HomeCRA -- Colorado River Adventures

It's a Desert, People

The Colorado River runs through some of the most beautiful and most desolate desert in America.  This means that the enjoyable season in these parks is in the winter. KQ Ranch and Cherry Valley are outside major California cities and not in the desert so this section does not apply to them.  The home park, Emerald Cover is on the river and quite large.  Power boat people live here even during the summer.  This is a somewhat different group than live here in the winter.

But this is a desert. If you come in the summer, some of the parks shut down.  El Golfo and Yuma Lakes, for example, are open but have none of the facilities working that people want to have.  No clubhouse activities.  In fact, no activities at all.  If you do not bring your own amusement or cannot amuse yourselves, you will quickly leave.  This can mean a long, hot, unhappy drive unless hot, dry, desert is what you want.  We have people who believe the sales spiel arrive in August and expect free shrimp and lobster.  There is never free anything.  There is never lobster.  In season, there are shrimp for sale at good prices.  In season, the park has a loaded activity schedule.  Out of season, it is so hot that your RV air conditioner will not keep you cool -- and there is no shade.

A good word

If you have one of the coupon books for extra stays, they are like cash: lose them and they are gone.  When my RV was stolen, so were my books.  I requested new ones and they sent me one.  They claimed the other was no longer issued.  I am thankful for the one as I use it every year at El Golfo.  They did not have to do this.

A bad word

CRA will scam its own members. For example, I received a call one day from the home office (Robin). I was informed my contract was invalid and that I must drive to the home office to correct the problem. I was told that this absolutely was not another sales promotion but that I would receive $60 for gas and a TV dish for making the trip. This was after I asked many questions trying to identify the source of the contract problem and why I must go to them to rectify it. So I took a week and drove to Emerald Cove to talk with them. There was nothing wrong with my contract -- the trip was solely to promote the AOR campground association. I listened patiently and requested my money and dish. No money.  No dish.  When I protested they gave me a $10 certificate for their store and a $20 certificate for the gas station down the street. That price was $1.88 where the price in town was $1.40. Scam the public if you must -- but do not scam your own members.

After that, the CRA RV parks are not parks. They are RV parking lots. The lots abut each other with no attempt at being part of a natural setting.  At the Lake Havasu park little old ladies in the office make sure that any enjoyment you might have found is quickly ruined.

Phone Access

Notes:

CRA used to be one of the strong supporters of the Coast to Coast Organization.  This is history: some CRA parks no longer accept Coast to Coast.  This does not impact me since I could not use Coast to Coast at a CRA park anyway: I bought Coast to Coast through my CRA membership.

Synopsis by Park

Location

Directions

Park

Attractions/Notes

Cherry Valley Lakes

This is confusing so read carefully.

  • Exit I-10 near Banning California on Cherry Valley Boulevard.
  • From the exit  turn south one block to Desert Lawn Drive -- just south of the freeway.
    Do not enter the new housing developments!
  • Turn east on Desert Lawn Drive to Brookside (about a mile) and recross the expressway to the north side.
  • Just north of the expressway on the right is the sign for Cherry Valley Lakes.
    The sign does not say CRA.

This is a cute little park of primary interest to the Riverside area for weekend getaways.
The hookups are good and the park is clean.
The major drawbacks are the noise from I-10 (which runs parallel to the park) and the small sites.  The noise never stops.  The  noise reduction wall doesn't.

The sites were built before slides were popular: it gets really cramped in here.  Most sites are level, asphalt, drive-thrus with full hook-ups.  The tiny grass islands with two picnic tables and large trees are cute but leave people wiggling their RVs into positions such that they do not step on each others belongings nor run their awning into a tree.  Me, I would rather have the nice tree than worry about the artificial shade from an awning.  The drive-roads are overhung with a lot of RV tail ends.
Enjoy the pool and the fishing pond and the banana splits.

The park is the only thing here: no local attractions.

There are better places to stay if you are interested in amusement parks (e.g. Disneyland) or dune buggies.
This is a rural area only to those people who are accustomed to downtown Los Angeles.

