A GARDEN WALK IN WEST WETLANDS PARK
Birds and Blossoms Abound in Yuma, Arizona “The Gateway to The Great Southwest”
The 110-acre West Wetlands Park runs along the beautiful lower Colorado River, and is a wonderful year-round destination for bird watching, fishing, boating and kayaking, family gatherings and picnics, and nature walks that lead you through gardens and areas restored with local native trees, grasses, flowers and shrubs.
Follow the paths through the Ed Pastor Hummingbird Garden and enjoy the vibrant scent of blossoming southwestern desert flora that include fairy dusters, honeysuckle, bottlebrush, bird of paradise, chaste, and a variety of sage, yucca and cactus species. Not to mention the spring and summer blooms from the mesquite, acacia, palo verde and desert willow trees who provide the shade and shelter to the numerous birds that call the wetlands their home. Hummingbirds zoom all over the place in a territorial frenzy, while butterflies float along with the cool morning and late afternoon breezes. Look out for bunnies and lizards, as well as the abundant birdlife that range from vermillion flycatchers and warblers, to mockingbirds, woodpeckers, roadrunners, quail, thrashers, hawks, warblers and wading birds.
Follow the path further to the Butterfly Garden that features all kinds of sage and flowering shrubs. Here you’ll see a statue honoring the Mormon Battalion, a nod to Yuma’s rich history of being the crossing grounds for a number of explorers and expeditions, including the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition from Mexico to San Francisco. Other highlights include a boat launch and the boat trailer parking area at Centennial Beach, a 15ft stocked fishing pond, picnic ramadas, the Stewart Vincent Wolfe Creative Playground – also known as Castle Park, Arizona Public Service Solar Demonstration Garden, as well as a myriad of walking trails that include a tree-shaded pathway along the banks of the Colorado River.
As one stands amid the colorful flowers and lively birdlife, and soak in the views of the lush green spaces and the tranquil ripples of the Colorado River, it’s hard to believe this oasis was once the local landfill! A wonderful story of restoration and community beautification.
JIGSAW PUZZLE: Watch our Big Blend Video “60 Seconds of a #OneHourWalk – West Wetlands Park” and then enjoy piecing together this online jigsaw puzzle of a Red Bird of Paradise flower found in the Ed Pastor Hummingbird Garden. Use the full screen icon to make it easier. Use your mouse roller or arrow keys to rotate the puzzle pieces and click and drag to put the pieces in place. Use the Image Icon to see the picture and the Ghost Icon to set your workspace.