Yuma Territorial Prison

As a student of the American West, whenever I’ve heard the name Yuma, I’ve always thought of the Territorial Prison located there. So when we decided to spend a few days in Yuma, the first place I wanted to see was the Yuma Territorial Prison.

Entrance to the park, with the watch tower located atop the water supply.

The prison opened for business on July 1, 1876, when 7 men who helped build the facility were locked into their cells. The prison would continue to operate for 33 years, during which time it would house a total of 3,069 prisoners, including 29 women.


The prison is perched on a bluff above the Colorado River. The historic downtown district of Yuma is located just to the west. In the early days of the prison, the citizens downtown could easily see the prison; perhaps its dominating presence helped keep some of them honest.


The tour of the prison begins at the gift shop. We purchased our 2 tickets for a total of $12 and were led outside and told briefly about what to expect. We began by climbing the main tower, which was actually located atop the prison’s water supply. At the top, we had a commanding view to the Yuma East Wetlands restoration project.


Back down on ground, we walked through the Sally Port, the check point through which prisoners entered and left the prison. The most notorious attempted prison escape at Yuma occurred here when several prisoners took the superintendent hostage and tried to force their way out. 4 of them were killed and the other captured.

The Sally Port, with the museum directly behind.

Just beyond the Sally Port is the prison museum. This building is located on the site of the original prison mess, and was built during the Great Depression, long after the prison had closed its doors to guests. A 7 or 8 minute film in the museum runs constantly, and is a great way to get some background on the prison.

Interior of museum. There are many interesting items here. Be sure to watch the informative film.

Continue through the museum out the back door and you will see the remaining cell blocks. At one time, the prison hospital was located atop these cell blocks, but that structure is now long gone. All of the cells except a few are locked, but step up to the bars. Some of the cells have audio recordings that are activated once you approach the cell. The “voices” tell prisoner stories. 6 prisoners were usually kept in each cell. During times of overcrowding, many were confined in the corridors.

The remaining cell block. The hospital was actually built on top, but it is long gone.

A typical cell. 6 prisoners would share this cell and the single chamber pot.

Just beyond the first cell block is the “Dark Cell,” which was carved out of a caliche hill. The “Dark Cell” was a type of punishment. Step through the door and down a 10 foot or so hallway. At the end is an enlarged cell. There is no window, so the only light is from the door down the hall. Often several prisoners at a time would be put in this cell, and some slow learners had to be housed here repeatedly. I was in there for only a few seconds and was happy to leave. I cannot imagine being in there for days on end.

Entrance to the dark cell, which was simply cut out of rock.

The short hall area leading to the cell. The door provides the only light for the cell.

The actual cell. You can see why it is called the "dark cell."

I enjoyed our visit to the prison, but I was happy to escape.

On the Road: Laughlin, NV, to Yum, AZ

We’re at Sunset Palms RV Park in Yuma, Arizona. It’s almost 200 miles from our previous location in Laughlin.


We left Laughlin KOA early yesterday morning and crossed the Colorado River into Arizona. We took Arizona 95 south to Needles, California, where we crossed the Colorado River once again. So, within about 20 minutes of leaving, we had been in 3 different states: Nevada, Arizona, and California.


We drove through Needles on old Route 66, where we then took US 95 south. This is a busy highway with numerous commercial trucks and RVs. It is only 2 lanes with no shoulders, and there are no businesses along the way. The scenery is almost identical to what we’ve been experiencing for our entire stay in the Southwest. For the entire 50 miles, there were no passing lanes, and the speed limit is 55 for trucks and RVs while it is 65 for other traffic. For the first 20 miles or so, we had a slow and gradual climb up a slope. After reaching the summit, it is then a gradual slope 30 miles down to Vidal Junction, which is a 4 way stop sign, an inspection station, and 1 or 2 businesses.

We turned east on California 62 for 17 miles where we once again crossed the Colorado River, putting us back into Arizona at Parker. Parker is a busy community which is popular with snow birds and other RVers. It’s a good place to stop for gasoline, food, or other supplies.


But we continued south, now on Arizona 95, another 2 lane highway. It is 37 miles from Parker to Quartzsite, and there are 2 passing lanes on this stretch. Once again, this is a busy highway. As we neared Quartzsite, we began seeing a few saguaro cacti scattered about. Quartzsite is an interesting town. Fewer than 4,000 people live there, but the town is a magnet for RVers. I’m not sure what attracts them, though I’m sure the mild winter climate is a major reason. The town is pretty isolated from metropolitan centers, but that doesn’t seem to matter. RV parks line Arizona 95 on the north. We stopped for gas here, then crossed Interstate 10 and picked up US 95. As we left Quartzsite, we saw RVs parked all in the dessert along the highway on the south side of town.


