Located just north of Needles, Calif., Mohave Valley offers a wide variety of activities from Spirit Mountain Casino and RV Park to Mohave Valley Raceway. Willow Springs Golf Course, a nine-hole, par three course, is located along Highway 95 at King Street. Future plans include the construction of Mohave Valley/Fort Mojave Community Park.

Bullhead City

Located just north of Fort Mojave, Bullhead City offers an international airport, shopping areas with national chain stores such as J.C. Penney, Super Wal-Mart, Kmart, Home Depot, Sam's Club and Lowe's Home Improvement. Target and Kohl's opened in March 2008 and are the first tenants at the new Mohave Crossroads shopping center on Highway 95 at the southern end of the Bullhead Parkway. Anchor Blue, Staples, PetSmart, Marshalls, Ross, Bed Bath & Beyond, Lane Bryant, Famous Footwear and Fashion Bug are expected to be future tenants there also. The town immerged as a home to construction workers who built Davis Dam and was named for Bull's Head rock, which now lies mostly submerged in Lake Mohave. The Colorado River Museum is located at the north end of town along Highway 95 at Highway 68 and features a vast array of local history memorabilia. Bullhead City was incorporated in 1984 and covers an area of about 43 square miles.

Needles, CA

Located south of Mohave Valley just across the Needles Bridge, Needles is one of the oldest cities in San Bernardino County. It was founded in 1883 with the coming of the railroad, and was incorporated as a charter city in 1913. Places of interest include the historic El Garces Train Depot which is currently being rehabilitated to function as a hotel, restaurant and intermodal transportation center. The Needles Regional Museum sits across from El Garces and houses thousands of artifacts representing the diverse history and culture of the Tri-state area. The old Needles Theatre is also being restored to functionality. The Colorado River Round-Up Rodeo is a popular attraction held in March each year. Today, Needles remains an important part of the backbone of America's shipping industry - the railways. Needles covers an area of about 30 square miles.

Laughlin, NV

A gambling mecca located just across the Colorado River from Bullhead City. Laughlin is home to eleven hotels and casinos with big name entertainment, resort-style amenities and more than 11,000 rooms. There are thousands of slot machines, craps, roulette, blackjack and poker tables, huge arcades and as many restaurants as you would like to try for every taste and budget. The Colorado River offers a wide variety of water activities.

Arizona Veterans Memorial

The memorial park has a line of giant flagpoles and a curving wall standing nine feet high and forty feet wide. Displayed are bronze plaques engraved with the names of more than 3500 servicemen and women from Arizona who were killed in all wars and conflicts in the past one hundred years. There is also a pyramid-shaped stone memorial honoring the U.S.S. Arizona, which was destroyed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. The park is open year-round and admission is free. For more information call 928-704-0334.

Katherine Landing at Lake Mohave Resort

Watercraft launch ramps, motel, convenience store, restaurant, cocktail lounge, RV park with full hook-ups and hundreds of moorings can be found here. Houseboat, ski boat and patio boat rentals are available year-round. It is considered to be one of the most beautiful manmade lakes in the country. For more information call 928-754-3245.

Lake Havasu City

This desert oasis is the home of the famous London Bridge, which crosses the bridgewater channel from the mainland to a small island on the Colorado River. The bridge was dismantled in London where it crossed over the river Thames, then sent by barge to the California coast, loaded on a truck and brought to Lake Havasu City where it was rebuilt brick by brick in 1964. The bridge and waterway for boats and personal watercraft make this a popular spot for fun and sun lovers of all ages. The area is especially popular with young adults, as concerts and activities are held under the bridge along London bridge Village. The village area is dotted with unique shops and eateries. The bridge can be crossed by automobile and the waterway provides navigation underneath. The lake area is an easy one-hour drive from Mohave Valley, mostly along Arizona Hwy 95 and I-40. For more information go to the Web site at http://www.lakehavasu.com/

Grapevine Canyon

(Native American Petroglyphs) Thousands of ancient Indian figures and symbols are etched in stone at the entrance to Grapevine Canyon. The are is off-limits to automobiles to keep the area as pristine as possible. The walk to the canyon follows an easy quarter-mile trail from a parking area. To find the site, follow Highway 163 west out of Laughlin. As you enter the mountains (about five miles) turn right at Christmas Tree Pass and travel 1-1/2 miles to a parking area to the left of the dirt road. There is a sign indicating the parking area and a restroom is available. The road is a bit sandy, but the family car is adequate if driven slowly. Guided tours to the canyon are available through the National Park Service at Katherine Landing.

