Quiet, unincorporated living in Mohave County
Golden Valley is a census-designated place in Mohave County 25 miles east of the Colorado River with a population of just under 9,000. Its land area spans 78 square miles, so there’s plenty of room for residents. “People move here for the elbow room. You can have acres between you and your neighbor,” says Leanne Smith of Dirt Road Real Estate, who has nearly a decade of experience in the area. “It’s become really popular with an older population because of the warm and dry weather. We don’t have winter, and we don’t have snow.” Golden Valley has a desert climate with summer highs near 100 degrees and winter lows in the low 50s. As an unincorporated area, Golden Valley residents don’t pay city taxes, but they may not have access to a local police department or public transportation.
Hiking Cerbat Foothills Recreation Area
Residents utilize Golden Valley’s natural landscape for outdoor recreation. The Black Mountains Climbing Area on the western side of the community has intense mountain climbing tracks. The Cave Spring Trail is a one-mile hiking trail and part of the Mount Nutt Wilderness Nature Preserve, which has over 28,000 acres of canyons for hiking, camping and hunting. On the eastern side of town, the Cerbat Foothills Recreation Area has over 37 miles of unpaved trails popular with hikers and horseback riders. It’s bright, hot and sunny on the trails, so sunscreen and water are a must. “People also drive down to the Colorado River to go fishing or swimming. It’s only about 30 minutes away,” says Smith. “They also just take their ATVs out in the desert and drive around for fun too.”
Single-family homes on quiet dirt roads
The median price for a single-family home in Golden Valley is $245,000. “The prices are a lot more affordable than Bullhead City, Lake Havasu or Laughlin,” says Smith. A few homes sit in planned subdivisions on quiet roads with cul-de-sacs, while others are scattered along dirt roads. Homes are a mixture of stucco or brick-sided ranch-style builds and manufactured houses. “Being unincorporated, houses are on septic, which lowers costs,” Smith states. The area’s climate makes Golden Valley at risk for wildfires.
Dining along Highway 68
A handful of local bars and eateries are scattered along Highway 68. Great American Pizza and Subs, Our Place Diner and El Rancho Restaurant are Golden Valley staples, providing a casual environment for a night out. Residents can get coffee at the Highway 68 IL Café or grab a beer at Last Chance Saloon. Castle Rock offers burgers, pizza and more along Route 93. Dollar General sells necessities and Neely’s Korner Indoor Fleamarket and Outdoor Swap Meet has locally-made jewelry, clothes and furniture. Big box retailers and grocery outlets like Walmart are located just a few miles down the road in Kingman.
Quick access to Kingman, Bullhead City and Las Vegas
There is no public transportation in Golden Valley, so locals will need a car to get around. Highway 68 and Route 93 are the main thoroughfares leading to nearby cities; Highway 68 leads 11 miles southeast to Kingman, and 27 miles southwest to Bullhead City. Las Vegas is a 100-mile trip up Route 93.
Mohave County Sheriff's office serves the area
Golden Valley is served by the Mohave County Sheriff’s office. “Response times might be a while depending on where you live, but we kind of police ourselves,” says Smith. “There’s some crime everywhere, but a lot of homes here have those doorbell cameras, and Arizona is an open carry state, so criminals are typically pretty hesitant.” The Golden Valley Medical Center provides primary medical care, while larger hospitals are located in Kingman.
Kids attend the Kingman Unified School District
Kids in Golden Valley attend the Kingman Unified School District, which holds a C-plus overall grade on Niche. The district serves over 7,000 students. Black Mountain Elementary is a C-rated K-8 school in town that has a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio. There are no high schools in Golden Valley, so students must bus 12 miles to Kingman to attend Lee Williams High School. Lee Williams has a B overall Niche grade and opened a new campus in 2006.
Photography Contributed By
Claudiu Varzaru
