Travel Guide Needles

Founded in 1883, when the Santa Fe Railroad line was created, Needles takes its name from the mountains that rise to the east and south (needle means "needle"). It is located on the Mojave Indian Tribe Reservation of the Mohave Indians, and is the tribal center of the reservation. Needles is considered one of the hottest cities in the United States, with summer temperatures of 50 degrees. For many years, the town was an important freight station, especially for the exploitation of fruits and vegetables from the valley. To this day, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad (BNSF) remains the major employer in Needles, although the neighboring towns of Laughlin, Bullhead City, and Fort Mohave are also major employers. In 1906, a fire destroyed much of the town; the station was rebuilt and rededicated in 1908. It was named El Garces, after Father Francisco Garces (1738-1791), who crossed the Mojave Desert in 1776, along with the huge neoclassical hotel and restaurant that accompanied it (a Harvey House). Closed in 1946, the building that housed the El Garces Hotel has been rehabilitated into a beautiful Amtrak station. A quarter of a mile away, on Front Street, you can see a beautiful caboose and a few old railroad cars exposed along the tracks. Route 66 (the original alignment) that crosses the city is called Highway 40, Broadway Street, Needles Highway or National Old Trails Highway. At 823 Broadway Street (at the corner of Front Street and Route 66), don't miss the imposing building that housed a Masonic temple from 1929, before becoming a theater. Destroyed by fire in the early 1990s, it has since been restored. Although Needles has its own marina, many of its visitors also come to enjoy the one in Moabi Regional Park, 12 miles to the south, or even the one in Topock. The scenery on the Colorado River is beautiful (especially at Topock Gorge in the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge) and lends itself beautifully to boating activities. Two major Native American events are held annually in or near Needles: the Avi Kwa Ame Pow Wow in January and the Annual Fort Mojave Indian Days in October. Before leaving town, fill up your tank and bring water