On the land in Yuma

Whether you are driven by finding food or following fairways, you'll enjoy exploring the activities in Yuma

While the area surrounding Yuma offers plenty of hiking opportunities, you don’t have to go out of the city to get your walk in for the day. Yuma offers a fabulous variety of scenery on its 1.5-mile riverfront walkway along the Colorado River—from Gateway Park to West Wetlands Park. The path, which is paved and lit, provides panoramic views and you can see the Ocean-to-Ocean Bridge. And if that’s not enough, an additional five miles of unpaved trails run along a main irrigation canal and out of the main traffic areas. There are benches and landscaping all along, with sweeping vistas of the city and area.

“This is a beautiful place to see the sunset—you are looking out across the water,” said Ann Walker, a Yuma resident and media relations specialist with the Yuma Visitors Bureau. “On the West Wetlands portion of the trail you’ll find the hummingbird garden and a burrowing owl habitat.”

Walker said there are also playground areas, places for swimming and fishing, picnic shelters and disc golf.

At Pivot Point, you can see a 1907 Baldwin Steam Locomotive sitting on original track, and browse the art panels depicting Yuma’s history. After dark, a spectacular and innovative laser and sound display shows where the original tracks crossed the river. The trail systems and all activities are free. The walkway is pet friendly, and if you happen to see a goat out walking with its owner, it’s probably just getting in shape for the Spring County Fair.

For more info: Visit the Yuma Visitors Information Center or phone 1-800-293-0071.

Dig it

Speaking of farm animals, another fun activity offered through the Yuma Visitors Center is the unique Field to Feast Tour. This popular attraction—a collaboration between the visitors centre, Yuma Safe Produce Council, the Arizona University and the Arizona College culinary program—is now in its second year. The tour combines opportunities to be active, learn and eat, and takes you into the University of Arizona fields. Guided by a recipe card, you gear up in your very best farming garb and harvest the produce needed for your lunch, which is then prepared by Arizona College culinary students. After lunch, the tour takes you to a citrus grove, where you can pick your own desert dessert. This is a fun and interesting way to be hands-on in food gathering, and tours sold out last year.

“People are becoming more interested in where their food comes from,” said Kristan Sheppeard, organizer of the program. 

Cost to participants is $40 for this half-day agricultural adventure, and you even get to take some of your veggie pickings back to your RV to prepare for yourself. Tours run January through March for the 2012 season.

For more info: call 1-800-293-0071.

Chip away at the fairway

After all those great local fresh veggies and fruits, you may be ready to hit the fairways. The Yuma area boasts 234 holes of golf on more than 16 diverse courses; the options will satisfy everyone from seasoned players looking for that next challenge to newbies out for fun and fresh air. Yuma courses are friendly and playable, and offer great golf value. Savvy swingers will enjoy the signature hole at Las Barrancas, a 600-yard, par 5 down a ravine with 20-foot rock hills on both sides; the popular Foothills nine-hole Executive and Par 3 courses are perfect for a more casual game.

Paul White, who is with Golf in the Foothills, said the courses are desert style: very open, with desert on both sides of the holes.

“The small courses are extremely popular,” White said. “Many like the level of skill, the affordability and the 1.5 to two hours it takes to play a round. Tthe Foothills Par 3 is about an hour and a half walk, so you get to get out, get some exercise and socialize. The Executive is a good fit for many players, particularly women and retirees.” 

The three Foothills courses are located within a mile of each other just 10 minutes out of Yuma. The courses are open all year, White said, and only the most dedicated are on the course in summer. He added that golfers will want to book early for morning tee times January through April.