Canyon Lake in Arizona

Trip Overview

Wife and I took the new canoe for a maiden voyage. We launched at the Boulder Rec Site, a $6 Tonto Pass was required to park at this site. The permits are available a littler farther up the road at Tortilla Flats.

We launched at the middle parking lot, we had to carry the canoe down a short steep flight of stairs. Once in the water, we headed up the arm, which wasn't super long, but we took our time and the scenery is awesome! There was another canoe at the end where we wanted to have lunch, so we spun around and found a nice spot by a sketchy rope swing to enjoy a picnic.

Once we were done, we headed back out, and then paddled out of the marina area and onto the main lake for a little while. The whole trip including a lengthy picnic break was about 3 hours...so pretty short paddle.

Accommodations:

Marina store and restaurant at Canyon Lake Marina, and Tortilla Flats Restaurant and awesome tourist stop is a short drive farther on Hwy 88.

Keep going for a very historic drive down the old Hwy 88 (maintained nice dirt road, unless it just rained) all the way to Roosevelt Lake for a great day trip!

Fees:

$6 Tonto Pass, plus additional small fee for a boat trailer.

Directions:

From Phoenix area, travel East on the 60, exit onto Idaho Rd going north. At Hwy 88, take the slight left and get out your camera! The drive is beautiful from here on out! You will pass the old Ghost Town tourist trap (good ice cream!) and then wind down into the Canyon Lake area.

Resources:

Paddling Arizona by Tyler Williams