There's virtually nothing in the vast desert plain of southwest Arizona to tempt you off the twin freeways that sprint to California. The US Army stages tank battles in its Yuma Proving Grounds between I-10 and I-8, while the air force drops bombs and tests Stealth technology in the more mountainous region bordering Mexico. The largest town, YUMA , is little more than an oversized pit stop for freight trains and cross-country truckers. Yuma Territorial Prison , now a state park (daily 8am-5pm; $3) beside the Colorado River, was known a century ago as the "Hell Hole of Arizona," holding over a hundred of the Wild West's most violent criminals. Its first inmates were forced to build the adobe walls that later contained them; there's a small museum, and you can wander around the grounds and cell blocks at will.

Neon-lit budget motels along the main drag include the good-value Yuma Cabana , 2151 S Fourth Ave (tel 928/783-8311 or 1-800/874-0811; $35-50), while the Crossing , 2690 S Fourth Ave (tel 928/776-5551), is typical of several run-of-the-mill diners .

Southwest Arizona

• Southwest Arizona

Arizona cities


All U.S. city guides