Colorado River - Laughlin, Nevada - Southwest's Source of Water and Recreation

Passing between Nevada and Arizona toward California through a valley it created tens of thousands of years, the Colorado River is the most important waterway in the Southwest. For as long as this harsh, dry environs has been settled, the river has provided the region with fresh water for drinking, agriculture, ranching, and mining as well as a network of tributaries for transportation.

The Riverside Resort was built on the Nevada side of the Colorado River by Don Laughlin in 1966. Within two decades, a town had grown up bearing his name, crowded with new high-rise casinos and hotels. Soon, Bullhead City sprung up on the Arizona shore.

Today, the Colorado River is a great source of recreational opportunities for those visiting the Laughlin area. Outfitters can provide equipment for jet-skiing, rafting, kayaking, and canoeing. There are regularly scheduled water taxis and river tours, yachts for private outings, and even wedding cruises. Fishing trips can also be arranged to catch the river's Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Trout, and Flathead Catfish.

Laughlin now has nine hotel/casinos and one motel with 10,000 rooms, 94,000 square feet of meeting space, and some 60 restaurants. Over 14,000 casino workers cross the Colorado by shuttle boat or the Laughlin Bridge every day, and around three million visitors come here each year for water sports on the river and to attend high-profile special events such as the annual River Run.