Directions: Yuma Crossing State Historic Park is situated on nine acres along the Colorado River in Yuma, Arizona, at the Fourth Avenue exit, south from Interstate 8. After crossing the Colorado River, the entrance to the park is on the east side of Fourth Avenue. Yuma, Arizona. Historical Significance: This site on the Colorado River was the only natural ford on the southern trail to the Pacific Ocean. Indians often helped early travelers cross the river on crude rafts. Several ferries operated from 1850 on. The best-known ferryman was Louis Jaeger from 1850 to 1877. Ferries were built on‑site and held on course by ropes stretched across the river. They operated until a bridge was built in 1915.