Many people come here to listen to the CRA sales spiel.
The sales office is not quite honest about El Golfo.  Visitors are told that there is free shrimp -- all you can eat.
They are also told that El Golfo is one hour south of Yuma -- this is actually printed on a large poster in the sales office window.
With all this, I really wonder about the remainder of the sales spiel.

My friend, Terry, is now the park manager, I hope she can improve the integrity of the sales office.

Cell: Phones work well.

Internet:
no hot-spot.

Location:
34.0N 117.0W

ZIP: 92223

El Golfo de Santa Clara
  • From San Luis take Sonora RC highway 3 south until it ends at the park.  See details below.  From San Luis, AZ:

Like many  parks, life in this park is seasonal.  The season is from October to Easter.  During that time, the clubhouse and activities are part of the social life.  Off season the park is open, the clubhouse is closed and there are no activities.

Off season the holidays get busy with ATVs. 

Other people come off season just to avoid the crowds and the social life.

.

This park is the primary (only?) reason to join CRA.

It is not much different than the others in architecture: park your RVs right up next to each other.

The difference is in the environment and the people.  The employees and management are really great people. The whole world is at peace in El Golfo.

Beach front spaces are in high demand but the corrosive ocean spray will cover the back of your rig.  I avoid beach sites.

The night guard or other workers, wash rigs -- $30 gets you the best wash you have ever had.  $30 mores gets your rig waxed.

See me web page on El Golfo or my dissertation at the end of this page..

El Golfo is on a sand beach overlooking the Gulf of California / Sea of Cortez.  The village of El Golfo de Santa Clara is immediately north.

You can buy fish at the stores north of the park.  Ask the park management for the preferred store.

You can buy water at the water store across from the school or in the park.  The Park has good inexpensive water pumps for your 5-gallon bottles.

During the season, trucks stop at the gate with fresh produce, shrimp, and fish.

Cell:
Be careful here – most work but you pay a premium rate

Internet: Modem available at $1/minute.  True 802.11 (WiFi) wireless is available.

Location:
31.7N 114.5W

ZIP: None

DishTV:
Az: 167   El: 51   Skew: 94 (Dish and Direct values are posted at the clubhouse)

Emerald Cove

From Parker, AZ:
Go across the bridge to CA.
Turn south/right-- follow the river until you get to the park on the river side.
You cannot miss it.

This is the CRA home park.
The sites are packed so closely that you measure your distance from the ramada (if you have one) in inches on either side of your rig.

In the summer you need the ramada. Dual ACs will not keep you cool in this climate after April.

Nothing of value here.  Socialize with your neighbors or drive your high-power boat on the Colorado River.

Trying to hike outside the park is impossible without Vaseline for your nose: they septic across the highway so walking into the hills makes you nauseous.

Boat trailers park in the roadway so that getting in and out of the sites is impossible without finding a trailer owner.

Cell: None.
Go back to Parker for cell coverage.

Internet:
Parker Library
Park TV Cable Modem

Location:
34.2N 114.3W

ZIP: 92242

KQ Ranch

I am not a member of this park.

I have not been here.

Lake Havasu
  • From City: North on US 95 to Chenowith Road. 
  • West to the fire station.
    South 2 blocks to park on both sides of road.
  • Enter on right and deal with old biddy to get assigned space on the other side of road.

This is a giant gravel parking lot with hookups. There is an adult center in the middle of the park. The park uses both sides of the street but the river side is not so pretty -- they use it for Coast-To-Coast reservations.  The river side is really nicer than the member-only side but it is sort of run down.

The only reason to be here is to overnight between other parks or to drive into Lake Havasu.

Lake Havasu is an Arizona retirement community growing very fast after a slow start for the last 20 years.  Nothing here but the rebuilt London Bridge and many little shops under the bridge.  I understand London wants their bridge back – claim that they misunderstood that it was being moved to Arizona!?

