Bureau of Land Management · Arizona
Imperial Dam LTVA - South Mesa
Bureau of Land Management · Arizona, United States
- Season
- Year-round
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Elevation
- 289 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Nearest town
- Yuma
- Phone
- 928-317-3200
- Activities
- Long Term Visitor Area (permit Sept. 15 - April 15)
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Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area | Arizona
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The Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) was created in 1983 to fulfill the needs of winter visitors and to protect the local desert ecosystem from overuse. The campground is approximately 3,500 acres in size, flat landscape, sparsely vegetated with plants such as creosote bushes, palo verde trees, ironwood trees, mesquite trees and various species of cacti. Imperial Dam LTVA offers solitude in a unique desert landscape and a variety of recreational opportunities such as hiking, swimming, boating, and fishing.
Directions: This Long Term Visitor Area is located north of Yuma on the California side of the Colorado River. Exit Interstate 8 and follow S-24 North approximately 22 miles to the turn off on Senator Wash road. Turn onto Senator Wash road and follow it for approximately 2 miles to the campgrounds.
Fees
The LTVA long term permit ($180) allows use of Bureau of Land Management designated LTVAs continuously from September 15th to April 15th (a total of 7 months), or for any length of time between those two dates. The LTVA short-visit permit ($40) allows use of Bureau of Land Management designated LTVAs for any 14 consecutive day period from September 15th to April 15th, which begins on the day the permit receipt is exchanged for the official permit and decal. From April 16th through September 14th, the fee is $10 per vehicle for day-use, $15 per vehicle for overnight use, or $75 annually per vehicle, for up to 5 people per vehicle. There will be a $1 fee charged for each person over the 5-pers
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 71° | 49° | 37° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| February | 73° | 51° | 34° | 88° | 0 of 11 |
| March | 79° | 55° | 44° | 103° | 0 of 11 |
| April | 86° | 61° | 48° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| May | 95° | 67° | 55° | 106° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 106° | 75° | 63° | 118° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 109° | 85° | 75° | 118° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 107° | 84° | 76° | 116° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 102° | 77° | 66° | 111° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 91° | 66° | 54° | 104° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 81° | 56° | 43° | 89° | 0 of 10 |
| December | 69° | 47° | 35° | 81° | 0 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Imperial Dam LTVA - Skunk Hollow · Bureau of Land Management · 0 mi
- Senator Wash Reservoir North Shore Site · Bureau of Land Management · 1 mi
- Imperial Dam LTVA - Kripple Kreek · Bureau of Land Management · 1 mi
- T.K. Jones Campground and Boat Launch · Bureau of Land Management · 1 mi
- Imperial Dam LTVA - Hurricane Ridge · Bureau of Land Management · 2 mi
All public campgrounds in Arizona · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-09-27. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.