Off-Roading Trails in Lake Havasu

Explore up to 1,800 miles of off-road trails

If you enjoy taking the road less traveled, here are some popular trails recommended by local off-road riders.

Located right outside city limits on the south side of Lake Havasu City, the Standard Wash area has 7,500 acres open to off-road recreation. The routes are on existing roads and trails in the low desert.

Explore Up To 1,800 Miles Of Trails

Swansea Road, 23 miles south of Parker in the town of Bouse, is an easy 23-mile road leading to Swansea Townsite. Once a booming mining town, Swansea Townsite is one of Arizona's most visited ghost towns and a popular OHV riding area with designated trails for all types of OHVs.

Copper Basin Dunes off-road area is 1,275 acres on the California side of the lake and just a short drive from Lake Havasu City. Riding terrain here includes sand dunes and trails through the desert and up into the canyons. The staging area is about 15 miles down Parker Dam Road.

Check out the Crossroads, a 1,500-acre network of trails just 10 miles or so down the Parker Dam Road. Riding opportunities in this off-highway section include sand washes and trails through the lowlands.

For a rewarding, easy drive, take the Auto Tour Loop at the Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge. It’s a three-and-a-half-mile tour of nature. You’ll see the rich ecosystem thriving by the river from the comfort of your 4x4 or side-by-side. Among other wildlife, watch for feathered wings aplenty.

Just outside of Havasu Heights north of Lake Havasu City, The Bunker Bar is a popular solar-powered desert bar with a full bar, a variety of soft drinks, and live music daily. Food is served all day by Nikos Grill.

The Desert Bar is a popular saloon in the Buckskin Mountains area near the town of Parker. The four-and-a-half mile route through Cienega Springs Road takes about an hour. Buckskin Mountain Trail is slightly rougher with four rocky miles that take about an hour and a half to traverse. Either way will bring you to the Nellie E. Saloon solar-powered bar, which has a full bar, a bare-bones menu, live music and kitschy art.

Before venturing out, notify someone where you're going and when you plan to return, and remember to bring the following to keep you safe and comfortable in the desert:

  • Water
  • Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
  • Cell phone
  • First aid kit
  • Flashlight

The Arizona Game & Fish Department provides valuable information regarding off-roading in and around the Lake Havasu City area, including vehicle guides, safety education, off-road safety videos and options for educational courses for recreational off-road vehicles.

Go Offroad in Lake Havasu City

  • Off-Road Vehicle Registration

    For operating on public and state trust lands in Arizona, all OHV’s weighing 2,500 pounds or less, and designed primarily for use over unimproved terrain, are required by law to…

  • Desert Bar

    Ken Coughlin, founder of this saloon, built the Desert Bar at the site of an old copper mining camp in 1975. Although all remnants of the original camp are gone…

  • The Bunker Bar

    Just outside of Havasu Heights north of Lake Havasu City, this solar-powered desert bar has a full bar along with Whiteclaw and a variety of soft drinks.