1. Saguaro Lake

    1. Saguaro Lake

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    Mesa, AZ

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    Saguaro Lake

    4.0 (25 reviews)

    Saguaro Lake Photos

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    Beth S.

    We had a fantastic time on saguaro Lake. The scenery is beautiful. I love how the cacti grow off the side oft the towering sheer rock. We saw some fish jumping out of the water and some mountain goats. The drive to the lake is also very nice. Sometimes we see wild horses. The lake is a little smaller so you feel it when there are several boats on the water. It does get a pretty choppy. They have a long narrow section of the lake that is no wake. I would say about 75% of the people abide by the no wake rule. We like this area and drop anchor close to the large rock formation where there is the most shade. Tip: We've eaten at the restaurant that is by the lake. It's pretty good. My husband loves their hamburgers!

    Keith A.

    I had not been there in 30 plus years and heard it was another spot to see the elusive wild horses, and possibly big horn sheep so decided to try it out. There are different sections / parts like a restaurant and some boat launches but if you stay to the left you can go over to the picnic / hiking area and it looks like your America the beautiful national park pass gets you in for free. The lake is nice, scenic, peaceful and there were herons, hawks, ducks, and other assorted birds. Glad we did a quick stop to check it out.

    Roger T.

    This is about 10 mins drive from Mesa. Beautiful fullmoon over the lake, watching boats pass by, so relaxing.

    Beautiful day to enjoy the lake!
    Marilu S.

    Such a beautiful day on the lake! This lake is peaceful, and surrounded by the most amazing mountain range. We truly did enjoy beating the heat by swimming in the lake, meeting some amazing people and then having a fabulous late lunch at the cafe before we headed out! What a great way to spend an afternoon out!

    Saguaro lake cliff diving

    About a mile hike , me and my wife had recently visited and definitely recommend, the water is very deep don't be worried and the hike back feels much shorter overall great short hike with many fishing spots and 4 different cliffs for jumping (near all the graffiti)

    Joyce W.

    There are 2 entrances to the park. The Butcher entrance is a roundabout park with lake shore boat entrance and a trail around side perimeter of lake entrance. I know its nature and was concerned reading about the fellow yelpers discussing the bug situation, but its true! It was overwhelming for us. We had to leave to finish eating our sandwiches at their other beautiful parks. We were swarmed by flies, bees and cackling birds. Sorry, it was that bad for us. Just don't bring and eat food at this particular park. Beautiful lake, friendly people and a joy to Kayak on. Make sure to put up your Tonto parking pass!

    Loved this backdrop it's so gorgeous
    Michelle S.

    It's really hard to find a Sandy beach to just lay out on My boyfriend and I have two German Shepherds and from what we could see and after asking a few people it was really rocky and that's cool if it was just us and not the dogs but I guess there is about a mile long hike someone told us about but a lot of it was really pretty Rocky too. It's beautiful out here though. Gorgeous rocks and Saguaros and it's just so beautiful all around you. Amazing when the sun goes down for pics if your a photographer

    Carol K.

    We come to this lake often because it is the closest body of water to home. It's a mellow place especially during the week. There are plenty of grills so bring dinner and enjoy a lovely sunset. The S/O fishes off the dock but I cant say he has been successful. You can look down and see the fish so that is a tad frustrating. There is something for everyone here. The boat rentals are fun but it is a smallish lake so a half day is plenty to explore the whole thing. The saguaros jutting into the blue,blue sky is quintessential Arizona. A few hours at the Lake releases all that urban angst and reminds you why you live here.

    Shawn P.

    Awesome place to beat the heat outside of Phoenix. You can go in through the marina or you can access the lake through various 4 x 4 recreation sites. Watch for a wild horses and please leave no trace. You must have a Tonto pass purchased and visible in your windshield.

    Marina view
    Wayne B.

    Beautiful Lake, and what seems to be an unlimited amount of 4-wheel drive trails along the northern outback, and I need to stress 4-WHEEL DRIVE! A buddy visiting from So Cal, and I ventured out yesterday to the Butcher Jones trail head and thankfully found the gate open on the north side of the parking area. The USFS Ranger was just arriving and taking his daily tour into the back country as we were airing-down the Wayngler's beefy 35's and dis-connecting the swaybar. We encountered another 4X enthusiast, which I find are the coolest, as they are experienced and respect the wild unpaved roads. The trails start off rather tame, and very sandy and soft until you climb up the many ridges that take you north and east to several small ravines and washes that run southward to the lake. Getting down into these washes offer some very technical opportunities, if you are not prepared with meaty tyres, articulating suspensions, or lockers, you may find yourself stuck, or worse, roll over...not a pretty sight. Key here: Know your limits. Several situations found me saying, "aah, maybe not", while other situations found me saying, "OH YA, BRING IT ON!!!" We saw several vehicles that had no business out there, and two that were stuck...one abandoned, and another dumb ars saying, "oh no, we're fine"....yea right, whatever, we offered. We found several small coves along the northern shore that were perfect for pulling your chair into the waters edge and literally, "chill". Water was not what I was used to from colder high mountain lakes, but not too warm either, and very refreshing! Several shady spots, too, to keep the Jeep covered worked out great and because of the difficulty in getting down to the lake, the weekend crowds were non existent...let me know if ya wanna go!

