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Yuma
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Ann Walker
Castle Dome City
Standing on a 22-acre mining claim in the midst of the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, the Castle Dome Mines Museum is a faithful recreation of an early Arizona mining town. Most of the buildings and artifacts were salvaged from the nearby area.
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Paige Lineberry
Colorado King paddlewheeler
The Colorado King, a 57-foot sternwheeler that draws only 12 inches of water fully loaded, harkens back to the early days of Colorado River steamboating, known for craft that could "float in a heavy dew." Yuma River Tours (www.yumarivertours.com) offers lunch and dinner cruises aboard the Colorado King, in addition to a variety of jetboat tours and trips.
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Colorado King paddlewheeler
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Colorado King paddlewheeler
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Colorado King paddlewheeler
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Colorado King paddlewheeler
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Nikon D1X 6/11/2002 5:08:04.2 AM Color Data Format: RAW (12-bit) Compression: None Image Size: Large (3008 x 1960) Lens: Focal Length: 0mm Exposure Mode: Manual Metering Mode: Center-Weighted 1 sec - f/0 Exposure Comp.: 0 EV Exposure Difference: 0 EV Flash Sync Mode: Not Attached Sensitivity: ISO 125 Color Mode: Mode II (Adobe RGB) Hue Adjustment: 3 Herko D1Xa White Balance: Cloudy Tone Comp: Normal Sharpening: High
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By Ann Walker
Think you’ve “done Yuma” because you toured Yuma Territorial Prison and ate at Lutes Casino?
It’s a start, but one reason thousands of snowbirds return to Yuma year after year is that there’s always something new to discover in the world’s sunniest destination – even in the “same old places.”
To take your Yuma adventures to the next level, just get off the beaten track:
History buffs will dig Castle Dome Mines Museum (www.castledomemuseum.com, 928.920.3062), a lovingly re-created “ghost town” in a picture-perfect desert setting about 40 miles northeast of town. Spanish conquistadors found silver here in the 1600s, and exploration continued from 1862 to 1979, making these Arizona’s longest-worked mines.
When Allen and Stephanie Armstrong bought the old claim – now surrounded by Kofa National Wildlife Refuge – only a few original buildings remained standing. They’ve since created a sprawling town of more than 50 authentic structures -- each filled to the rafters with period furniture, equipment and artifacts like the world’s oldest pair of Levi’s, much of which Allen pulled from the claim’s dry, dark mineshafts in pristinely preserved condition.
Mostly off the tourist radar, Castle Dome delivers what writer Roger Naylor called “an unforgettable blend of history and scenery” that “bristles with rich details of the lives led -- and lost.” A new section updates the story through the 1960 and ‘70s. It’s open daily fall through spring, the $10 cost includes the ghost town and a self-guided hike through the mining area. Bring a picnic and make a day of it – no drive-throughs out here!
Right in town, you can dig deeper with a walking tour of Yuma’s historic downtown and riverfront from Yuma County Historical Society (find them on Facebook or call 928.231.6433 or 928.782.1841). This easy stroll on paved walks takes about two hours and covers about 1-1/2 miles – along with centuries of interesting tales. Last year, tours were Tuesdays, Thursday and the 1st Saturday of every month, call for updated info.
For another kind of stroll down memory lane, visit the Cloud Museum (www.cloudmuseum.dynamitedave.com, 928.919.5508). Among 115 vintage vehicles gathered under numerous roofs – or open to the blue skies of Bard, Calif. – are more than 75 Model T Fords, all in running order thanks to owner Johnny Cloud. Lots of other “stuff” too, from farm equipment to crank telephones to a gadget that cuts saltwater taffy. Said Cloud: “If it’s old and rusty and useless, I’ve got it.” Now you go see it.
Want to explore the desert but don’t have the right vehicle – or the confidence you’ll find your way home? Running Boy Tours (www.runningboy.us, 928.581.8202) offers off-roading adventure customized to your personal thrill level. No weather worries, choose an open-air ATV or a climate-controlled Jeep or Tracker and get a closer look at wildlife and vegetation, mining, aviation and military history, plus local tales and folklore.
To plunge into the Colorado River without getting wet, get on board with Yuma River Tours (www.yumarivertours.com, 928.783.4400) for a jet boat trip through wilderness areas full of birds and wildlife or a leisurely cruise on the Colorado King sternwheeler. Plan ahead – because the launch location is a little remote, there’s no fixed schedule, and trips are by reservation only.
If you want to wet a line, hook up with Dave Willhide of Goin’ Fishin’ (www.goinfishin.4t.com/, 928.782.2621) for a half- or full day of bass mastery from an expert who can “talk all week” about “one of the best bass fisheries in the western U.S but different from everyplace else.” You bring a fishing license and lunch and he’ll provide the rest.
If you’re ready to rise above it all, Balloons Over Yuma (www.balloonsoveryuma.com, 928.343.2218) will give you a bird’s-eye view of farm fields and desert. Pilot Colin Graham has flown thousands of passengers in 30 states and five countries over the past two decades, now you can float through Yuma’s cloudless skies with him each year from October through late spring.
As for what’s new this year in a favorite “old place,” Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park (www.yumaprison.org, 928.783.4771) will debut a new interactive feature that lets you hear haunting echoes of hard time in a hard place. As you walk through the granite cellblock, high-tech sensors trigger audio narratives inspired by prisoner diaries. “We’re always looking for new ways to bring history to life,” said Charles Flynn of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area. “Hearing the words of prisoners while standing in the cells of what they called ‘the hellhole’ makes their experience more real.”
To find your real Arizona adventure, head to www.visityuma.com or call us toll-free at 800.293.0071. Our Visitor Info Center is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. MST seven days a week from October through May.