Topock Gorge

A one-way float through the Colorado’s volcanic gorge.

In Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, the Colorado River slips through a rugged volcanic gorge on its way into Lake Havasu. The classic day is a one-way 14-mile float from Topock Marina to Castle Rock, past petroglyphs at Picture Rock and sandbars made for lunch. Book a shuttle so you only paddle downstream, and pick a cool, calm day.

At a glance

Classic run

14 mi, Topock Marina to Castle Rock

Time

5–7 hr on the water

Gorge

20-mile natural stretch of the Colorado

Highlights

Picture Rock petroglyphs, Blankenship Bend sandbar

Shorter option

Castle Rock to Mesquite Bay, 7 mi

Good for

Intermediate

What’s here

• Flatwater
• Boat rentals
• Paddleboarding
• Wildlife
• Swimming
• Fishing

Rentals, guides and shops

• Western Arizona Canoe & Kayak Outfitter (WACKO)

  All-day kayak, clear-kayak and paddleboard rentals with shuttles to Topock Marina and pickup at Castle Rock; also Bill Williams River trips and full-moon paddles. They will shuttle your own boats too.

Where to stay

• cabinPirate Cove Resort

  Waterfront cabins, RV sites and a restaurant on the California side, just upriver from the gorge.

  15 min drive from the put-in
• hotelLondon Bridge Resort

  Resort hotel beside the London Bridge and the Bridgewater Channel.

  35 min drive
• hotelHeat Hotel

  Small boutique hotel on the channel with views of the bridge.

  35 min drive

Nearby

• Lake Havasu State Park · 30 min drive

  Beaches, a nature trail and launch ramps on the lake north of the bridge.

• Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge · 45 min drive

  Calm, bird-rich paddle on a side river south of town; WACKO runs trips there in winter.

• London Bridge · 35 min drive

  The 1830s bridge moved here from the Thames, over a channel you can paddle under.

Getting there

• Harry Reid International (Las Vegas) (LAS) · about 2 hr 5 min drive
• Las Vegas · about 2 hr
• Phoenix · about 3.5 hr
• Los Angeles · about 4.5 hr

Directions in Google Maps