Cell: In town only but service and quality are very poor. Note 1.

Internet: city library or with extortive rates at CRA office with old biddy.

Location:
34.5N 114.4W

ZIP: 86404

North Shore

West of Colorado River on I-40
exit River Road/W. Broadway.
North along river at stop
then 1 mile to gate.

I have not been here.

I have not been here.

Yuma Lakes
  • I-8 - East of Yuma - exit Araby Road.
  • North on Araby to US 95.
  • West on US 95 to the Circle K.
  • North from the Circle K
  • Turn East at the CRA Yuma Lakes sign
  • Follow sign to park.

The CRA directions are a bit confusing.  I think I stated it better.

See the off-season description of El Golfo: it is much the same.

Nothing here but a sick lake and lots of sites.

BLM Land

At the CRA park turnoff, go straight instead to BLM land – you may spend overnights here.  CRA calls this Gilligan's Island.
The BLM land gets crowded and smells during the season.
Register at the flag when it is up.

Yuma has historical significance but nobody bothers any more.  "People do not go to Yuma -- they get sent to Yuma".  The primary entities here are the marine air base and the Ford proving grounds.  The original territorial prison is now a museum.  Yuma is now the third or fourth fastest growing city I the country.  If you like it, buy now while you still can.

The sales tax is confusing in Yuma.  The tax gets up to 10.8%.  Other places in Arizona get up to 12%.

Algodones:   Go west on I-8 to the Algodones exit.  South a mile to the Indian reservation parking lot.  This is the best Mexico crossing coming north.  This is where you go to the dentist, buy glasses or buy drugs.  Careful coming back to the USA with drugs.  You can park your RV in the park or boondock up the hill.  On the hill they will find you,

Cell: Getting there.

Internet: Kinko’s, CRA office, or city library.

Location:
32.7N 114.5W

ZIP: 85365

Changes -- Mostly CRA Changes

Mexico is building a new highway to Puerto Peñasco from the highway to El Golfo.  Someone decided that Puerto Peñasco needed more California tourists.  The end result is land speculation in El Golfo.  Already there are many more tourists than a few years ago.  In 5 more years?

But -- the CRA park.  as of 2006, the "owner" of the CRA El Golfo park has been replaced.  The previous owner was not all that great.  He had other agendas.  The El Golfo CRA park has always been sort of an orphan.  Other CRA parks get amenities.  El Golfo none.  All of the amenities at the El Golfo park are created by the members themselves.  Tables and chairs in the clubhouse: members.  Screen porch area: members.  Gathering corner at the baños: members.  The workers work hard to keep up the park but it is hard when they fire and do not replace the assistant manager.  The maintenance supervisor has taken over the job and keeps the same hours as his predecessor (that is you can never find him working).  The park manager is overworked to the point that I worry about his health and sanity.  They cook quit over disputes on tips and the owner gave back the bar liquor license.  The hardest working woman you ever want to meet that worked landscape off season and at the bar in season was fired.  So there is a minimum of maintenance.  Two guys have been sweating over replacing the plaster on the pool wall all summer.  If the rains come there will be only half the staff we had last year to prepare the park for the onslaught in October.

Maybe there will be no onslaught.  There will be no more bar.  There will be no more restaurant.  There will be no more long stays unless you have extended contracts.  The 30-day coupons are now an either-or.  They can no longer be used to pay for a week out.  When I first arrived, you could use coupons to stay 11 weeks consecutively.  Now the most you can stay without extra contract is 4 weeks.  Who was the Dicken's bah-humbug character?  He was Santa Claus compared to the new park rules.

Those of us who were considered full time "staff" volunteers have been evicted.  I worked my heart out last year to provide Internet wireless to the park.  For what?  I expected to live in the park during the off season.  Why not?  I put in twice the time of most volunteers.  the contract for the Internet does not quit for the summer.  But I was informed after Easter that I had 10 days  left.  I used my 30-day coupon to find another home.

