Colorado River golf from Laughlin to Lake Havasu, stretch by stretch

Colorado River golf runs for about 70 miles, from Laughlin and Bullhead City below Davis Dam, south through Fort Mohave and Needles, to Lake Havasu City. Eleven courses along that stretch are open to visitors, and Emerald Canyon near Parker extends the run south. The two banks keep different clocks in winter.

This guide follows Colorado River golf from north to south, with what each stretch offers a golfer, how long it takes to reach and which clock it keeps. Check which bank a course is on before you set an alarm.

Quick facts

• Length of the run: about 71.5 miles from Laughlin to Lake Havasu City, roughly 94 minutes by road.
• Courses open to visitors: eight near Laughlin and Bullhead City, three in Lake Havasu City, plus Emerald Canyon near Parker.
• Courses on or by the river: Rivers Edge, Mojave Resort, El Rio and Chaparral; lake views at the Havasu courses.
• Clocks: Nevada and California on Pacific time; Arizona one hour ahead from November 1, 2026 to March 14, 2027.
• Season: October to April; overseed and reseed closures between early September and about November 10 in 2026.

Colorado River golf courses, stretch by stretch

Drive times are free-flow estimates from the Laughlin-Bullhead City Bridge.

Davis Dam to the bridge: Laughlin and Bullhead City

The northern end is the busiest. Davis Dam holds back Lake Mohave just upstream, and the Laughlin casinos line the Nevada bank along Casino Drive. Across the Laughlin-Bullhead City Bridge, Laughlin Ranch climbs into the foothills east of Bullhead City with river and mountain views. It is the hardest and dearest course on the river: $137 to $169 with cart for non-residents in winter and spring on the 2027 table. See the Laughlin Ranch course guide.

Closer to the water, Chaparral is Bullhead City's original course, a 9-holer near the river played as a par-60 loop and closed for reseeding until November 10, 2026. Riverview is a par-3 nine inside a 55+ RV resort that sells public tee times. Our Bullhead City golf guide covers all three.

The Avi and the Mohave Valley

About 11 miles south of the first bridge, the Veterans Memorial Bridge on Aztec Road links the Avi end of Laughlin with Fort Mohave. Mojave Resort sits on the river floodplain beside the Avi Resort & Casino: a flat, links-style course with wide fairways and wind-shaped dunes. It is the only course in Nevada and runs on Pacific time. Fees are by phone at 702-535-4653.

On the Arizona side, AZ-95 runs south through Fort Mohave and Mohave Valley. Huukan, the former Desert Lakes, is flat and tree-lined with lakes. El Rio is long and open near the river, at 7,143 yards; call 928-768-3574 before planning around it, as it has dropped off GolfNow. Los Lagos is a Ted Robinson Sr. desert course with a slope of 126. All three keep Arizona time. Read our Fort Mohave golf guide for detail.

Needles: the California bank

Rivers Edge is the City of Needles' municipal course, right on the river with long par 3s. It is flat, easy to walk and on Pacific time, the same as Laughlin. The 2026-27 passes include $1,200 for three months with cart and range, which suits a winter stay. Our Needles golf course guide and the Rivers Edge course guide have the full pass list.

Further south, AZ-95 meets I-40 near Topock, where the interstate crosses the river. Topock Gorge, a red-rock stretch of river inside the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, is best seen by boat or kayak on a day off.

Lake Havasu City

The river widens into Lake Havasu, and Lake Havasu City is the second golf hub. Lake Havasu Golf Club, formerly London Bridge Golf Club, has Desert West, the original 1967 hillside course with lake views, and the shorter Desert East. Public rates on the 2026/2027 table run $50 to $94 at the West and $48 to $82 at the East. Iron Wolf, the former Refuge, is a Palmer-designed hill course on the north end of town with lake views. Our Lake Havasu golf guide compares them.

The Island Golf Club at the Nautical, on the Island, closed around 2018. Bridgewater Links, the short nine at London Bridge Resort, has an unclear status: call first.

The Parker Strip

Emerald Canyon is a county-owned course in the canyons off AZ-95, about 8 miles northwest of Parker. Red-rock walls and elevation changes above the river make it a scenic round, and the best course south of Lake Havasu City. It cost $80 with cart in winter 2025-26, or $90 if booked more than seven days ahead, and it is closed October 1 to November 1, 2026 for overseed. See Emerald Canyon in Parker. Havasu Springs, a par-3 nine near Parker Dam, has an unclear status: call first.

Weather along the river

NOAA 1991-2020 normals. Both ends of the river play the same season: October to April for golf, dawn-only from May to September.

When to play Colorado River golf

The season is the same from one end to the other. November brings mid-70s highs and fresh rye, and it is usually priced below the January to March peak. January to March is when winter visitors from Canada, the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest fill the RV resorts along the river, so morning tee times and season passes go first. April is mid-80s and nearly dry, with tee times opening up as visitors head north.

Fall overseed closures run at different times by course. In 2026 El Rio was closed September 1 to 27, Mojave Resort September 8 to October 8 and Riverview September 14 to October 12. Iron Wolf reopened October 7, Lake Havasu Golf Club's Desert West was still off the public sheet in late October, and Emerald Canyon is closed until November 1. See Laughlin golf overseed before a fall trip.

Basing for Colorado River golf

The river splits naturally into two bases. Laughlin and Bullhead City cover eight courses within 40 minutes; Lake Havasu City covers three within about 15 minutes of the London Bridge area. Driving between them on AZ-95 takes about an hour and a half. For a winter stay, RV resorts such as Vista Del Sol in Bullhead City and Havasu Falls in Lake Havasu City publish monthly prices. Our Laughlin vs Lake Havasu guide helps you choose. Much further down the river, compare Yuma golf courses.

Plan it on the map

Open the Laughlin golf map to see the whole river, from Laughlin Ranch to Lake Havasu, with drive times. The $30 plan turns it into a day-by-day golf trip, or a whole winter stay with a weekly course rotation.