Rivers & Lakes

Roosevelt Lake

Visit the largest lake along the Salt River just outside of the Phoenix metro area.

Visitors from the Phoenix area might think Highway 88 is the quickest route to Roosevelt Lake, but that rugged mountain road is closed for improvements. Instead, visitors are required to circle around on Highway 87 or 60 to connect to Highway 188 to reach Roosevelt Lake. Either route adds a scenic drive to the lake adventure. Find literally hundreds of campsites along the water, plus a 50-space RV park. Roosevelt Lake Visitors Center serves the big lake and the smaller and more remote Apache Lake downstream.

Get on the Water

With 128 miles of shoreline, the largest lake entirely within the borders of Arizona offers plenty of space for high-flying water recreation. Visitors who prefer their water recreation full-throttle come here with motorized boats to pull water skis and Jet Skis to skim across the lake. Six boat launches let visitors spread out to enjoy this cool oasis. Visitors not pulling their own gear can rent watercrafts at the on-site marina and larger groups set their sights on the double-decker party boat with a slide.

Visit an Angler’s Paradise

Trophy-sized largemouth and smallmouth bass plus channel and flathead catfish are commonly reeled in from Roosevelt Lake, a vast expanse of water that has many isolated shoreline coves to troll. Stop by the on-site store at Roosevelt Lake Marina to stock up on proven live baits and get intel on what you might reel in at different areas along the lake. Back at the marina, share fish stories at the popular bar and restaurant after a day on the lake.

Tour Tonto National Monument

Indigenous communities once lived along the Rio Salado, or Salt River. Much of the remnants of those communities was lost underwater when the river was dammed to create Roosevelt Lake and other reservoirs along the Salt River. At the visitors center at Tonto National Monument, see pottery, textiles and other artifacts from the area before touring ancient cliff dwellings that have miraculously remained intact. Walk up a steep, half-mile paved path to the cliff dwelling protected from the elements in a cove atop the hillside. On-site rangers greet visitors at the top to explain the significance of the ancient site. November through April, reserve a spot on the longer hikes to the upper cliff dwellings that feature twice the ruins.

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