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Arizona offers
hundreds of campgrounds and camping excursions to make your romantic
getaway a little wilder!
Popular Lakes in Arizona with
camping opportunities. Click on the lake for more information.
Saguaro
Lake
Canyon Lake
Lake Pleasant
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Saguaro Lake
Formed in the late 1920’s by the construction of the Stewart
Mountain Dam, Saguaro Lake ranks as the most popular of the four
Salt River Project lakes. Saguaro Lake winds for ten miles through
the Tonto National Forest in the heart of the Sonoran Desert. Saguaro
gets its name from the thousands of majestic Saguaro cactus that
speckle the landscape. The lake’s popularity is due in part
to its proximity to Phoenix; just 41 miles east of the downtown
area. Accessible through Mesa, a suburb of Phoenix, visitors will
travel north for 27 miles on Route 87 into the Tonto National Forest.
At the Bush Highway/Forest Road (FR) 204, guests should turn right
and travel for four more miles to arrive at the lake. Entrance to
the lake requires a fee of $4 for vehicles and $2 for boats and
jet skis; senior discounts are available. Besides the striking beauty
of the surrounding terrain, the lake itself offers visitors a variety
of water activities and conveniences to make trips to this winding
water body both fun-filled and comfortable.
Surrounding the lake, walls of pink and yellow rock rise up into
massive cliffs and mounds reflecting the Arizona sunshine on to
the peaceful waters. The water takes a soft and seductive form set
against the harsh and jagged background of the Sonoran Desert, making
it all the more alluring. There are places along the lower portion
of the lake that the landscape softens a bit and the water meets
rolling desert hills blanketed with desert plant life. Because of
the lake's proximity to the dam, the lake is nearly always filled
to capacity, 86,000,000 cubic meters of freshwater, and to a depth
of 118 feet. The lake’s depth makes it exceptionally refreshing
in the Arizona heat. The more than 22 miles of shoreline provide
opportunities for picnicking, sun bathing, and swimming. Water skiers,
jet skiers, and kayakers will enjoy the calm cool waters of the
lake during the hot Arizona summers, and swimmers can splash all
day at Butcher Jones’ picnic site and swimming beach. Although
the lake is small, it hides coves and caves all along its shoreline
providing opportunities for exploration and privacy even on busy
weekends. Those guests who prefer to find their fun on dry land
can explore the numerous trails that criss-cross the area and occasionally
catch a glimpse of a soaring eagle, grazing mule deer or Big Horn
sheep.
Within the 1,200 acres of Saguaro Lake most of the fun can be found
out on the water and boaters spend time meandering lazily as passengers
jump and dive into the refreshing water. Angler’s flock to
the stocked lake to catch their share of Brown and Rainbow trout,
Yellow and Largemouth bass, Channel catfish, Walleye, Crappie, and
Bluegill. The lake is divided into upper and lower portions and
connected by narrow waterways where boaters are required to reduce
their speeds to 15 miles per hour while they traverse between the
two sections. A variety of boats are welcome here although there
is an 82-decibel noise restriction strictly enforced. Because of
the lake's popularity, certain restrictions can apply to boaters
depending on the season. On popular holiday weekends for example,
the lake can quickly reach boating capacity and additional boaters
arriving late will find themselves prohibited from getting on the
water. Summer weekends in general are particularly busy and those
guests hoping to launch can expect delays of up to 2 hours.
The Saguaro Del Norte Recreation Area, open year round and daily
from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., is located in the far west upper end of the
lake and contains all the modern conveniences guests might need.
The full-service, Saguaro Lake Marina located here offers boat storage
and rental, boat slips, fuel services, sewage tank dump, bait and
tackle, and an exceptional restaurant. The Saguaro Lake Restaurant
is perched on top of a hill overlooking the marina and gives patrons
beautiful views of the lake, particularly exceptional at sunset.
A leisurely tour aboard the Desert Belle is also an excellent way
to catch the bronzes, pinks, and lavenders of the Arizona evening
sky. About 5 miles south of the marina on Bush Highway is the rustic
Saguaro Lake Ranch Resort. For those who prefer a bed to a sleeping
bag, this is the right place to rest up after a long day on the
lake. The Ranch, built in the 1930’s, offers activities such
as horseback riding during winter, fall, and spring, and kayaking
and tubing during the summer months. There is no trash service at
Saguaro Lake so the rule is “Pack it IN, Pack it OUT”.
Glass bottles are not allowed either. Restroom facilities are available,
as are barbecue grills and 3 public fishing piers. The Bagley Flat
Campground, located about 4 miles from the dam, offers 30 camping
spots, waste facilities and is open year round for visitors at no
fee. With its stunning scenery and plentiful amenities, Saguaro
Lake is truly a desert oasis.