Davis Dam

Creating the beautiful and recreational Lake Mohave is the spectacular Davis Dam located off Highways 68 and 163 north of Bullhead City. This dam regulates the flow of water to the lower Colorado River Region down into Mexico. Davis Dam was completed in 1953 and has a powerhouse located on the Arizona side of the river that produces hydroelectricity.

Oatman

This real western ghost town kindles the imagination of many a cowboy or girl of all ages. The once thriving gold mining town is located about 10 miles from the Valley. In its heyday, the area's mines produced about $36 million in gold. Wild burros, the ancestors of pack animals abandoned by the miners, now roam the streets freely, begging food from the tourists. Gunfighters roam the town daily putting on several shows per day. The town also has many gift shops and several restaurants.
    Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their honeymoon at the Oatman Hotel after being married in Kingman. Their room is still available for viewing. The town hosts several unusual events each year: the Great Oatman Bed Races are held in January; Clark Gable and Carole Lombard Days, with a look-alike contest, are held in March; July 4 the town hosts a sidewalk egg frying contest; Gold Camp Days and the International Burro Biscuit Tossing contest are held over Labor Day weekend; and a Christmas tree decorating contest invites visitors to decorate the bushes along Route 66 in December.

The Gold Road Mine Tour

Just 2 1/2 miles east of Oatman is the Gold Road Mine where tours are conducted daily. When this mine was in full production from 1996-1998, it was running 500 tons of ore a day, producing 40,000 oz. of gold a year. Closure came in late 1998 when the price of gold fell below $300 per ounce. Production could begin again when the price rises enough to make it profitable. The mine is known to contain enough ore to run for at least three years and additional prospecting indicates there may be enough to extend that period to 10 years.

El Garces Harvey House and Train Depot, Needles, CA

The El Garces Harvey House and Train Depot has been of great importance to area history. Construction of the existing building began in 1906 after fire destroyed the original wooden building. Because of the tragic aspects of the fire, the new building was constructed of concrete in 1908. The El Garces was part of the Fred Harvey chain of hotel restaurants that extended along the Santa Fe Railroad to provide meals and lodging. It was considered the "Crown Jewel: of the entire chain and was remembered for the real linen and silver, distinctive china and fresh flowers provided for its guests daily. Waitresses were cultured young ladies known as Harvey Girls. They received special training in neatness, courtesy and excellent service. El Garces closed as a Harvey House in 1949. The building was then partitioned and used as Santa Fe Railway offices until 1988. It was then closed. The Friends of El Garces was formed in 1993 to combine the efforts of Needles citizens to save this historic structure. The City of Needles eventually purchased the building. On June 28, 2005, the Needles City Council voted to give developer Allan Affeldt, who converted the old Harvey House in Winslow into a thriving hotel and restaurant, a chance to do the same for El Garces. Rehabilitation construction is underway and efforts are being made to open the new hotel, restaurant and intermodal transportation center around the building's one hundredth anniversary.

Katherine Mine

Mining activity began in the mid-1860s. The mine had various owners and numerous openings and closings before it was closed by the War Production Board on April 15, 1943. Old mines can pose numerous threats to your safety. Do not climb on or around mine tailings as they are unstable and can collapse without warning. Stay away from all shaft openings and cliff edges and never crawl into any tunnels found in the tailings. Contact the Ranger Station in Lake Mead National Recreation Area at 928-754-3272 for more information.

Topock Gorge

Situated within the confines of the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, Topock Gorge is a snakelike canyon carved by the mighty Colorado River. This wilderness area lies just south of Needles, Calif., and is only accessible by watercraft. Emerald waters, contrasted by red rock cliffs, run about 17 miles through the gorge, with beaches, coves and hushed backwaters along the way. Observant cruisers can sight a multitude of rarely-seen bird species and various wildlife. One may even spot Bighorn sheep drinking along the river's edge. Petroglyphs left by the ancients can also be found at an archaeological site accessible from the river. Visit the Moabi Regional Park office on Park Moabi Road in Needles for more information, and pick up a wildlife checklist to help with species identification. Call 760-326-3831 or go to the Web site at http://www.moabi.com/