Canyon Lake

If you plan to visit Canyon Lake, here are some things to know.

1. Get a Tonto National Park Daily Pass... 

Some lakes have a booth where you pay before you enter the recreation area; however, Canyon Lake has kiosks. For those of you who like to plan ahead, you can purchase your passes at participating gas stations.

2. Fill up the gas tanks - all the gas tanks!

Yes, this really must be stated as I do not want my experience to be your experience. I was headed out for a day on the lake. It was a perfect morning and we stopped at the gas station to fill the fuel tanks in the boat and jet skis. We were excited for the day! My brother and I jumped back in the truck and took off on the thirty-minute drive to Canyon Lake. I pulled over at the lookout point as we were meeting someone there. I enjoyed the view for a minute while we waited for our guest and when we were ready, my brother noticed the fuel gauge. I had 8 miles before the tank would be empty. It was a bit of a problem as we had no spare tank and no gas station within thirty minutes. While this makes for a fun story that I will later share, but this worrisome mishap could have been easily avoided if we filled ALL the tanks with fuel.

 3. Get there early. 

Arizona’s boating season is roughly May throughSeptember. Canyon Lake is popular and there is a limit for the number of boats on the lake, so get there early! This will also help you avoid any possible road delays as the highway to the lake only has two lanes. During the off season, you will find the activity on the lake consists of fishing, paddleboarding, and kayaking.

 4. Stop and take a photo at the lookout point!

There is a lookout point about a mile before you get to Canyon Lake. It offers a breathtaking view for you to enjoy and a glimpse of the lake awaiting you.

5. Don’t forget your life jacket!!

This would seem like an obvious addition; however, it is very easy to forget. As a boat owner, you are required to have life jackets on board for every person on the boat. If you are bringing visitors, make sure that you have enough for everyone and that the life jackets fit accordingly. If you have jet skis but no storage on the trailer to hold the life jackets, you will want to make sure that you pack those in the truck or in the bow of the jet ski. For anyone enjoying paddleboarding or kayaking, you are also required to have a life vest. While there are various kinds to choose from, I found the Oneill life jacket to be the most comfortable and versatile based on my various water activities. While it is not required to wear a life vest if you are swimming from the beach, it is highly recommended. 

Now, with all that being said, if you happen to forget your life jackets or have extra guests join your party, the Tonto Parks do offer extra life vests near the boat ramp that you can borrow. They go pretty quickly, so I would not count on it, especially if you get to the lake midday.

6. The lake is narrow. 

Canyon Lake is known for its canyons, which come with narrow waterways. If you are a new boater/jet skiier, I highly recommend you take a boater safety class. The water safety class will help you on all bodies of water and all vessels. The lake can get pretty busy with boats, jet skis, paddle boarders, kayaks, and swimmers - so stay vigilant!

 7. My favorite place on the lake. 

If you have a boat or jet ski, go through the canyon channel to the back of the lake and enjoy the soft, sandy beach. If you go during peak season, you will be in the company of many other boaters; but if you can visit during the off-season, you will find this area to be a quiet and secluded retreat. 

8. Best toys for Canyon Lake.

You can enjoy all lake activities here; however, depending on the season, some might be more enjoyable than others. If you have a boat, take some water skis, towable tubes, kneeboard, wakeboard, lily pad, and all your beach and lounging toys. The towable tube is the perfect toy during peak season!

9. Take a paddle board or kayak!

If you do not have a watercraft and are not sure what to do on the lake, there are plenty of things for you to do. Paddle boarding and kayaking are great activities for you to do alone or with friends and family, during every season! If you do not own a paddle board or kayak, you can buy or rent one from the marina. When you get to the water, paddle toward the bridge as there is a no-wake zone there and you can enjoy calm and peaceful waters there any time of the year.

As you can see from our homepage, Rick and I have made many memories at Canyon Lake (yes, those photos were all taken there!). Comment below if you have been to Canyon Lake or if you have any questions.