01
Best easy wildlife walk
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge Trails
South Of Ripley Along The California-Arizona Border • Riverfront Wildlife Refuge Trails • Best Easy Nature Walk
Flat loop trails along the river let you stretch your legs while watching sandhill cranes, ducks, and desert bighorn in season.
For an approachable hike with a real sense of place, the nature trails at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge are hard to beat. Short loops along levees and desert benches give big-sky views of fields, wetlands, and the Colorado River, with excellent winter birding. Go early in the day for cooler temperatures and the best wildlife activity.
02
Top rugged desert trek
Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness
West Of Ripley In The Palo Verde Mountains • Remote Volcanic Desert Wilderness • Best For Seasoned Hikers
A maze of washes and ridges leads to volcanic high points with sweeping views over the Palo Verde Valley and lower Colorado River.
If you want true backcountry, the Palo Verde Mountains Wilderness delivers classic Sonoran desert hiking with almost no crowds. There are no formal trails, so most routes follow sandy washes and faint use paths toward peaks like Palo Verde Benchmark and surrounding ridges. This is a bring-your-own-navigation, extra-water kind of outing that rewards preparation with huge horizons and deep quiet.
03
Most relaxed river stroll
Mayflower County Park Riverfront Path
North Of Blythe On The Colorado River • Shaded County Park River Path • Best For Families And Picnics
A mellow walk through cottonwoods and along the riverbank, with plenty of spots to pause, watch boats, or set up a picnic.
Mayflower County Park is more about an easygoing wander than a serious hike, but it is a local go-to when you want a quick stretch. A network of paved and dirt paths traces the riverfront, weaving past campsites, lawns, and shady trees with constant water views. It is an ideal choice for mixed groups, kids, or a leg-stretcher on the way into or out of Ripley.
04
Best off-the-grid peak
McCoy Mountains Wilderness
Northwest Of Ripley Near Highway 60 And I-10 • Steep, Rocky Desert Ridgeline • Best For Solitude And Big Views
Unmarked routes climb rocky slopes and narrow ridges to high points overlooking endless desert basins and distant mountain ranges.
The McCoy Mountains Wilderness offers a sterner version of desert hiking, with rough jeep tracks leading to cross-country climbs. From the base of the range, you pick your line up talus and slabs to reach airy ridges and summits with far-reaching vistas. Because water, shade, and signage are virtually nonexistent, this area suits experienced hikers comfortable with route-finding and early starts.
05
Best short scenic loop
Imperial National Wildlife Refuge Painted Desert Trail
Far South Along The Lower Colorado River Corridor • Short Signed Interpretive Desert Loop • Best For First-Time Desert Visitors
A well-marked loop climbs a low mesa past colorful badlands with panoramic views over the river, backwaters, and distant ranges.
The Painted Desert Trail is a compact, well-signed circuit that shows off the lower Colorado River country in a single walk. Interpretive signs explain the geology and plants as the path winds through red and tan clay hills to overlooks above the wetlands and backchannels. It is a great option when you want a manageable hike with big scenery and minimal navigation fuss.