From Quartzsite, it is 73 miles to where we turned off on the east side of Yuma. Once again we found ourselves on a busy 2 lane road, and we saw only 1 passing lane along this stretch. Much of the time, there is no shoulder on the highway. Nearing Yuma, the Yuma Proving Ground appears on the west side of the road. Gradually, crops appear on both sides of the highway, and then we crossed the Gila River.


There were few places to stop along our 200 mile route, other than the towns indicated above. Also, we did not see a single roadside park even though more than half our route was along a US highway. Much of the route is hilly making passing difficult, so when driving an RV traffic will undoubtedly pile up behind you. But the road surface for almost the entire route is good quality, so the ride is smooth. Also, I've tried ro be clear labeling the highways. There are 2 highways using the same number. One is Arizona 95, which is contained entirely in Arizona. The other is US 95, which passes through California and Arizona. 

Leaving Nevada

Our stay in Nevada is almost at an end. We've been in the Silver State for almost 2 months. We've done a little site-seeing, a little hiking, and a lot of gambling. It's time to start heading home.

We've not had any Internet connectivity the last 2 weeks. We've been staying at the Laughlin KOA at the Avi Casino. Even though the RV park advertises that it provides WiFi, it doesn't work well. As the clerk said at the time we checked in, "We offer WiFi but we don't guarantee it." On our previous stay, we were closer to the office and were able to pick up a signal much of the time. On this visit, we are much farther from the office and have not enjoyed a signal at all.

Of course, I have my phone, but as I've stated before, I don't enjoy posting this way. So, until I have connectivity, I probably won't be posting much.

From here, we head about 200 miles south to Yuma, Arizona. We've been enjoying 70 plus degree weather the past 2 weeks, but Yuma will be warmer. We'll spend 4 nights seeing the sights in Yuma before heading east. Hopefully, I'll have a connection and some interesting pictures to post.

I hope to see you down the road.

Trapped Like a Rat

Recently we were spending 3 nights at the Aquarius Casino and Resort in Laughlin, Nevada. I had been in our room on the 5th floor and was on my back downstairs to find Donna on the casino floor. I went to the bank of 6 elevators, pressed the down button, then stepped on the elevator when the doors opened.

The elevator began its descent, then suddenly came to a jarring stop at the 3rd floor. When the elevator did not resume it's descent, I began to grow a bit concerned.

Have you ever been stuck on an elevator? It's funny what goes through your mind. The first thing I thought of was how glad I was that I had recently visited the restroom, for I might be stuck on this elevator for awhile.

Then my thoughts became more practical. Did anyone know the elevator had stopped? I began pushing buttons. First, I pushed the 1st floor button again, but that did no good. Then I pushed the button to open the doors, but that also did no good. Next I pushed the button next to a bell icon, and a bell rang. Right about then, the elevator came back to life and resumed it's descent. But just as quickly as it started, it came to another jarring halt, this time a little below the 1st floor.

I tried all the buttons again, but once again this produced no result. I was still concerned that no one knew about the elevator being stuck, so I pulled out my phone and called Donna and told her what was happening and the elevator number.

Then I spotted the emergency phone on the panel below the controls. I pushed the button and someone responded immediately. I was told that they were aware of the problem and that they were responding. They asked if I was alright.

In a few minutes, someone knocked on the elevator door to check on me. I could also hear Donna's voice outside the door. Every few minutes, someone would check on me. I'm not sure what was going on or what measures were being taken.

Then the lights went off for a few moments. I didn't like that. But they were out for only a brief time. I banged on the door and tried to tell them about the lights, but no one seemed to hear me. Then the lights came back on and the elevator began moving. It felt like the elevator was moving up quite a bit. Then it suddenly stopped, the doors slid opened, and I hurriedly stepped out.

Being stuck on an elevator is a bit unnerving. The scariest part was not knowing if my predicament was known. Once I made contact with hotel personnel, I felt much better. Now I pause anytime I have to get on an elevator. I've always had a standing rule to use the stairs for anything less than 3 flights, so I don't mind taking the stairs. But now when I step on an elevator, my insides jump just a bit. The biggest lesson I learned, though, is to always use the restroom before stepping on one of those cages; you never know how long you might be trapped like a rat.

Where Are Donna and Keith

We left Las Vegas almost a week ago. Our trailer is now parked at the KOA next to the Avi Casino about 10 miles south of Laughlin, but we've spent the last few days at the Aquarius Casino in Laughlin where we had free rooms. It's been nice to get out of the trailer for a few days.

The weather has been great since our arrival in the Laughlin area. Daily highs have been in the 70s and 80s. We've enjoyed getting outside.

