El Centro Comfort Inn
2354 South Fourth Street, El Centro, CA 92243;
The Comfort Inn & Suites hotel is found in the southern most part of California, only 12 miles from Mexicali and 10 miles from Calexico. There are a wide variety of restaurants and lounges located in the area. Be sure to visit Zebra's, the on-site cocktail lounge.

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Picacho State Recreation Area
760-393-3052; Park Website;
Location: Dirt road 24 miles north from Winterhaven;
4,880 acres preserve in East Imperial County. 100 years ago Picacho was a gold mining town with 100 citizens. Today the site is a State Park, popular with boaters, hikers, anglers and campers. The park offers diverse scenery, including beavertail cactus, wild burros, bighorn sheep and thousands of migratory waterfowl. Eight miles of the lower Colorado River are the recreation area’s eastern border. As in any desert country, travelers on this road should carry extra water and other essential supplies.

Old Plank Road - Grays Well CA
From 1915 to 1925, the first highway across the shifting Algodone Sand Dunes was built on a narrow wooden planks. A historic monument and replica of the road can be found about 3 miles west of the I-8 Sand Hills interchange.

Algodones Sand Dunes
Located two miles north of Glamis along Ted Kipf Rd.
Eastern rim of Imperial Valley - Wildlife viewing area and home to several unique species of plants and animals. [Sand Dunes]

Mesquite Mine Overlook Trail
(760) 352-6541;[ Gold Mines ]
Located 3 miles north of SR-78 on GFOC Road. A one-mile trail leads to an overview of the second largest golf mine in California.

The Springs at Borrego RV and Golf Resort
A recreational vehicle resort and luxury nine-hole championship golf course located in the heart of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The RV Park is Big Rig friendly and offers warm weather and many amenities such as swimming pools, hot mineral baths, tennis courts and RV campground facilities.

El Centro Fairfield Inn - Marriott Resort
503 E. Danenberg Drive, El Centro, CA 92243;
This non-smoking hotel is located adjacent to the Imperial Valley Mall and a range of dining options. Industry leaders El Centro Medical Center, MCI, Clear Channel, Imperial Valley College, and National Beef, are only a few miles from this property.

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Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
66600 Cibola Lake Road, Cibola, AZ 85328; 928-857-3253;
NWR Website -
FWS Website -

Cibola NWR is located in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River and surrounded by a fringe of desert ridges and washes. The refuge encompasses the historic Colorado River channel and several important backwater areas that are home to many wildlife species. Because of the river’s life sustaining water, wildlife here survive in an environment that reaches 120 degrees in the summer and receives an average of only 2 inches of rain per year.

Wildlife
Cibola NWR - It is not uncommon to see desert mule deer, bobcat, and coyotes on the refuge. Other listed species include the desert tortoise, razorback sucker, bonytail chub, and desert pupfish.

Bird Watching
Over 288 species of birds have been found on Cibola NWR, including many species of migratory songbirds, Gambel’s quail, roadrunners, mourning and white-winged doves, phainopepla, greater sandhill cranes, Canada and snow geese, Vermilion flycatchers, grosbeaks and many more. The bald eagle, southwestern willow flycatcher and Yuma clapper rail are among the endangered birds that use Cibola NWR. Management of farm fields along with restoration of wetlands and moist soil units provide habitat for thousands of Canada geese that migrate to Cibola in the winter. About 85% of Arizona’s wintering goose population resides on Cibola NWR. Other common sights may include a heron and egret rookery, nesting mourning and white-winged doves, barn owls, burrowing owls, kestrels, white-faced ibis and more.

Yuma Super 8 Motel
Welcome to Yuma Super 8 Motel located off of Interstate 8 near Yuma Palms Mall. This Colorado River lodge is conveniently located near Yuma International Airport, Yuma Proving Grounds, MCAS, two casino' s and Old Mexico.

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Imperial National Wildlife Refuge
Yuma, Arizona 85365; 928-783-3371;
NWR Website -
FWS Website -

Imperial National Wildlife Refuge protects wildlife habitat along 30 miles of the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California, including the last unchannelized section before the river enters Mexico. The river and its associated backwater lakes and wetlands are a green oasis, contrasting with the surrounding desert mountains.

NWR Wildlife
In the desert, wildlife such as black-tailed jackrabbits and western whiptail lizards are plentiful. Watch at dawn and dusk for desert bighorn sheep and mule deer heading to the river for a drink. Ducks, geese, shorebirds, and other waterbirds flock to the lower Colorado River each year to spend the winter. Cinnamon teal and Northern pintail are just a few of the species living here.

Senator Wash Reservoir
25 miles north of Yuma, Senator Wash Reservoir is a water storage reservoir that also provides recreational opportunities such as fishing and water play. During the summer months, this site is a favorite of jet skiers and small boats. Lake shore camping is communal on the south shore of the lake while the north shore offers many small coves and bays. For more information contact BLM's Yuma Field Office at (928) 312-3200.

Squaw Lake
Located east of Senator Wash Reservoir, Squaw Lake is the BLM Yuma Field Office's premier developed recreation site. The lake is a popular day use and camping area, with holiday weekends attracting large crowds. Amenities include handicapped accessible restrooms, outdoor showers, fire rings, potable water, trash removal, and two boat ramps. For more information contact the BLM Yuma Field Office at (928) 317-3200.

Hidden Shores
Located at the east end of Imperial Dam is Hidden Shores. A BLM concession, Hidden Shores provides public recreational opportunities through private sector investment. Popular activities center around the Colorado River. Amenities include RV hookups, boat launch, showers, store, handicapped accessible restrooms, and fuel sales. For more information contact the BLM Yuma Field Office (928) 317-3200.

