Parker is listed on Hookhub, which produced this guide. The listing provides private land along the Colorado River corridor for travelers who want a confirmed, host-vetted parking space rather than the close-together social atmosphere of the county park or the higher-priced resort environment at Emerald Cove. The Parker location puts the listing within easy reach of the full Strip corridor, boat launches, and the town’s commercial services on Highway 95.
Search current Parker private RV parking for Havasu Getaways availability.
Practical Trip Planning
Fuel and groceries: Parker has fuel and grocery options along Highway 95. The nearest larger commercial corridor is Lake Havasu City, approximately 30 miles north. Earp on the California side has very limited services.
Getting there: From Lake Havasu City (30 miles): Highway 95 South along the river corridor. From Phoenix (180 miles): I-10 West to Highway 95 North through Quartzsite and Parker. From Kingman (90 miles): Highway 93 South to I-40 West, then Highway 95 South through Lake Havasu City.
Dump station: Available at La Paz County Park and Buckskin Mountain State Park. Most commercial RV parks have dump access for registered guests.
Cell coverage: Very poor throughout the La Paz County Park and most of the Strip corridor, particularly on Verizon. Download maps and make all necessary calls before entering the river corridor.
Time zones: The Colorado River serves as the Arizona-California boundary in this area. Arizona does not observe daylight saving time, so the time difference between Arizona and California varies with the season. In summer (when California is on PDT), Arizona and California are on the same time. In winter, California is one hour behind Arizona. Your phone may switch between time zones as you cross the river. Set your phone to manual time zone to avoid confusion.
FAQ
What is the Parker Strip, and how long is it?
The Parker Strip is the 11-mile section of the Colorado River between Parker Dam on the north end and Headgate Dam on the south end, near the town of Parker, Arizona. The two dams control the water flow and level, creating a consistent, warm, calm stretch of river that supports water skiing, jet skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, swimming, and fishing. White sandy beaches line both the Arizona and California banks. Highway 95 runs along the Arizona side with multiple access points to the river and its beaches.
Is La Paz County Park really $15 per night for a hookup site on the Colorado River?
Yes. Hookup sites with water and electric at La Paz County Park run $15 per night, with dry camping at $8-$12 per vehicle. The park includes two boat launches, a swimming beach, three dog parks, and the Pirates Den Resort with a restaurant and beach bar inside the park boundary. Emerald Canyon Golf Course is across the road. The pricing reflects the county park model rather than commercial resort pricing, and it is one of the most underpriced river campgrounds in Arizona. The tradeoffs are close site spacing, no laundry, poor cell service, and the social/communal atmosphere typical of county parks.
How does the Parker Strip compare to Lake Havasu for water sports?
The water sports themselves are comparable. Both corridors offer warm Colorado River water with water skiing, jet skiing, wakeboarding, and fishing. The differences are in the surrounding infrastructure and atmosphere. Lake Havasu City is a full resort city with London Bridge, hundreds of restaurants, and a dense commercial corridor. The Parker Strip is quieter, less developed, and significantly less expensive. La Paz County Park hookup sites are $15 per night, compared to $35-$40 per night at Lake Havasu State Park. Emerald Cove Resort’s 800 sites on the California side offer resort-level amenities at prices below those of most Lake Havasu City commercial RV parks. For travelers who prefer the river to the city, the Parker Strip offers a lower-cost option.
Ready to plan your Parker Strip trip?
For private land stays along the river corridor, you can browse available RV parking near Parker and check what’s open on your dates.
