Drift Desert, Arizona facts for kids

Drift Desert was once a ranch and a busy stop for steamboats along the Colorado River. Today, it's known as a ghost town in La Paz County, Arizona.

A Look Back at Drift Desert

Drift Desert started as a ranch. It also had a special area called a woodyard. This woodyard was a landing spot for steamboats owned by George Alonzo Johnson. These steamboats traveled up and down the Colorado River. They would stop at Drift Desert to pick up wood, which they used as fuel.

The landing was about 102 miles north of Yuma, Arizona. It was also about 29 miles south of La Paz. Back then, this area was part of Yuma County, Arizona.

Drift Desert even appeared on an old map from 1861. This map was called "Geological Map No. 1." It was made by J.S. Newberry and showed the Colorado River. The map also showed places explored by Lieutenant Joseph Christmas Ives. It helped people see the path of the river from the Gulf of California all the way to Las Vegas Wash. It also marked important spots and camps along the river.

What's Left Today?

Over time, the old steamboat landing at Drift Desert has disappeared. There isn't much left to see of the original site on the riverbank today.