Yuma, Arizona is located along the Colorado River in southwestern Arizona, just miles from the California and Mexico borders. While Yuma may be better known as a gateway to the desert southwest, it offers an array of unique attractions that are well worth exploring.
From historic sites and museums showcasing Yuma’s pioneering past to outdoor adventures on the river and in the surrounding wilderness areas, there is something for everyone to enjoy. This guide highlights 10 of the top attractions in Yuma, providing a taste of what this underrated destination has to offer visitors.
1. Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park
Established in 1883, the Yuma Quartermaster Depot served as a major supply center for military outposts throughout the American Southwest. Visitors can explore the historic buildings that once housed offices, storehouses, workshops, bakeries and more. Costumed interpreters bring the site to life, sharing stories of daily operations and life on the frontier. The museum collection contains thousands of items that evoke Yuma’s military past, including uniforms, artifacts, photographs and documents. Wandering the grounds gives a real sense of what it was like at this important Army supply base over 125 years ago.
Be sure to check the event schedule as reenactments and demonstrations are frequently hosted, such as open hearth cooking. The park is also a great place for families, with interactive exhibits, trails and programs designed for children. History buffs and those interested in the Old West will find the Yuma Quartermaster Depot State Historic Park endlessly fascinating.
2. Fort Yuma California Side Historic Park
Located just across the Colorado River from Yuma in Winterhaven, California, Fort Yuma California Side Historic Park preserves the historic remains of the original Fort Yuma that was established in 1850. Self-guided trails wind through the reconstructed officer’s quarters, barracks, sutler store and mess hall, giving visitors an on-the-ground feel for military life at this remote outpost. Interpretive signs relay Fort Yuma’s important role in protecting immigrants, miners and settlers traveling along the Colorado River during the 19th century Gold Rush era.
The museum boasts an extensive collection of artifacts, weapons, uniforms and photographs. Be sure to check out the 12-pound mountain howitzer used to defend the fort. Outdoor demonstrations bring history to life through living history reenactments and firing demonstrations with period weapons. A lovely riverside picnic area makes Fort Yuma California Side Historic Park the perfect outdoor excursion for those interested in Arizona’s frontier military past.
3. Arizona Desert Museum
True to its name, the Arizona Desert Museum provides an up-close look at the diverse plants and animals inhabiting the Sonoran Desert region. Spread across 180 acres, the outdoor gardens showcase low-desert flora through labeled plant collections. Paths wind past recreated desert habitats, where visitors may spot jackrabbits, coyotes, roadrunners and other wildlife residing at the museum. Several small desert communities have been recreated as well, including a Hohokam Indian village.
The indoor exhibits tell the story of the Sonoran Desert through vibrant murals and lively dioramas. Don’t miss the impressive display of colorful reptiles and the aquarium containing native fish. Through natural history exhibits and interpretive programs, the Arizona Desert Museum aims to foster visitor understanding and appreciation for this special ecosystem. It’s one of Yuma’s top family attractions, where visitors of all ages can experience and learn about the Sonoran Desert firsthand.
4. Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge
For wildlife viewing and recreational opportunities in a scenic desert setting, visitors can’t beat Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. Situated an hour’s drive from Yuma, this 56,000-acre refuge surrounds the confluence of the Bill Williams and Colorado rivers and harbors a wealth of flora and fauna. Birders will find over 280 species including herons, cranes, shorebirds and raptors drawn to the wetlands. Bison, mule deer and other mammals also reside here.
The refuge offers 12 miles of hiking and biking trails that wind through paloverde-ironwood forests and along the river corridors. Fishermen test their luck for largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. Other recreational activities include picnicking, wildlife viewing from driving routes and guided education programs. Bill Williams River NWR is a peek into rarely seen landscapes that are core to Southwestern natural heritage preservation.
5. Fortuna Gun Club
Located just outside Yuma city limits, Fortuna Gun Club offers an exciting slice of the Old West through frequent shootouts and gunfight reenactments. Visitors can watch as cowboys and outlaws engage in choreographed standoffs right on Main Street. Crowds gasp as the gunslingers draw and fire blank rounds in flashily staged saloon shootouts. It’s a thrillingly authentic wild west experience.
After the action, visitors can meet the performers up close and learn about the history behind their characters. Participating in a shooting range session with historic firearms is also an option for those interested in hands-on history. Fortuna Gun Club transports visitors back to Yuma’s frontier roots through a blend of authentic reenactments, gunplay and Old West tourism. It’s a unique attraction that’ll have the whole family on the edge of their seats.
