Route 66 Topock & Moabi Regional Park

 
Topock is yet another Route 66 community that originated as a railroad stopover and because of the location on the banks of the Colorado River, this spot also once was a steamboat refueling station. The Route 66 history began with a classic arch bridge that spanned the river west to Needles, California, which was recently replaced when Interstate 40 bypassed this area. Back in the golden years of automobile touring, Topock was best known for the old Route 66 alignment that went north to Oatman and Kingman, which was quite a challenging driving experience back in the early days. 

In modern times, Topock has remained a small community and most of the growth has taken place in the neighboring Needles and Golden Shores. The old Route 66 alignment to Oatman is still open, but this road is subject to flash flood closures. The dangerous road from Oatman to Kingman is subject to closures too, so it is best to check on the status before taking on this historic Route 66 alignment.

The reasons why Topock never became a primary Route 66 tourism destination are numerous, but most have to do with this muddy flat Colorado River basin being a flood zone. All is not lost because vast tracts of public lands surround Topock, so this truly is an outdoor sportsman's paradise. This region has always been a sustainable hunting and fishing ground for the native people, so it goes without saying that wildlife abounds in this place where the desert meets the water. The Havasu National Wildlife Refuge covers a vast amount of land along the Colorado River wetlands and it is one of the most important migratory areas in the west.

The Moabi Regional Park and Pirates Cove Marina are located at the I-40 Topock exit too, although these destinations actually are on the California side of the river. Moabi Regional Park is managed as a riverfront resort area with plenty of room to roam on the sandy banks of the Colorado River. Sales, services and watercraft rentals can be found in Moabi, so this is a good spot for making plans for an extended stay.

If wildlife viewing, camping, boating and fishing is what you have in mind, all these options can be found in the Route 66 Topok area. There may not be much to to town itself, but there are plenty of outdoor adventures to be found in this place. More accommodations can be found just across the river in Needles, but once you start going west on good old Route 66, it increasingly becomes more difficult to turn back because so many adventures await ahead!