    Vic K.

    Great time. Spectacular views. We saw a bald eagle up towards canyon lake dam, a mountain ram and a group of horses on the beach. Water was warm and clean as well. Had a blast on the jet skis.

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    6 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Love this lake, my family, and I love the riverbelle cruise. Beautiful and relaxing. I love taking friends and family

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    Ask the Community - Saguaro Lake

    Review Highlights - Saguaro Lake

    We went out the lake last night and caught some catfishes, it was nice when you went to fishing and some fishes!

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Saguaro Lake - Sunset

    Saguaro Lake

    3.9(65 reviews)
    9.6 mi

    Saguaro Lake Family Day!…read more We loaded up both of our boats and headed out to Saguaro Lake for a full day of family fun, and let me tell you... WE HAD A BLAST! There's just something about being out on the water with the people you love, soaking up the Arizona sunshine, cruising around, swimming, laughing, and enjoying the beautiful desert scenery all around you. The mountains, cactus-covered landscape, and sparkling water make such a gorgeous backdrop for a day outdoors. Saguaro Lake is such a great spot if you're looking for an outdoor escape. You can spend the day boating, fishing, swimming, picnicking, camping, or simply cruising around and taking in the scenery. There are also opportunities for kayaking and other non-motorized water activities. For us, the best part was simply having everyone together. Between the boats, the sunshine, the water, and all the family time, it was one of those days where you don't want to look at the clock because you're having way too much fun. Definitely one of those Arizona days that reminds you how lucky we are to have places like this right in our backyard! 5/5 family adventure -- already looking forward to our next lake day!

    The peace of arriving at this quiet Lake, only a few fishing boats and a few cars! I walked around…read moreand was just at a very calm, attitude! The drive was easy and scenery was pleasant! Beautiful day!

    Photos
    Saguaro Lake - Beach front @ Butcher Jones

    Beach front @ Butcher Jones

    Saguaro Lake - Recreation site

    Recreation site

    Saguaro Lake - Sunset

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    Sunset

    Tempe Beach Park - Tempe Beach Park 09/25

    Tempe Beach Park

    4.1(169 reviews)
    25.4 mi

    This was my second year at AZ Rise Up, and while I haven't been to Tempe Beach Park as an actual…read morepark in... honestly, I don't even know how long... as a festival venue? Solid. Like, genuinely well done. They space the vendor area far enough from the stages so you're not fighting for your life trying to shop while also dodging people who are deep in their "vibe." Huge win. The stages are set up in a way where, even when artists are playing at the same time, it doesn't feel like a chaotic sound clash, which I did not expect but fully appreciated. Also noticed they adjusted the layout a bit this year (especially around the Rise Up stage), and it worked. Way smoother flow overall. GA+ still not exactly bursting at the seams, but hey, more room for the rest of us. Sound? On point. Setup? Thought out. Experience (overall)? Actually great. Now... the people. Let's just say there comes a moment in life where you realize a fan base is no longer your fan base. And for me, that moment was somewhere between hour 8 and hour 9 of holding down my spot, when I got full-on trampled by someone who apparently believed personal space is a myth. Ma'am. I had been standing there for nearly 9 hours. NINE. This was not a casual pop-in situation. Up until that point, everything had been amazing. The music, the energy, the flow, chef's kiss. But that one interaction? Immediate vibe break. That said, I'm choosing growth here: I genuinely hope she finds whatever she's running toward... and maybe learns how not to run directly through people to get there. Overall though? As a venue for this fest, Tempe Beach Park absolutely delivers. I'll be back... just maybe with stronger crowd boundaries and a little more side-eye.

    We've visited the Tempe Beach Park area a few times for events like breast cancer walks and…read morefestivals. It's a beautiful location with scenic views of the bridges and water, and there's even a nearby museum which adds to the experience. Parking can be a bit of a mixed situation. There is a parking garage available, but it does require payment. We also noticed an additional open lot next to the garage where you can park for free; however, it is gated and the surface is mostly dirt and rocks, so just something to keep in mind. One thing we didn't come across was a public restroom, so it's unclear where the nearest one is located. Overall, it's a great area to visit and enjoy events. My only suggestion would be to add more parking options or provide a designated free parking area for visitors, so not everyone has to pay for parking.

    Photos
    Tempe Beach Park - Side stage reggae fest

    Side stage reggae fest

    Tempe Beach Park
    Tempe Beach Park

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    Saguaro Lake - lakes - Updated September 2026

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