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Regional Parks: The most popular lake of the Salt River lakes is Saguaro Lake. Saguaro is the last of the lakes in the Salt River system as the river flows toward the Arizona and Southern Canals. Held back by the Stewart Mountain Dam, Saguaro Lake is a scenic lake with towering red and yellow cliff walls. The lake is managed by a joint effort between four organizations, Salt River Project, Tonto National Forest, Arizona Game and Fish Department, and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. The lake is almost always busy with activity. A full-service marina and restaurant with dock-slip rentals makes the lake a great place to store boats year round. There is a waiting list for slips at the present time. For those who don't have a full-time slip, there are two boat launch sites and plenty of parking for vehicles pulling trailers. During the summer months, peak season, there can be as long as a two hour wait to launch a boat, so get there early. In fact, often so many boaters want access to the lake, that there is a limit to the number that is allowed on the lake at one time. That number is often reached in summer. Desert Belle, a paddleboat owned by Saguaro Lake Paddle Boat Tours, offers access to the lake for those without their own boat. The boat leaves the dock, located just below the restaurant, for a 90-minute tour of the lake. The Desert Belle is available for public, charter, and special event cruises. Feel free to bring your own food and beverages on the cruise since none is served. No reservations are accepted for the public tours. Schedules depend on the season, so call them for further information.
Food and drinks are served at the Saguaro Lake Restaurant. Sitting on the outdoor patio overlooking the lake is a real treat, especially in the late afternoon when the sun reflects on the colorful canyon walls around the lake. The restaurant is a popular place for dining on Friday nights for fish. Located 20 minutes northeast of Fountain Hills, Saguaro Lake Recreation Area offers boating, water-skiing, fishing, swimming, camping and picnicking. There is a public beach at Butler Jones Beach, and three public docks for fishing. The lake is 10 miles in length with 22.2 miles of shoreline. Saguaro Lake Recreation area is open from 6:00a.m. to 8p.m. daily. There is an entrance fee of $4.00 per vehicle and an extra $2.00 for a boat or jet skis. For further information about Saguaro Lake Recreation Area please call the contacts or visit the links below.
SRP Customer
Information Center Tonto National Forest Lakeshore Restaurant
Back to: Recreation
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