PreviousYuma River Tours (Visit this link)
In talking with people over the years, we have found many are looking for new activity ideas. Some are looking for excitement; others are looking for relaxation. Some enjoy wilderness trips; others relish historic tours. All enjoy beautiful scenery. A day on the Colorado River is filled with all of the above. Join us on one of our jetboat tours on the magnificent Colorado River north of Yuma and we will be your guides through this wilderness wonderland.
Join us on a jetboat tour on the magnificent Colorado River. Our standard tours combine the beautiful scenery, the rich history of the lower Colorado river and the wildlife found in and near the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge, a natural flyway to thousands of migratory birds, is also home to a variety of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, burros, and deer. Along the riverbanks there is an abundance of history such as Indian petroglyphs dating back thousands of years, pioneer cabins abandoned a century ago, steamboat landings, and old mining towns. These historic sites, still accessible only by river, make a spectacular living museum. The majestic beauty of this area coupled with the wildlife and rich history total a combination that can't be beat. The old mining and pioneer days may have passed, but the history of the Colorado River is being brought to life each day through the eyes of the our captains in their modern jetboats.
Canoe / kayak Trips- We offer a variety of paddling itineraries, ranging from half-a-day through six-day trips on sections of the Colorado River between Hoover Dam and Yuma, Arizona. Our equipment includes canoes as well as several different styles and types of kayaks. All of our trips are on Class I water that has current, but no whitewater - enjoyable for beginners as well as experts.
Colorado King I Sternwheeler- Your tour begins as our captain and crew welcome you aboard the Colorado King. Seating is available on the open air upper deck or the main deck's enclosed area which features a small snackbar and restroom. As you freely walk around this one-of-a-kind boat, The captain begins his narration, which includes points of interest, a complete fascinating history of the Colorado, the Southwest, and the stories about riverboats and their captains who once navigated the river over a century ago. Covered in news stories across the west, the King and her cruise are one of a kind. The Colorado King Sternwheeler is 57 feet long, 18 feet wide and weighs 15 tons, yet draws only 12 inches of water when fully loaded. It is powered with a 185 horsepower John Deere turbo-charged diesel, rated at 212 horsepower. Its adjustable paddles that move up and down control the Colorado King's steering system, with its variable independent paddle speed control, making the King the only one of its kind in the world.
Yuma River Tours has been owned and operated by the Knowlton Family since 1987, but their experience on the lower Colorado River can be traced back to the 1940's. It was during the '40's that Cecil and Ruth Knowlton began boating and exploring the lower Colorado River, eventually becoming permanent residents of Martinez Lake in 1957. Their son Smokey, and Smokey's sons, Randy and Ron, grew up on this part of the river.
The Knowlton family has an impressive boating history. In 1977, the family completed a 1450-mile journey on the Colorado River from its headwaters in Colorado State, through the Grand Canyon, and finally to its mouth near the Sea of Cortez. This unprecedented trip was documented in the book "River Love". Shortly after this, Smokey circumnavigated the United States in an outboard-powered 18-foot fiberglass boat. Family members joined him on various legs of this unbelievable journey. They first went from Mexico to Alaska and returned to Long Beach. They headed south along the Coast of Mexico and across it to the Gulf of Mexico. Following the Intercoastal Waterway to Florida, they took a short diversion to the Bahamas and back. At New York City, they sailed up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal, sailing west through the Great Lakes to Chicago where they entered the Illinois River system for the trip to the Mississippi River. Following in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark, they then went up the Missouri River to the Continental Divide. Crossing it on a makeshift trailer, they entered the Salmon River over to the Snake River. From the Snake River they entered the Columbia for the trip to the Pacific Ocean. Once again they traversed the difficult coastal water to Long Beach and the end of a great adventure. With an obvious love for boating and history, it was a natural progression to start a business that included both of these things.
The Knowltons started running Yuma River Tours in 1987. The narration on the tour was developed from a variety of sources. Many years of library research as well as personal interviews with "old timer" families such as the Davidsons, Fergusons, Fishers, Mendivils, Powers, Townsends, etc., have gone into the presentation. Yuma River Tours' narration on the history of the river predates the arrival of the Spanish explorers in 1540 and takes our passengers into the present happenings on the river today. Smokey has worked with the Quechan Indian Tribe in efforts to preserve the Tribe's rich history with the river. Boma Johnson, Bureau of Land Management Archaeologist, helped provide information about the legends regarding the ancient Indian petroglyph sites that are seen on the tour. Yuma River Tours shares all of its findings with the Yuma Historical Society in an effort to promote the history of the area. Promotional tapes for the Chamber of Commerce and also scenes for the Yuma Crossing movie have been filmed from the boats at remote locations along the Colorado River.
Civic responsibility and pride is another hallmark of the Knowlton family. They are founding members of the Yuma Convention and Visitor's Bureau and have been instrumental in developing the riverfront. Ron cut down the first tullies at what eventually became the popular Colorado River Beach Park. Since 1966, the family has been active in the Blythe to Yuma River Cruises. The first Yuma to Blythe Reverse River Cruise was held in 1989. This event occurs each October and its goal is to remove trash from that part of the Colorado River. Since 1987, the "River Queen" tour boat has led the way in the local Christmas Lights Parade of Boats. Yuma River Tours takes part every year in the Handicapped Children's River Cruise on the Colorado and regularly provides discounted tours to school children and other youth groups.
The Knowlton family's love of boating combined with a lifetime spent on the water has created a lifelong dedication to the preservation of the legendary history and beauty of a section of one of America's greatest rivers. It was from this dedication that Yuma River Tours was created. More than a commercial enterprise, Yuma River Tours is a family whose desire is to share their love of the river with others. Let them be your guides through the historic, wilderness wonderland that makes up Yuma's Colorado River.
http://www.yumarivertours.com
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