We also continue to take care of business. Even though we are traveling about, we still have grocery shopping and laundry to do. Yesterday I got a haircut and took the truck in for its 3,000 mile service.

We have one more week in the Laughlin area before we start our long journey back to Texas. Hopefully, we'll do some interesting things on the way home and I can share those with you.

Leaving Las Vegas

Today is our last full day at Las Vegas KOA at Sam's Town. Tomorrow we pack up and head back to Laughlin. We are booked for the next 2 weeks at Avi KOA just south of Laughlin, which is where we stayed around Christmas. We also have 3 free nights at the Aquarius Casino and Hotel, so we will take advantage of that time to sleep in real beds and take real showers. Donna is looking forward to a hot bath.

After Laughlin, we start making our way back to Texas with numerous stops along the way. Right now the weather in Las Vegas is beautiful. The days are reaching the low to mid 70s while the nights are in the upper 40s. It should be a few degrees warmer in Laughlin with daily highs around 80 and lows in lower 50s. We welcome this warming trend. Winter in an RV can be uncomfortable. As soon as the furnace goes off, the cold begins creeping in as there is limited insulation. But we've survived the worst of winter and look forward to better weather ahead. We want to linger on our way home to ensure that Texas warms up as well before we get there. Sure, we may encounter a cold front or two, but those spells should be brief and few.

From Laughlin, we will go to Yuma, Arizona, and view the sites there for a few days. Our next stop after that is the Tombstone, Arizona, area. That place has been on my bucket list for a while. From there, we go to Alamogordo, New Mexico, where we will spend some time visiting White Sands National Monument. Next up is Carlsbad, New Mexico, where we will spend some time exploring the city and the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. We did Carlsbad Caverns years ago and have no plans to return there.

And we hope to get some hiking in at all these places. I'm especially excited about the prospect of hiking in the Guadalupe Mountains just south of Carlsbad. It will be early March when we are there and the wind may be a problem, but we'll at least check things out.

After Carlsbad, we'll drop in for a visit with daughter and her band of monsters. At last report, she said those precious little tykes were on their way to becoming hardened criminals. They seem to be giving her quite a bit of grief these days, and that makes them my heroes. I'll see if I can give them a couple of pointers while I'm there.

From there, we return to San Angelo for a week or so to take care of some business. We've not made any specific plans for anything beyond that time.

So, stick around for the trip. I hope we will see some great places and that we can take some good hikes. Of course, I'll try to share it all with you.

Until then, I'll see you down the road.

Hike Report: The Historic Railroad Trail

Yesterday Donna and I hiked some of the Historic Railroad Trail near the Hoover Dam. The one-way trail is about 3.5 miles long, making the total distance for the hike about 7 miles (3.5 miles out plus 3.5 miles in). The trail is actually an old 30 mile railroad grade that connected Boulder City to the Hoover Dam construction project. Construction of the grade began in 1931, and the railroad remained in use until 1961. In 1984, this section of the railroad was nominated to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2015, it was designated a National Historic Trail.

The most unique part of the trail is the first 2.25 miles or so, which passes through 5 tunnels. Each tunnel is about 25 feet in diameter and about 300 feet long. Views of Lake Mead and the surrounding area are also impressive, and wildlife such as bighorn sheep can also be seen at times.

We began our hike at the Alan Bible Visitor Center on Lakeshore Road just north of Highway 93 a few miles east of Boulder City. This visitor center also serves as a trailhead for the River Mountains Loop Trail, a 34 mile developed trail. We did not hike the entire trail, but below are some pictures of the section we did hike.

Parking lot at trail head. At left are 2 composting toilets. Just up the hill to the left is the Visitor Center, which has modern restrooms and various displays.

This gate is about a quarter mile into the hike. The sign says, "DANGER Extreme Conditions! STOP Do not hike Jun - Sep HEAT KILLS"

Since this is an old railroad grade, the trail is wide and pretty level. You can see the trail weaving along the base of the mountains to the left.

My intrepid bride on the trail with Lake Mead in the background.

You can clearly see the water line in this picture. Yeah, the lake could use some water.

The first of the 5 tunnels. You can see the second tunnel from this vantage point as well.

Donna snapped this shot of me just before entering the first tunnel, with the second tunnel visible in the distance.

I tried to show the ribbed look of the walls and ceiling of this tunnel in this photo.

I took this photo from the Visitor Center. In the center-left of the shot, you can see the parking lot of the trail head. The trail itself is also visible as it weaves along the base of the mountains in the center of the picture, just a little above and to the right of the parking lot/trail head.

A marina on Lake Mead. Again, notice the water lines indicating how low the lake is.