Canyon Lake
Of the four lakes created through the damming of the Salt River
by Salt River Project, Canyon Lake is the real jewel. Although the
smallest of the four lakes, Canyon is exceptional. The magnificent
rock formations and high red-rock canyon walls create a picture
of unique southwestern natural beauty. Hidden coves peek out around
every turn on the lake allowing for quite fishing, picnicing and
boating. The lake offers visitors a variety of scenery, services,
and activities to choose from. Guests looking to lounge lakeside,
drop a line and lure, or zoom around on a jetski can peacefully
coexist here. For decades Canyon Lake has been luring visitors through
the Tonto National Forest and the winding and majestic roadways
of Route 88 to its spectacular scenery and cool waters.
Created in the 1920’s by the construction of a hydropowered
dam just below the Roosevelt-Mormon Flat, the walls of Canyon Lake
rise in spectacular spirals and forms. Visitors can only arrive
via Route 88 and will catch glimpses of the lake as they draw near,
creating a sense of excitement and anticipation. The road is paved
and well marked but full of twists and turns so use caution at all
times. The lake is located approximately 16 miles northeast of Apache
Junction, less than an hour’s driving time from Phoenix. At
an elevation of 1,660 feet, the lake itself twists and turns for
over 10 miles through a breath-taking gorge. Twenty-eight miles
of shoreline welcome visitors to explore, play, and sunbath, and
950 surface acres of shimmering waters play host to boaters, jet
skiers, water skiers, and wind sailers. For those looking to experience
and explore the desert surroundings, the lake does not dissappoint.
Numerous plant, bird, and wildlife species including Big Horn sheep,
javelina, and deer are in abundance along the rocky edges of the
lake. Many of the lakes secluded coves and lagoons are accessible
only by water, but you don’t need a motor boat to explore
these Edens; a row boat, canoe, or raft will do. Dotted with a variety
of desert plantlife, the shoreline is shattered rock tumbling down
to smaller pebbled watery edges, perfect for camping and picnicking.
Extensive hiking trails are in abundance to guide you along the
lake’s edge or back into the wilderness surrounding it. Water
cruises aboard the Dolly Steamboat are available for a reasonable
fee. Consider taking one during sunset to catch the glow of the
evening sun gleaming off the cliff walls, although the sunset is
magnificent from nearly every spot on the lake.
Angler’s flock to Canyon Lake to slip into a secluded cove
and fish for walleye, largemouth bass, yellow bass, rainbow trout,
bluegill, channel catfish and crappie. The full service Canyon Lake
Marina and Campground with a restaurant, boat rentals, fuel services,
two boat ramps, and 46 camping spaces make getting around on and
off the water easy. There is also a Maricopa County Sheriffs aid
station located near the marina. Two miles from the marina is the
Tortilla Flat Campground which is open from October through April
and offers 77 camping spots with sewage and water hookups available
for a small fee. Fisherman and boaters can also opt to travel three
miles up the lake to the Point Campground. This campground is open
year round at no charge but has only three spaces available, so
depending on the season, arriving early could be critical if you
want to camp there. There are three recreational sites; the Acacia
Picnic Site, the Palo Verde Recreation Site and the Boulder Creek
Recreation Site. The sites offer picnic areas and restroom facilities,
and the idyllic climate permits all three to be open year round.
They are available at no charge.
Canyon Lake offers all its visitors fun, excitement and amenities
in an exquisite natural environment. So close to the Phoenix area,
guests can make a day trip out of their visit or easily choose to
stay and camp for a long weekend. Canyon Lake is the perfect spot
for families and friends to spend time together picnicking, camping,
playing and enjoying the scenic beauty of the Arizona wilderness.
For those of you who wish to explore even further, Route 88 continues
past Canyon Lake through the historic western settlement of Tortilla
Flat. A direct result of road construction to Roosevelt Dam in 1904,
and early area exploration by the Spanish, Tortilla Flat lies just
beyond Canyon Lake and currently offers lake visitors a general
store and restaurant. Expect to see lots of motorcycles parked out
in front as it is a traditional stopping spot for touring bikers
year round. Continuing along Route 88 will eventually lead visitors
to Fish Creek, Apache Lake, and Roosevelt Lake, and all along the
way visitors can find miles of foot-trails leading to natural springs
and remote canyons. With all it has to offer, Canyon Lake and all
it’s surrounding wilderness is undeniably the perfect outdoor
jewel for residents and vistors of the Phoenix area.
