I can't begin to tell you how gorgeous this lake is. What a hidden gem! I'm a native of AZ and only…read morejust recently learned about Blue Ridge Reservoir (also known as C.C. Cragin). I almost didn't want to review it because I want to keep it all to myself. Because it is so narrow, it almost looks like a river. Blue Ridge is 8 miles end-to-end and is stocked with rainbow and brown trout. It is a popular destination for canoers and kayakers because of restrictions to motor boats more than 10 horsepower. I could have floated on this water for hours. The scenery at Blue Ridge reservoir is beautiful. It's located off Highway 87 about 30 miles north of Strawberry on the Mogollon Rim. There is only one convenience store with gas pumps nearby and no cell service. Rock Crossing Campground is the only organized campsite nearby if you want to stay overnight. The great thing is there are no permits needed or fees to enter Blue Ridge Reservoir. But it does get crowded at times and Forest Service workers will only allow one car at a time to enter when the lot is full. Make sure you have a reliable vehicle as the gravel road to the reservoir can get pretty bumpy. There is a bathroom on site at the overflow parking lot. Blue Ridge Reservoir is very peaceful and relaxing. I went over Memorial Weekend and it wasn't too crowed at all. It's definitely worth camping nearby so you can spend a full day here.

Great day here! Much larger than anticipated. Beautiful location within Coconino National Forest…read more Apparently this road is not open year round, nor are some of the local camprounds. Gravel forest road that any car can drive but beware of some deep ruts in areas. Vault toilets in upper parking lot. Nice concrete boat ramp. Jealous of those that were camping via kayaks.

Michelle was incredibly friendly and helpful. The paddle board I rented was in great condition and…read moreeasy to transport and use as it was inflatable and she provided a pump. She made returning the equipment easy as well. She doesn't hassle you with an extra fee for having the paddle board past 4 hours or for the pump as some spots for renting down in Phoenix do. All around great experience!

Excellent experience with Michelle!…read more We came unprepared from phoenix to escape the heat -decided to spend weekend on the water and called Michelle the last minute. She kindly showed us how to place the kayak on the car rack & extra tips and recommendations. Best kayaking experience in Payson ever Highly recommended

Beautiful Lake Mary, Flagstaff Arizona!! Decided to come…read moreand have a look at Lake Mary unfortunately Lower Lake Mary is a dry land with weeds growing in it but Upper Lake Mary has some remnants of a water or like that used to be full at one time water is dirty but a nice view to see. People here are very active so you see a lot of people walking their dogs on the trail of Lake Mary.

Everyone note: this rental shop is not near the lake. Therefore they have to tie the rented kayak…read more(etc) to you own vehicle. The distance is about five miles on the highway and there is a $9 park charge to launch into the lake. Just a heads up as I don't believe this is clear going into it.

Everything from start to finish went well & exceeded expectations ! Jeff was very responsive from…read morethe beginning! Very easy to connect with via phone or text , answered any questions I threw his way . I was looking for a boat plus kayak rental business for our Memorial Day weekend escape with two teens . This company very reasonable! Jeff met us at the dock with gassed up boat & 2 kayaks . We used the lil Bentley & what a treat for the day on Rainbow Lake . The boat is well cared for , clean , canopy was a plus , easy to operate & bring drink / snacks along . Great day on the water with the ability for everyone to do what they wanted! Jeff is very accommodating with end of day closure, quick call & he's there to trailer it all away ! We definitely will use him again in the future. Super find in Pinetop area!

Jeff is a great guy renting was so easy. Will rent from him again next time we are in Pinetop/…read moreRainbow lake

