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The Lakes of Phoenix

Being in the desert you wouldn't think about spending a day on the water, or would you?  Phoenix has several lakes that offer water sports, boating, swimming and all the breathtaking sights anyone could ask for.  Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, and Roosevelt Lake are all just a short drive from Phoenix.  Below we have highlighted some of the fun you will have if you decide to spend a day cooling off at one of Arizona's beautiful lakes.

Area Lakes
Apache Lake - 2500 Acres, Fishing, Swimming, Camping (with and without electricity), Sanitary Pump Station, Picnic /Day Use, Drinking Water, Boat Ramps (small fee may apply). A scenic and rarely crowded lake. The lake itself can be an adventure to reach with a trailer due to Fish Lake Hill and the Apache Trail, a ten mile long steep mountain road very narrow in spots DRIVE CAREFULLY!. If you have several days it is well worth the trip, though it is not recommended for a one day trailer boat stop. Home of the Horse Mesa Dam and The Point Recreational Areas on each end of the lake. From Phoenix take U.S. 60 to Arizona State Route 88 north.
Bartlett Lake - 1300 Acres, Fishing, Swimming, Camping, Boat Ramps (small fee may apply). Can get over crowded on the weekends, so you need to be in early. Water level is down at times, be sure to call ahead. Home of the nearby Bartlett Recreational Area. Located in the Tonto National Forest, jump off I17 at the New River exit and head east towards Cave Creek/Camp Creek area
Canyon Lake - 1000 Acres (about 25 miles of shoreline). Boating, Fishing, Water Skiing (on the main portion of the lake), camping, picnic/Day Use. Scenic Lake but small, limited amount of boating on weekends. Steep gorges and cliffs and plenty of Saguaro Cactus make this popular for Phoenix Boaters.
Lake Pleasant - 14,000 Acres (about 45 miles of shoreline), Fishing, Water Skiing, Boat Camping Areas, Boat Ramps ( $ 6.00 ) admission fee. Visitors Information Center, Boat Rental, limited picnic resources on the County Side, more resources on the Private Side. A small portion of the lake is inaccessible from December until middle June (due to nesting Eagles). This is the closest lake to Phoenix located off off I17 and Arizona State Route 74 west, just a few minutes north of Phoenix.
Theodore Roosevelt Lake - 17,000 Acres. Water Skiing, Fishing, Camping with and without electric hookup, Sanitary Pump Station, Boat Ramps (check ahead water may be low at various times best bet is at the old marina), Marina, Fuel, Picnic/Day Use. Cholla campground on the lake was recently rebuilt and is the largest solar campground in the U.S. Just East of Phoenix in the Tonto National Forest. Call the Arizona Tourism Bureau for more information.
Saguaro Lake - 1200 Acres, Fishing, Water Skiing, Camping (accessible by boat), Restrooms, Drinking Water, Boat Ramps (small fee may apply, limited boaters allowed in on weekends, try to be in by 9am). The entire upper half is no wake zone and nature preserved. Big Horn Sheep have been spotted in this area. Located off Arizona State Route 87 about 20 miles northeast of Scottsdale.
Lake Powell - Campsites with and without electric hookup, Showers, Restrooms, Drinking Water, Sanitary Dump Station, Picnic/day use, Marina, Fuel, Visitors Information Center. This is one of the most scenic lakes in the western U.S. which is completely surrounded by the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area which follows the Colorado River from 20 miles southwest of Moab, Utah to Page, Arizona and slightly beyond. Waheap Basin Recreational Area on the state line of Utah / Arizona provides camping in the southern section, and numerous scenic areas follow upstream to the northeast. Popular scenic stops include Hole In the Rock, Clif Arch, and Rainbow Marina (near Navajo Mountain). Three other Marinas provide camping; Halls Crossing, Bullfrog Marina, (both near the crossing of Utah State Route 263) and Hite Marina (at the Crossing of Utah State Route 95, a total of 60 miles line of site from the Dam in Arizona). North of Hite Marina the river narrows into Cataract Canyon and into the Canyonlands National Park. All located in south central and southeastern Utah at the Arizona border. Launch Ramps are available at Glen Canyon State Park and National Recreation Area 500 feet either side of the state line 10 miles northwest of Page, Arizona off U.S. 89.

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