Parker Dam is on the Colorado River, 155 miles downstream from Hoover Dam. The Parker Dam Road Back Country Byway begins here. This sets out three distinct topics to help you get your bearings: the dam itself, a road route with a described course, and Lake Havasu, the reservoir behind the dam. Construction history, route details and water activities appeal to different interests and can be considered separately when planning your trip.
Dam on the Colorado River
The dam was built between 1934 and 1938 and is a concrete arch dam. It is often called “the deepest dam in the world.” Of its structural height of 320 feet, 73 percent is not visible. These details offer different ways to understand the structure: the dates place its construction in time, the type describes the dam, and the percentage indicates how much of its structural height is not visible. This gives travelers interested in engineering a more precise understanding than the commonly used description alone.
Byway and Parker Dam Road
The Parker Dam Road Back Country Byway begins at the dam. After crossing into California, it continues south on Parker Dam Road to the boundary of the Colorado River Indian Reservation. Its starting point, direction and endpoint provide a geographic reference for the route. This makes it possible to understand the described course, from its beginning at the dam to its named endpoint.
The Parker Dam Road “Thread of Life” is 11 miles (18 kilometers) long and runs along the California shore of the Colorado River. It highlights scenic, natural, historical and prehistoric values. Its length and themes offer two different points of reference: the distance shows the extent of the road, while the highlighted values outline its scenic and historical focus. So when considering a road route by its content, both the distance and the explicitly stated themes matter.
Lake Havasu and water activities
Lake Havasu is the reservoir behind Parker Dam and is about 45 miles long. Its approximate length describes the extent of the body of water and adds a distinct sense of scale to the dam itself. Fishing is one recreational activity visitors can enjoy at Lake Havasu. Black Meadow Landing is a public marina and boat ramp on the lake. This gives visitors both a named activity and a specific waterside facility to help them get their bearings at Lake Havasu.
Travel planning notes
One important restriction concerns crossing Parker Dam: oversized vehicles and vehicles with trailers are not allowed to cross the dam. If your plans involve such a crossing, check the current BLM access information before setting out. If you are traveling in either type of vehicle, factor this restriction into your route planning early.
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