El Centro Super Star Inn
611 North Imperial Avenue, El Centro, CA 92243;
Conveniently located only a mile from downtown El Centro and within walking distance to area banks and restaurants. We are also the property that is closest to the Border Patrol Training Facility, only a few blocks away.

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Yuma Ramada Inn
The hotel is set in a pleasant, residential area, yet is close to all Yuma restaurants and attractions. Some of our most requested features include our Full Hot Breakfast Buffet which is free to all guests, Free Access and Free Shuttle to Club Yuma Fitness Center inluding racquetball, basketball, tennis, swimming pool, spa, sauna and massage.

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Musuem of World History in Granite
2 Center of the World Plaza, Felicity, CA 92283-7777; 760-572-5000; Museum Website;
The 416 Panel History of Humanity is being engraved on 8 granite monuments. This project was launch in 1973 and as of 2007 this project is about 20% complete. Four monuments are each 100 feet long with 60 granite panels, each 40 x 57 in and weighing 477 pounds. E, NW, SE and SW are 67 feet long with 40 panels. Appropriately enough, this monument site is self-designated as the center of the world.

Mesquite Mine Overlook Trail
(760) 352-6541;[ Gold Mines ]
Located 3 miles north of SR-78 on GFOC Road. A one-mile trail leads to an overview of the second largest gold mine in California.

Old Plank Road
Located by Grays Well Road alongside I-8. Portions still exist today of a big wood plank wood build across the sand dunes in 1916 for early motorists.

Fossil Canyon
Located about four miles north of Ocotillo at the end of Painted Gorge Rd. Scenic area noted for its multicolored canyon walls caused by the weathering of copper, iron and sulfur in the rock. The upper part of the gorge contains marine fossils. (Fossils )

Oyster Shell Beds
Located along BLM Route Y1945 are remnants of ancient Lake Leconte, which covered most of the Imperial Valley over 6 million years ago. Fossilized oyster shells are all about. (Fossils )

Tumco Mines
Located on Gold Rock Ranch Rd, 9 miles north of I-8, 1 mile east of County Hwy 35, 4.5 miles NEof Ogilby in the Cargo Muchacho Mountains. Tumco was an early gold mining town.

Dove Hunting Season: Sept 1-15 / Nov 8-Dec 22 (Approx)
The Department of Fish and Game have developed 28 hunting fields between Niland and Calipatria, especially along the East Highline Canal. Over 5,000 hunters will converge here for this event. Contact local DFG office for exact times, rules and license.

• Bag Limit: Mourning and Whitewing Doves - 10 daily and 20 in possession.
• Shooting Time: Half-hour before sunrise to sunset.
• License: - California hunting license required with Upland Game Stamp.
• Notice: - Be sure of your bird, big fines apply if you shoot the wrong type. Do not hunt while intoxicated and don't carry a loaded firearm inside a vehicle

  

  Local Area Restaurants
  Pair A Dice Bar and Grill - Gordon's Well California

More Imperial Dunes Hotlinks
American Sand Association ASA - non-profit group to support sand dune sports and recreation.

El Centro Holiday Inn Express
350 Smoketree Drive, El Centro, CA 92243;
Holiday Inn Mini suites and Jacuzzi suites featuring 32" color remote/televisions, free and pay per view movies and games, high-speed internet access as well. Hairdryers, irons & boards and all the commodities a valued guest like you would expect. This hotel is committed to providing accessible facilities under the American Disabilities Act.

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Palm Springs Marquis Villas Resort Hotel
Scenic views of the majestic San Jacinto Mountains and set right in the heart of downtown Palm Springs, the Marquis Villas offers complete comfort and charm. Pass the day by the pool set in a beautiful garden courtyard, get a game of tennis, or a good workout at the resort's fitness facility.

Palm Mountain Resort Hotel
Nestled at the heart of Palm Springs, California is the fabulous Palm Mountain Resort - an friendly, charming retreat at the foot of the snowcapped San Jacinto Mountains. Those mountains shelter the resort from the warm desert breezes and provide a striking backdrop to the hotel.

Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area
Bureau of Land Management, 1661 South Fourth Street, El Centro CA 92243; (760) 337-4400; Park Website;
GlamisDunes.com - Preserving and promoting the symbiotic relationship between off-road enthusiasts and the wildlife of the Algodones Sand Dunes.

This 40-mile-long dune system is one of the largest in the United States. Formed by windblown beach sands of ancient Lake Cahuilla, some crests reach heights of over 300 feet. These expansive dune formations offer picturesque scenery, opportunities for solitude, a chance to view rare plants and animals, and a playground for OHVs.

The BLM manages portions of the dunes system for different uses. The portion of the dunes south of California State Route 78, is a popular OHV recreation area.

Two BLM campgrounds along paved Gecko Road provide hard surface parking, vault toilets, and trash facilities. The Cahuilla Ranger Station, located on Gecko Road, is open weekends during the winter season (October-May). Other portions of the Imperial Sand Dunes include Mammoth Wash(north of Algodones Dunes Wilderness) and Buttercup Valley(south of Interstate 8).

Chocolate Mountains Aerial Gunnery Range
456,000 acre (about 60 square-mile) restricted area on the east side of the Salton Sea. It is used by the Navy and Marine Corps for aerial gunnery and bombing practice

Old Plank Road
Location: Grays Well Road alongside I-8;
From 1915 to 1925, the first highway across the shifting Algodone Sand Dunes was built on a narrow wooden planks. A historic monument and replica of the road can be found about 3 miles west of the I-8 Sand Hills interchange.