Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Community spots & sessions in AZ · on LutherHeggs
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge, located in the floodplain of the lower Colorado River, was established in 1964 as mitigation for the straightening, channelization, and armoring of the banks of the Colorado River by the Bureau of Reclamation to prevent flooding. The purpose of the 18,444-acre refuge is to protect and recreate the marshes, backwaters, and meanders that historically provided wintering grounds for migratory waterfowl and other wildlife that natural flooding would have formed. Cibola was part of the ancestral and traditional home of the Yuma Tribes of the Colorado River, mainly the Mohave and Quechan. The tribes farmed the river floodplain, which flooded annually and deposited rich soils for crops. Following each harvest, the people left the river to hunt and gather wild plants in the neighboring desert uplands, returning to plant crops after the spring floods had subsided. In the 1800s, steamer ships constantly travelled the Colorado River carrying supplies to the small military outposts of the frontier and later to the miners, settlers and farmers that came into the region. The refuge’s name, Cibola, refers to the legendary Seven Golden Cities of Cibola, which early Spanish explorers believed existed in the Southwestern United States. Though it is unknown why this name was chosen exactly, it likely suggests great wealth due to the numerous mines in the region. Cibola began as a simple steamboat landing where ships unloaded cargo and loaded wood needed for their boilers. Since then, Cibola has developed into a small farming community that also houses the Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. At the refuge, visitors can enjoy wildlife-focused recreation, such as wildlife watching, photography, hunting, fishing, and environmental education programs.