P A R K S & T R A I L S
GILA BEND 9-11 MEMORIAL PARK
201 East Pima Street, Gila Bend, AZ 85337
On the 9-11 Memorial Park National Register, our beautiful park space is home to a 4,000 lb. steel beam remnant of the attacks to our Nation on September 11, 2001. This park was designed to be a quiet place for reflection and remembrance.
COMMUNITY CENTER PARK
202 North Euclid Avenue, Gila Bend, AZ 85337
This is Gila Bend's largest Town park with a full sized soccer field, baseball field, playground, large ramadas, outdoor grills for cooking, walking paths, picnic tables and more. The park abuts the Gila Bend Community Center and the local County Library.
A mere 12.5 miles from the town center, this prehistoric site allows visitors to glimpse 100's of ancient rock etchings that were symbolic or artistic in purpose. Take I-8 west to exit 102, then turn right onto Citrus Valley Road (becomes Painted Rock Road), follow to end. Get more information at our Visitor Center.
ROTARY PARK & BENDER POND
401 S. Martin Avenue, Gila Bend, AZ 85337
Rotary Park is a smaller neighborhood park that is home to our historic Town jail house and the .25 acre Bender Pond. The park has two large ramadas, a playground and lush green-space with tall shade trees. The pond is an urban fishing pond stocked twice per year and does require a fishing license.
BRITTLEBUSH TRAIL (SONORAN DESERT NAT'L MONUMENT)
Between mile posts 10 and 11 on HWY 238
Named for the abundance of the silvery yellow-flowered brittlebush in the area, this trail takes you through some incredible Sonoran Desert scenery. The trail is 6 mi. one way and follows old jeep trails and wide desert washes. Pick up a trail map at the Gila Bend Visitor Center.
JUAN BAUTISTA DE ANZA HISTORIC TRAIL
Maricopa County, AZ
For 1800 miles, 200 colonists followed Captain Juan Bautista de Anza from Sonora, Mexico through Arizona and into Alta California in 1776. Anza planned the route to follow the Santa Cruz River and then the Gila River, where the group made several encampments along the way. From Gila Bend, you can visit the areas of 5 of Anza's encampment sites, 2 are in Gila Bend. Pick up the trail map at our Visitor Center.
MARGIE'S COVE WEST TRAIL (S.D.N.M.)
Access off of HWY 85 North and Woods Road East
Getting to the Margies Cove West Trailhead is an adventure all its own! We recommend a high clearance 2WD vehicle for the primitive roadways. The actual trail is a 9 mi. route through the heart of the Sonoran Desert National Monument. The best time to hike is Oct - March when the weather is cooler.