6. Colorado River State Historic Park
Situated along the Colorado River, Colorado River State Historic Park explores Yuma’s rich history as a steamboat port and agricultural center. The centerpiece is a reconstructed replica of a late 19th century boarding house showcasing furnishings and artifacts of the period. Other authentic historic buildings scattered across the park’s 400 acres include a blacksmith shop, schoolhouse and ranch house.
Self-guided tours along the miles of trails bring the agricultural heritage alive through fields of alfalfa and cotton. Interpreters dressed in period clothing share stories of farming and daily life. Kids especially enjoy panning for gems at the working placer mine or participating in living history programs demonstrating steamboat travel, sewing and more. Colorado River State Historic Park is a look into what sustained Yuma’s growth from small village to regional center.
7. Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
Thousands of prisoners passed through the foreboding walls of Yuma Territorial Prison between 1876 to 1909. Today, guided and self-guided tours offer a glimpse inside this former penitentiary. Costumed docents bring alive what life was like for inmates and guards alike in this isolated desert outpost. Visitors can explore the cramped cells, punishment block, guard rooms and more throughout the 16 original buildings that still stand.
Special events held at the park like mock escapes and trials further immerse visitors in the realities of the Old West justice system. With its formidable architecture, incredible preservation and interactive learning opportunities, Yuma Territorial Prison SHP offers a thought-provoking look at this chapter of Arizona’s history. It’s among the most historically enlightening attractions in all of Yuma.
8. Kofa National Wildlife Refuge
Encompassing over half a million acres, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge lies just 30 miles west of Yuma and is one of the lesser visited gems in the region. It boasts vast mountain ranges, scrub desert, secluded canyons and rugged wilderness areas. Bighorn sheep, migratory birds and threatened desert species all call this refuge home.
Hiking, birdwatching and scenic driving along the dirt roads allow visitors to absorb Kofa NWR’s raw natural beauty. Be on the lookout for mule deer, coyotes, desert bighorn sheep and over 200 bird species in season. The rugged mountains break up the landscape like nowhere else in the Lower Sonoran Desert, revealing a more remote side of Yuma’s backyard wilderness.
With so little visitation compared to other nearby protected areas, Kofa NWR remains one of Arizona’s special unspoiled desert destinations that rewards those who venture off the beaten path. It’s a must for adventure seekers and nature lovers exploring Yuma’s wild side.
9. Tombstone Western Town
Just down the road from Yuma, Tombstone Western Town transports visitors back to the hottest town in the Old West through its recreated false-fronted buildings, boardwalks and costumed characters. Wander down dirt streets and snap photos with the “hombres” lurking in the saloon, jail or barber shop. Watch hourly shootouts and bank robberies play out as the dusty town suddenly erupts in mayhem.
Hands-on experiences like panning for gold, learning to lasso or trying blacksmithing add another layer of fun. Tombstone Western Town sparks visitors’ curiosity about life in the Wild West frontier through authentically recreated settings and staff committed to embodying the rowdy spirit of a frontier boomtown. It makes for an engaging family outing filled with history, entertainment and adventure.
10. Andrade, California Port of Entry
The small border town of Andrade, California sits within shouting distance of Los Algodones, Mexico and offers a cultural stop between the two countries. Here, visitors can witness the hustle and bustle of the historic Port of Entry building where traffic ebbs and flows regularly across the border. Interpretive exhibits inside tell the story of early immigration and trade at this crossing point.
Short walks provide bird’s-eye panoramas from scenic overlooks surveying the international port. It’s a fascinating tangible glimpse into both the historic and modern realities of borderland life along the Colorado River region shared by the U.S. and Mexico. A stop in Andrade contextualizes Yuma’s setting along the boundary between two nations and cultures.
Conclusion
With its wealth of historic attractions, scenic public lands, wildlife viewing opportunities and proximity to the international border, Yuma undoubtedly offers far more to explore than its small size implies. From adobe ruins to vibrant wildlife areas, desert trails to rowdy gunfight shows, this frontier crossroads paints a vibrant picture of its past and present on the edge of the Sonoran Desert. With so much rich heritage and natural scenery packed into a single destination, Yuma well deserves its place on any adventurous travel itinerary.