Lake Pleasant
Located just 30 miles north of the Phoenix city limits, lies Lake
Pleasant. 23,662 acres of park land, 10,000 acres of of sparkling
water, and 50 miles of shoreline make Lake Pleasant the second largest
of the Salt River Project lakes. Although it is ranked #2 in size,
it is considered by most to be the state’s most popular lake
due in part to its size and its proximity to the Phoenix area. Like
the other SRP lakes, Lake Pleasant was formed in the mid 1920’s
thanks to the construction of the "Carl" Pleasant Dam,
later renamed Waddell Dam. Carl Pleasant was the original designer
for the dam. At the time of the dams construction it was considered
the largest agricultural dam in the world. The dam was designed
to harness runoff waters, from the Agua Fria River and the Bradshaw
Mountains, for irrigation purposes. Regular water releases still
furnish water to west valley farmers, while simultaneously providing
the recreating public with plenty of opportunities for fun. The
original dam, is now underwater and replaced by the new Waddell
Dam in 1992. This larger dam increased the lake’s size from
3,000 acres to over 10,000.
The best way to access Lake Pleasant from the Phoenix area is to
travel north on I-17 to the Carefree Highway, exit #223. The road
becomes State Route 74, also known as Lake Pleasant Road. Travel
west for approximately 15 miles, then head north on Castle Hot Springs
Road. After traveling about 2 miles on Castle Hot Springs Road you
will arrive at the parks main entrance. For those wishing to reach
the Pleasant Harbor Marina turn north on Pleasant Harbor road for
about a mile and a half. At the park’s main entrance guests
can spend some time at the visitors center learning about the parks
history and shop for a momento or two. The visitors center’s
balcony offers an exceptional view of the lake with a close-up view
of the Waddell Dam that should not be missed.
The surrounding terrain is rolling desert rock blanketed by desert
plantlife including Saguaro cactus. There are no dramatic cliffs
that rise from the shores but rather the lake appears as an oasis
in the dry desert land. In exploring the lake, visitors can find
hundreds of coves tucked itno the shores. There are also reefs and
small islands to explore near the center of the lake. The original
dam is also submerged here in waters nearly 100 feet deep depending
on the season and subsequent water levels. In peak irrigation season
when water needs are high the lake’s waterline is significantly
lower. Near the marina and dam the water is very clear and inviting.
Several creeks and washes, including Humbug Creek, Castle Creek
and Cole’s Wash, flow into the lake and are popular spots
for fisherman. The waters of Lake pleasant allow anglers to harvest
record breaking catches of a variety of fish species including Striped
Bass, Large Mouth Bass, Bluegill, White Crappie, Black Crappie,
Bigmouth Buffalo Fish, and Tilapia. White Bass are almost exclusive
to Lake Pleasant after being stocked in the late 1960’s before
the dams expansion.
You don’t need to be a fisherman to enjoy the lake. Lake
Pleasant accomidates a variety of water activities including water
skiing, jet skiing, sailing, boating and swimming. There are annual
sailing competitions held here including the Tall Cactus Regatta
which takes place in April of each year. There are two, one 10-lane
and one 4-lane, paved, public boat ramps with a combined parking
availability of over 700 spaces. The Pleasant Harbor Marina is a
full service facility and provides guests with a convenience store,
boat and watercraft rental, wet slips, dry storage, repair center,
fuel services, and a deli and dockside bar for relaxing. You don’t
need to be on the water to enjoy the lakes beauty. Camping, and
hiking opportunities are in abundance. Campers and picnickers can
find both day and overnight campgrounds able to accommodate large
and small groups as well as tents and RV parking. At the Roadrunner
Campground and Picnic Area RV-ers can find 72 sites with water and
electrical hookups. Cover tables, barbacue grills, restroom and
shower facilities offer guests all the modern conveniences to make
their even more enjoyable. The Desert Tortoise Campground and Cottonwood
Day Use Area are open daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. year round. Arrangements
can be made for overnight stays at both of these sites by contacting
the park’s Special Events Coordinator.
The lake is open to the public year round with one exception. A
very small portion of the lake is inaccessible from December to
mid June because of nesting eagles. During summer and holiday weekends
the lake is jammed with visitors looking for a break from the Arizona
heat. At these times the lake is filled to capacity and boaters
and campers may be turned away. The best answer is to arrive early
to secure a place in line on the boat ramp, a covered ramada and
barbacue for picnicking, or a camping space. There is a $5 feel
per vehicle and a $2 fee per watercraft. Camping and ramada rental
fees vary depending on the site. An abundance of outdoor fun and
activity, a host of modern conveniences, and the scenic beauty of
the Arizona desert will make your visit to Lake Pleasant, truly
pleasant.
AZ Camping
Campgrounds in Arizona! |
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