Located in cottonwood about 1 hour south of Sedona. Fun fun fun! I want to go again 10 times!…read more This is usually a self guided kayak excursion. Ben came with us today, a special treat and he is amazing, had knowledge of the river, plants, birds. He made sure everyone was safe and had a good experience. The time on the website and email are slightly off. It says 10:00a to 1:00p. This is more than enough. Meeting time is 8:45a and you need to be at meeting area by 9:00a. Then you get on a shuttle for a 10 minute drive to go up river where you will launch. So you car is at the end point of kayaking. We got a tandem inflatable kayak which cost about $150 for 2 people. There are taxes and don't forget gratuities, in cash. Don't know if they take venmo or Zelle. The adventure...so most of it is easy slow floating. There are a few spots where it flows faster and you may have to steer trees and rocks. We came in last week of August, so low water season. The river is only 3-4 feet deep in the majority of places. The weather was perfect today at around 70sF near 9:00a and around 82F at 10:00a. High is 88F at 2-3p. It rained in the last few days so we got very fast flow and completed our trip from 9:00 to 11:15am ish. We were down changing and in the car by 11:30a. In the 2.5 duration, you may get out on land halfway and take a snack / water break and stretch legs for circulation. We were told that high water season is spring. Something about May being the month where they let water out so water is lower then as well. The Verde river provides water to Phoenix. You can be all levels and come. The guide will give you general instructions in the beginning and provide life vests. All ages kids and toddlers can come. If your kid is smaller than perhaps age 12, you may need to bring your own baby or kid sized life vest for them. Your butt and arms, and bag will be wet. They suggest a zip lock bag to hold your phone and wallet, but bring any backpack. It will get a little muddy from your feet (just clean it at home). Definitely need hat, sunglasses. Suggest to bring 1-2 liters of water and snacks. You have time to eat 1 hour in on the land. Suggest you to wear swim suit or quick dry T shirt, and board shorts (for surfing, boogie boarding) or quick dry hiking shorts and water shoes like Teva. There is a lot of trees on the route but you'll get sun. They do not take more than 11-12 people at a time. I hope this helps. I look forward to coming again.

Had a great time kayaking down the Verde today, starting from Beasley Flat with Ben meeting us to…read morego over all the details. He was super knowledgeable and pointed out a lot of cool geological facts as he bussed us to our drop point. The water was refreshing in the warm sun and definitely worth the trip. We took off at 10am, took our time and got back to our car right about noon. Will definitely be back!!!

Our group of 10 had a wonderful afternoon of tubing down the river! Kenny was a great guide and…read morehost, driving us to the top of the river and explaining all the FAQs, later meeting us at the end. He was very entertaining and informative! We felt like we were the only ones going down the river and it was such a nice leisurely pace, just be on the lookout for the faster parts and make sure you go "butts up" to prevent any bruising! Note: You will have to drive on an unpaved road to get to the Bignotti picnic site so pick a car with higher clearance.

Had a fun time on the river in tubes. This is a slow relaxing float with some areas where you will…read moreneed to use the ping pong paddles to make it to the next section. Expect 3.5-4 hours on the water.

I recommend Adventuring Arizona for kayaking. They are just $39 per kayak and they provide PFD'S as…read morewell as dry boxes if you wish to bring along your camera or phones, or anything you'd want protected from the water! For an extra $10 they'll deliver up to the first three, to your desired location. That's awesome!! Support your local businesses.

TREMENDOUS experience! Use this crew if you ever plan to take a grand canyon raft trip!read more

Ask for Captain Kelly!…read more I recently did 187 mile raft with a group of geologists to go see many famous sites along the river. Due to Covid, our diverse crew (most older, up to 76 years old), and rapids, I was nervous. The second I met our boatman Kelly all my fear washed away. She is absolutely the most capable navigator I have ever experienced, an excellent leader, and exudes confidence and a positive attitude at every moment. Even though we had a geologist who was guiding our science chat, Kelly added the historical stories, naturalist lectures, and humor. I also noticed she was already aware of the geologic significance of the sites. Our swamper Thad was an energetic and hilarious asset who compliment Kelly really well and also took great care of us. They made us feel so safe and comfortable and are very professional (I noticed a lot of other river guides out there drinking and smoking at night and felt so lucky our guides were responsibly tending to camp or sleeping instead). Every night Kelly got dressed up and cooked us amazing meals, including warm cakes from scratch with a Dutch oven. We didn't go home any thinner. If you get this crew with Hatch, you are lucky! I will ask for them next time.

My family and I have been coming to Clarkdale Kayak Co for the past 5 years. They are always very…read moreaccommodating and helpful. In addition to teaching beginners how to kayak, they provide histories of the local Arizona landscape that I just geek out on. The verde river is a great river to begin kayaking. Mike was our guide today and he was great. Well look forward to coming back next summer.

Purchased a deal off Groupon for a celebration. We met the guide at old town caboose parking lot in…read moreClarkdale. The town was cute. We were shuttled to the verde river to start our kayak. The guide (Elathia sp?) was knowledgeable with the history of the river and wildlife. She was a great guide. She was patient with us and helped us out few times getting stuck in the rapids. Overall it was a fun 2.5-3 hour tour. I'd do it again.