Dotty McNulty

Kingman Arizona, Real Estate

Kingman, AZ Area Guide

Welcome to Kingman!  Kingman has a rich history and there are plenty of things to see and do here including the county fair held in September, arts and craft shows, and car shows that are held throughout the year.  The city is close Las Vegas, Laughlin, Bullhead, Flagstaff and several other cities, and is also close to a variety of outdoor recreation like fishing, skiing, hunting and camping. 

History
The Birth of Beale Springs
Founded in 1882 as a railroad siding near Beale’s Springs, Kingman is located in the scenic Hualapai Valley between the Hualapai and Cerbat mountain ranges.  The area was home to the Hualapai Indians for centuries before Lt. Edward Beale visited the area in the 1850s and constructed a wagon road; in 1865 Beale Springs became a toll stop between Prescott and Hardyville. 
The area became a temporary Army outpost during the Hualapai War between 1866 and 1870.  Following the war Camp Beale Springs was officially established by Company F, 12th U.S. Infantry in Fort Whipple in 1871.  The camp was a supply station for the Hualapai Indians, and provided continuous protection along the Prescott Toll Road until the Hualapai Indians were forced to leave the area and relocate to the Colorado River Indian Tribes reservation at La Paz (near Parker, Arizona).    The camp became inactive on April 6, 1874.
Since then, the site has been used for agriculture, ore milling, and mining operations.  A way-station hotel and a water works facility were also built.  The Springs became a water source for the growing city of Kingman, and a reservoir was constructed which is still partially standing today.  With the land no longer being used for residential purposes, the people of Kingman were free to use the land for picnics, swimming, and hiking as they still do today.

The City of Kingman is nestled between the Hualapai, Cerbat, and the Black Mountains, and thus offers a variety of outdoor activities.  Hiking, picnicking, and camping are popular here due to the peaceful shade beneath the towering pine trees.  The nearby rivers and lakes offer a wide range of recreational opportunities such as boating and fishing, and there are nearby ghost towns that are unique historical attractions to visit as well.

Grand Canyon Caverns (http://www.gccaverns.com)
Located 210 feet underground, the Grand Canyon Caverns are made of limestone and make up the largest dry caverns in the United States.  The caverns can be easily entered by elevator so no climbing is required.  45-minute guided walking tours are offered (3/4 mile) along with horseback riding on the surrounding ranches and swimming beneath waterfalls with brilliant blue green waters.  Camp grounds are also available, and RV and camping guests have full access to a heated pool, disc golf course, and miles of nature trails.  Grand Canyon Caverns consists of 800 acres of land so there is always plenty to do! 

Grand Canyon National Park (http://www.nps.gov/grca)
Grand Canyon National Park is located on the Colorado Plateau in northwestern Arizona; it consists of 1,218,375 acres of natural, semi-arid land.  The area boasts large, raised plateaus, basins, and several steep-walled canyons below the dense forests. 

Due to its sheer size, the Grand Canyon is one of the most studied geological landscapes in the world.    The diverse fossil record found here encompasses three of the four eras of geological time, not to mention a vast array of rock formations and caves that house many paleontological, archeological, and biological resources.  The canyon is incised by the Colorado River which is 4,000 feet deep on average and spans 277 miles; it is 6,000 feet deep at its deepest point and 15 miles across at its widest point.  The Canyon is considered to be one of the best examples of arid-land erosion in the world.

In addition to the fossils and rock formations that can be found here, the Canyon is also home to several major ecosystems.  The diversity is attributed to the amount of space the Canyon spans: five of the seven life zones are present here (Lower Sonoran, Upper Sonoran, Transition, Canadian, and Hudsonian) as well as three of the four desert types in North America (this is equivalent to traveling from Canada to Mexico in a biological sense).  The Park also serves as an ecological refuge for shrinking ecosystems such as Boreal Forest and Desert Riparian communities.  It is home to numerous rare, endemic, and protected species; there are over 1,500 plant, 335 bird, 89 mammalian, 47 reptilian, 9 amphibian, and 17 species of fish found here.

There has been continuous occupation of the park by humans since the Paleo-Indian Era and the oldest human artifacts that have been found here are nearly 12,000 years old.  Researchers have identified over 4,800 archeological resources within the Park alone.

