Parker is located between Lake Havasu City and Quartzsite along Highway 95, on the banks of the Colorado River near the Parker Dam and the California state line.
It also is located within the northern corner of the Colorado River Indian Tribe reservation in the Sonora Desert, overlooking the Colorado River at an elevation of approximately 450 feet. The Gibralter Mountains lie east of the community while the Whipple and Riverside mountains lie to the north and southwest.
Parker officially incorporated as a town in 1948. In May 1982, by initiative petition, voters formed La Paz County from the northern portion of Yuma County. On January 1, 1983, Parker became the county seat for La Paz County.