Yuma after Christmas

One day while at Yuma about 5 carloads decided to explore the area. We traveled about 75 miles roundtrip through Yuma Lakes, Mittry Lake, up to Squaw Lake and Senators Wash (a long term boondocking area), and finally to the Imperial Date Farm for a date shake before returning back to the VFW where I was staying.

This early dam and canal system was built by the U.S. Reclamation Service in 1907.

On Mittry Lake is an area called Betty's Kitchen. From the 1930s through the flood of 1983, this area was a small community of about 10 permanent residents, which included the restaurant, Betty's Kitchen. It was a popular stop for those coming up to fish on the river. But the flood of 1983 washed away the entire community and since they leased the land from the government, their leases were not renewed and now the area is a National Wildlife and Interpretive Area.

Pieces like this are all that remain of the community today.

The Imperial Date Farm has a store where you can buy local dates and other products.

But most people go there for their date shakes.

While on the way to Squaw Lake we stopped at Senators Wash. In this area it is not unusual to see free roaming burros like these.