Yuma · Prison Hill above the Colorado River · State historic park
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
Walk the 1876 stone cellblocks, step into the Dark Cell and climb the guard tower at Arizona Territory’s first prison, just off I-8 above the Colorado River.
Opens the park’s admission page. We found no online ticket sales, so plan to pay when you arrive.
Details checked October 2026
Type
State historic park
Arizona Territory’s first prison, now a museum
Admission
$10 adults
Youth 7–13 $7; ages 6 and under free
Hours
Oct–May 9–4:30 · Jun–Sep 8:30–4
Daily; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and the eve of each
Time needed
1–2 hours
Tripadvisor’s suggested visit length
Parking
RV & tow vehicle lot
South lot; overflow below Cemetery Hill
First inmates
July 1, 1876
Seven inmates moved into cells they built
What you’ll see
Cells, the guard tower and the Dark Cell
Strap-iron cells, a guard tower over the river and a museum of prisoner stories make this Tripadvisor’s top-ranked thing to do in Yuma.
Photo: Ken Lund on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Daily guided tour
The High Noon tour
Every day at noon, a storyteller leads a tour of the prison, and it’s included with admission. The park suggests starting in the theater room with a short film that sets the scene, then walking the cell block and stepping into the cells where prisoners lived. You’ll pass through the Sally Port, where more than 3,000 prisoners were taken in.
RV tip: summer hours start at 8:30 am. Walk the open yard first, then save the indoor museum for later in the morning.
More to see
- The Dark CellThe windowless punishment cell, where an unruly prisoner could be left in near-total darkness. Some visitors say they’ve felt a presence inside.
- The guard towerClimb up and see the prison yard the way the guards did, with the Colorado River below.
- Museum and prisoner storiesExhibits on the people held here, from everyday inmates to stagecoach robber Pearl Hart.
- True Crimes MysteryPick up a mystery card, follow the clues around the grounds and solve the case. It’s included with admission.
Why go
Arizona Territory’s first prison, still on its hill
Ground was broken on Prison Hill on April 28, 1876, and on July 1 the first seven inmates were locked into the cells they had built themselves. Over 33 years, more than 3,000 prisoners passed through the Sally Port before the prison closed in 1909 and its inmates were moved to a new prison in Florence.
The buildings had second lives after that. Yuma’s high school used them after its own building burned, the county hospital moved in next, and the railroad cut away part of Prison Hill in 1924. Today the state historic park is run day to day by the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.
October through May is the easy season, with daily hours of 9 am to 4:30 pm. From June through September the park opens at 8:30 am and closes at 4 pm, and the stone yard holds the heat, so bring water, a hat and sturdy shoes. Plan one to two hours and time your visit for the noon tour.
Photo: Scotwriter on Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Why it made our list
- Original 1876 cells you can step into
- Free noon guided tour with admission
- RV and tow vehicle parking in the south lot
- Just off I-8 at Giss Parkway
- Tripadvisor’s #1 thing to do in Yuma
For RVers
Bringing the rig to Prison Hill
The practical stuff we wished someone had told us before we pulled in.
Easy on and off I-8
The prison sits on Prison Hill at the Giss Parkway exit of I-8, on the edge of historic downtown, so you don’t have to thread a big rig through city streets. It’s an easy stop on your way into or out of Yuma.
Use the south lot
The park says RV and tow vehicle parking is in its south lot. Cars use the main entrance lot, and overflow parking is below Cemetery Hill. No length limit is published, so call (928) 783-4771 if you drive a very long rig.
Pets stay at camp
Only service animals are allowed at the prison. Yuma is hot most of the year, so leave pets at your RV park with the air running rather than in a parked vehicle.
Go early in summer
Much of the visit is outdoors on stone and gravel with little shade. From June through September the gates open at 8:30 am, so arrive early, carry water and finish before the afternoon heat.
What visitors say about Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
The visitor report card
We don’t copy other sites’ reviews, but the published scores are worth reading together. Scores checked October 4, 2026.
Arizona’s First Gated Community
Yuma Territorial Prison, on its official site · yumaprison.org
What visitors often mention
Recurring topics in Google’s review highlights
Rich historyOld West storiesSelf-guided tour
Google’s review topics point to the history of the site (102 reviews call it a historical site and 60 mention the history of the prison), its Old West stories (58) and an easy self-guided tour (34). Checked October 4, 2026.
What you’ll pay
Prices from the park’s admission page. Arizona State Parks lists youth at $5 and a $9 senior rate, so ask at the gate.
Good to know
Adults$10
Youth 7–13$7 per the park
Ages 6 and underFree
Included with admissionNoon guided tourTrue Crimes MysteryMuseum film
Prices from yumaprison.org, checked October 4, 2026. Arizona State Parks’ page lists youth at $5 and seniors 62 and over at $9, so confirm at the gate or call (928) 783-4771.
Know before you go
Plan your visit
Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
- Address220 Prison Hill Rd., Yuma, AZ 85364
- HoursOct–May 9–4:30 · Jun–Sep 8:30–4
Daily; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and the eve of each - Phone(928) 783-4771
- AdmissionPay on site · see current prices
- Getting thereTake I-8 to the Giss Parkway exit on the edge of historic downtown Yuma and follow the signs up Prison Hill.
- ParkingRVs and tow vehicles use the south lot. Cars park at the main entrance, with overflow below Cemetery Hill.
Hours change on June 1 and October 1, and the park closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas and the day before each. Check the park’s page before you drive over.
Where to stay nearby
RV parks near Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park
We haven’t written up Yuma’s RV parks yet, so here are three well-reviewed resorts, all adult communities, with drive times to the prison.
About 11 min · 8.9 mi via I-8 W
Sun Vista RV Resort
55+ resort on East 32nd Street since 1984, with 30- and 50-amp full hookups, indoor and outdoor heated pools, and pets welcome.
About 15 min · 12.4 mi via I-8 W
Westwind RV & Golf Resort
55+ resort on East 32nd Street with its own golf course, a heated pool and spa, pickleball, and a restaurant and bar.
About 18 min · 7.3 mi via W 1st St
Cocopah Bend RV & Golf Resort
Adult RV community by the Colorado River on Yuma’s west side, with an 18-hole golf course, pickleball and a 2.5-acre pet exercise area.
Helpful answers
Frequently asked questions
The questions RVers ask most before pulling in.
Oct–May 9 am–4:30 pm · Jun–Sep 8:30 am–4 pm
Plan your prison break
Check today’s hours and admission, park in the south lot, and catch the noon tour.
Thank you to the people behind these photos and this video. Please support them by giving their work a look. Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Ken Lund (cell block; CC BY-SA 2.0), Pretzelpaws (guard tower; CC BY-SA 3.0), XeresNelro (iron gate; CC BY-SA 4.0), usareisetipps (cell bunks; CC BY-SA 2.0), Anna Irene (river view; CC BY-SA 2.0) and Scotwriter (prison yard; CC BY-SA 3.0); the images were resized. Video: Todd Newton – Tastes & Travel on YouTube. Review-site logos are trademarks of their owners.
Disclaimer
RV-Roundup is an independent, community-based resource created to help RV travelers and to support and promote the places we feature. RV-Roundup is not owned by, operated by, or officially affiliated with Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park unless otherwise stated.
The information on this page was prepared using the most current details available at the time of publication, including the park’s published materials and publicly available sources. Hours, pricing, rules and other details are set by the park and may change at any time without notice. Before you travel, please confirm all details directly with Yuma Territorial Prison State Historic Park at yumaprison.org or (928) 783-4771. RV-Roundup is not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes made after publication.
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