Kofa National Wildlife Refuge

    Hiking, Parks
    Closed8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

    Location & Hours

    Mon

    • 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

    Tue

    • 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

    Wed

    • 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

    Thu

    • 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

    Closed now

    Fri

    • 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM

    Sat

    • Closed

    Sun

    • Closed

    Amenities and More

    About the Business

    Established in 1939. Kofa NWR is home to plant and animal species that have adapted to survive the harsh climate of the Sonoran Desert. Bighorn sheep, desert tortoises, mule deer, and Saguaro cacti can be found in this landscape characterized by long, hot summers, mild winters, and low annual rainfall. Two mountain ranges, the Kofa and the Castle Dome Mountains, dominate the 665,400 acres of the Refuge, of which more than 80% is designated as wilderness. Although these mountains are not especially high (the tallest peak is just less than 5,000 feet), they are extremely rugged and rise sharply from the surrounding desert, providing excellent bighorn sheep habitat. The desert plains, on the other hand, are ideal for the endangered Sonoran pronghorn whose numbers the Refuge recently began working to recover. With all of the Refuge but the 1.5 square mile area closed for the protection of Sonoran pronghorn open to the public, visitors can enjoy wildlife watching and photography, hunting, and hiking.…

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    • Photo of Andrew H.
      Andrew H.
      Anchorage, AK
      2494
      2664
      11676
      Feb 16, 2024

      There is only one negative thing about this area, and let's get it out of the way at the top:

      You need a high clearance vehicle to really experience this place. There are amazing places to camp, hike, and climb in here but make sure your vehicle has at least 7.5" of clearance (more is always better) or else you're definitely going to get some body-scraping going on.

      If you're renting a car to come out here, some sort of jeep (or a Tacoma) is probably going to be your best bet.

      You don't really need 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive, you just need to have your undercarriage up above the ground.

      Once you get in here though, there's some incredible stuff!

      I hiked/scrambled to the summits of (you can find my GPS files for your mapping software at the links below):
      Castle Dome Peak: https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=4071
      Ten Ewe Mountain: https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=35522
      Signal Peak: https://peakbagger.com/peak.aspx?pid=4066

      There's also some really great stargazing in here, and lots of spots to pull over and have a campout. This is one of the better places for boondocking in the US provided, again, that you have the clearance.

      And since this is a merely a National "Wildlife Refuge" rather than a National "Park", it's effectively free and not very crowded. I only saw one other person (and his dog) in the mountains.

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    • Photo of Marcus F.
      Marcus F.
      Escondido, CA
      376
      2918
      8595
      Jan 8, 2018
      First to Review

      ~ Crystal Hill Review ~

      To get to the Kofa National Wildlife Refuge's Crystal Hill just look for the turn-off sign just past the 95 mile marker ( off the State Route 95). You will then have to drive 6 miles down a dirt and rocky road.. It's tough sledding (15 mph), but most cars can made it if they avoid the large rocks and go slow. I even saw a compact car make this.

      About halfway down the dirt road you'll see the official Kofa Park sign and Trailhead.. You'll then keep going for 2.5 miles until you're next to a small mountain / hill on your left. Hopefully there are RVs camping so you know you're at the right place. Just turn LEFT into the campground toward the bottom of the mountain/hill. There are several pullouts ( campsites) here, so park and walk towards the hill. There are a few trails up, all with white signs telling you that no digging tools are allowed on the hill.

      Walk up the trail and make your way to the top. Please feel free to go off trail as you please. The best finds are off the main trails so explore everywhere.

      Crystal Hill is very family friendly and you're going to find quartz ( mostly white) everywhere. The clear crystal points (very tough to find) can be found if you really look hard off-trail. Remember, limit of 10.

      TIPS -

      - 10 rock limit or 10 pounds.. whichever comes first..

      - Most people collect then leave their spoils in a pile for others to find.. This helps out younger rockhounds find cool specimens.

      - The top is pure tailing, but the midway point on the North West side has some good locations for the cool stuff.

      - If you see small holes in the hillside those might be illegal mines. Small, but you or your kids can crawl in and take a look. Bring a flashlight.

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