I have taken the Internet dish with me (my expense as it still has 6 months to run on its current contract).  I have helped install the TELCEL ADSL.  So people will come back to what they had before.  Only better and I shall not be around to deal with their gripes.  The system should be much better than it was so people who blamed me before will be able to know that I was the culprit.

In the meantime, a wonderful friend has let me move onto her lot.  I paid for a fence and a septic tank and additional facility for my motor home but I now live in a peace usually only found after you die.  Angels deliver me meals.  Mexican angels.  The lot owner is a policeman.  I have better security than if I were still in the park.  If you want to find me, ask anyone in town where Marisol lives.  Shoot, even people in San Luis know Marisol.

I have searched all of my life for people to love me as much as I loved them.  My friends just laughed and told me to give it up.  I have never given up on any goal in this lifetime.  I am glad I did not give up on this one.  You cannot know what it is like to have to watch the love you give freely spat upon all of your life and then walk into a little fishing village and find people who call you family.  And they mean it.  If I died tonight, I would have had the happiness that God promised to me when I was 20 years old.  But that is a different story.

But CRA.  They need help.  I do not know if Pat, Liz, and the members can pull it out of its new found hole.  The one thing I think it will do is force the members to be more interested in the Mexican community than they have been before.  That is a plus.

December note:

The park is working. Volunteers are making it survive. Since you no longer can stay past your two weeks, there are fewer volunteers.  My old office has been turned into a massage parlor.  Many people are deciding that a two-week visit is not worth the expanse or the trouble.  But a good number are here and you will meet old friends and you can bring your own booze into the clubhouse.

FedEx/UPS/USPS

If you are at the El Golfo park and have mail or packages shipped, make sure that the shipper uses USPS or UPS -- never FedEx.  The Yuma Lakes park accepts packages and mail for El Golfo.  Make sure you are in the park for more than two weeks or you may find your package sitting on a table when you arrive at El Golfo next year.  But if you do have a package sent to Yuma Lakes for El Golfo delivery (by shuttle or whomever is good enough to make the delivery into Mexico), make sure the package is sent by UPS or by mail (USPS).

FedEx has a problem delivering to Yuma Lakes.  The Yuma park is 9 miles out of town and the driver makes it his last stop.   As a result he may mark the package as an "Address Exception" claiming the absence of a site number.  All of FedEx knows the address is an RV park and although the package will be marked for El Golfo, the driver marking this exception gets to go home early.  It gets worse.

If FedEx routes the package through Phoenix, the package without a site number (that is, ALL El Golfo packages), will never even even get to Yuma.  Some Phoenix clerk will mark "Address Exception" and lose the package.  The package may never be found again.  Once it took 6 weeks, multiple visits to the Yuma FedEx warehouse, and many 800 calls -- everyone denied knowing the location of the package.  One day after the merchant refunded my money, the package mysteriously appeared in Yuma.  I was unhappy the merchant was out the money as I did not return it.  I was out more than that amount for confrontational trips to Yuma.  If the package is sent such that Phoenix does not see it and it is sitting in the Yuma FedEx warehouse (you know this by tracking the package on the FedEx web site), then you can visit the warehouse to pick it up or call them (you need their local number) to again, after they have heard it 100 times,  that El Golfo marked packages do not need a site number.  This week this happened to me and I went to the FedEx Customer Service Web site and emailed every address on the site twice: once for return email notification and once for telephone notification.  The package was delivered the next day although the response emails threatened additional charges for "rerouting" the package.  There were no phone message responses.

USPS and UPS understand this (for the most part) but FedEx likes to stay closer to town.  And yes, I do understand the frustration of driving the 9 miles and back for a package that does need a site number.  Holding all packages hostage until the complaint volume gets high enough is not good practice but saves some truck trips to Yuma Lakes.  They could save the same trips if they treated Yuma Lakes as a business delivery and the truck arrived during office hours.  Then the driver could leave the package at the office and not worry about locating someone, somewhere in the park to take the package off of his hands.

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Written:  2003          Updated:  December 3, 2007             Back to Top