Kofa National Wildlife Refuge - January 2020

[ski3pin]

After leaving the Mojave National Preserve on our long winter adventure, we spent four nights in Kofa National Wildlife Refuge. We had an exceptionally good time. The story and photos are now posted to our blog here -

Kofa National Wildlife Refuge - January - 2020


Please enjoy coming along vicariously through our story.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Thanks Ski.
We always enjoy meeting and talking to visitors from other areas or countrys.
Sharing stories with people you meet on a travel is so mush fun.
Great pictures.
Frank

 

[LAWNMOWERMAN]

I have been visiting the KOFA NWR for many years and though the proliferation of snowbirds in their side by sides has changed the remote feeling of this wonderful place fortunately most of these people rarely get out of their vehicles.If you are willing to hike in you will most likely have the place all to yourself.And as the day goes on the dust machines leave for their Rvs parked in Yuma and Quartzite and you will have a quiet camp and maybe even see Bighorn Sheep on the mountain side if you are lucky.

 

[Cayuse]

Thanks for the report! I've enjoyed my trips to KofA and you've given me a couple new places to check out.

 

[Lighthawk]

Really nice terrain with surprising amounts of seasonal water. Petros seem abundant too!
Nice macro photos, Ski.

 

[desert-trails]

Great report and wonderful photos.

I used to go out there regularly back in the mid to late '90's in my Toyota with popup camper to photograph bighorn sheep in the summer at Little White Tank. I never saw border patrol, good samaritans or anyone else. Of course I was the only one dumb enough to go out there in July and August. It is a beautiful place, though. Thanks for posting.

Cliff

 

[ski3pin]

Thanks Ski.
We always enjoy meeting and talking to visitors from other areas or countrys.
Sharing stories with people you meet on a travel is so mush fun.
Great pictures.
Frank

Thanks Frank, we appreciate your comment! Our new young rock art friend is sure a bundle of energy.

 

[ski3pin]

I have been visiting the KOFA NWR for many years and though the proliferation of snowbirds in their side by sides has changed the remote feeling of this wonderful place fortunately most of these people rarely get out of their vehicles.If you are willing to hike in you will most likely have the place all to yourself.And as the day goes on the dust machines leave for their Rvs parked in Yuma and Quartzite and you will have a quiet camp and maybe even see Bighorn Sheep on the mountain side if you are lucky.

LAWNMOWERMAN, thanks for the comment. Quartzsite was not too bad, as I mentioned in our story and we only encountered one dust machine out on a road, although there were two camp bubbas near the entrance. Yes, the addiction to those machines appears to quickly attack the ability to use muscle. We have only touched the surface of the vast Kofa area.

 

[ski3pin]

Thanks for the report! I've enjoyed my trips to KofA and you've given me a couple new places to check out.

Glad to do so, thanks Cayuse!

 

[ski3pin]

Really nice terrain with surprising amounts of seasonal water. Petros seem abundant too!
Nice macro photos, Ski.

Yes, it was incredible to be out there. The anticipation about what may be around the next corner was intoxicating. Thanks for the kind comment!

 

[ski3pin]

Great report and wonderful photos.

I used to go out there regularly back in the mid to late '90's in my Toyota with popup camper to photograph bighorn sheep in the summer at Little White Tank. I never saw border patrol, good samaritans or anyone else. Of course I was the only one dumb enough to go out there in July and August. It is a beautiful place, though. Thanks for posting.

Cliff

Cliff, happy to bring back memories and thanks for sharing yours! These water sources become critical during the dry times.

 

[dr.tucson]

Ski- I'm glad you and the Lady got to experience KOFA. You guys go there once and see more petroglyphs on your first time than I've seen in my many visits. I guess my eyes are to 'quick'. You note the saguaro, ocotilla, and cholla, but didn't mention the extensive creosote flats. They bore a lot of people, and that may keep some folks away. I thought KOFA had a very nice, simple way of marking the roads for navigating, I realize it only works when the number of roads are limited. The staff there does a remarkable job, and visiting the several cabins can be enlightening, the Wilbank's one especially. I hope to get back there soon. I always thought Quartzsite was a fun place with all the characters and throwbacks there.

 

[ski3pin]

Ski- I'm glad you and the Lady got to experience KOFA. You guys go there once and see more petroglyphs on your first time than I've seen in my many visits. I guess my eyes are to 'quick'. You note the saguaro, ocotilla, and cholla, but didn't mention the extensive creosote flats. They bore a lot of people, and that may keep some folks away. I thought KOFA had a very nice, simple way of marking the roads for navigating, I realize it only works when the number of roads are limited. The staff there does a remarkable job, and visiting the several cabins can be enlightening, the Wilbank's one especially. I hope to get back there soon. I always thought Quartzsite was a fun place with all the characters and throwbacks there.

Hey Doc, thanks for the nice comment. Sorry about the lack of comment on creosote, but rest assured we are creosote fans. Everybody talks about the bristlecone as the oldest living things but the creosote has bristlecone age numbers more than doubled -

King Clone Creosote - Mojave Desert

We know, with our two trips to Kofa, we have only scratched the surface. Thanks for the tips.