White Cliffs Wagon Trail
Hours: Open continuously
Location: Follow Grandview and turn right onto Lead Street, turn left on White Cliffs Rd.

Visitors can explore a unique piece of history traveling down an authentic wagon road that once brought ore to the railroad from the Stockton Hill Mines.  The old ore wagon route dates back to the late 1800s and the tracks have been cut deep into the stone.  The depressions along the sides of the roadbed that were used for stubbing posts and ropes (used to assist heavy wagons up the grade) can still be seen.

Hualapai Mountain Park
First established by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s, the roads, trails, and stone cabins are still much like they were when they were first constructed 50 years ago.  The park has its own unique character which has been preserved through its buildings and architecture over the years.

The word Hualapai means “Pine Tree Folk” and is derived from the name of the Native American tribe that once resided in these mountains until they were relocated to reservations in the 1870s.  The mountains stay green year-round and are covered in Pinion Pine trees (Ponderosa Pine can also be found at higher elevations).  The land consists primarily of forests and natural springs, and a variety of animals can be found here including bear, elk, mule, deer, mountain lion, javelina, and many others.

The Colorado River

The Colorado River flows from the southwestern United States to northwestern Mexico and is approximately 1,450 miles long (2,330 km).  The river drains the dry regions on the western slope of the Rockies and flows into the Gulf of California.  The lower course of the river in Mexico does not consistently reach the sea due to heavy use of the river for irrigation of the Imperial Valley.

Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend is a segment of the Colorado River near Page, Arizona which is located slightly downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell.  Only accessible by a ¾ mile hike down U.S. Route 89, the bend can be viewed from a steep cliff above it which forms a breathtaking vista.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Spanning southern Nevada and northwestern Arizona, the Lake Mead Recreation Area is comprised of two large reservoirs: Lake Mead itself and Lake Mohave.  Activities available at the reservoirs include boating, swimming, sunbathing and fishing while the surrounding desert allows hiking, wildlife photography, and sight seeing.  The Lake Mead NRA is the meeting place of three of the four American desert ecosystems including the Mojave Desert, the Great Basin Desert, and the Sonoran Desert.  Thus, the area is home to a large number of plants and animals that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.  The Lake Mead NRA also includes the Hoover Dam and overlaps with the Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument.

Laughlin, NV

Laughlin is an oasis bordered by the Colorado River and the desert, and its excellent cuisine and diverse culture welcome over 4 million visitors each year.  Various artists have performed here including Debbie Reynolds, Jeff Foxworthy, and the Beach Boys just to name a few.  There are all kinds of exciting shows and special events throughout the year, and the lounges and bars offer a rich nightlife as well.

River Palms Resort Casino
The River Palms Resort in Laughlin has over 72,000 square feet of Vegas-style gambling, restaurants, and liver entertainment options.  There are also fast food vendors, a full service spa and salon, and a pool. 

Boiler Room Brew Pub
Home of a state-of-the-art digital satellite system with 22 viewing screens, the Boiler Room Brew Pub allows visitors to see sporting events and enjoy hand-crafted brews in style.  Meals and snacks are also served from the open-pit kitchen and fine cigars are available as well.

Big Bend Recreation Area
Five miles south of the Laughlin on the Needles Highway, Big Bend State Recreation Park offers picnicking, boating, fishing, swimming, and stunning view of the river and the surrounding mountains.

Kingman Events

Annual Home and Garden Expo: March 7-9 (www.kingmanchamber.org)
At the Mojave County Fairgrounds experts team-up to give information on home renovations and landscaping to the residents of Kingman.  There are booths and exhibits, and carnival rides are also available for children.

Laughlin River Run (http://www.laughlinriverrun.com)
Since 1983 thousands of motorcycle riders flood Laughlin every year to attend the largest motorcycle even on the West Coast, the Laughlin River Run.  The ride takes place on the banks of the Colorado River, and riders spend days getting acquainted with the city’s scenic roads and popular attractions.  The parking lot of the Laughlin Casino fills with vendors selling all kinds of motorcycle gear and supplies.  There are also numerous bikes on display by Motorcycle dealers and enthusiasts.