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Published: June 16th 2017
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Geo: 33.5694, -111.534
Maybe we've been in the desert too long, but the Salt river was gorgeous. Clear, cold and full of pools and riffles, it flows out of seemingly dry mountains east of Phoenix like a miracle--a wet mirage.
Along it's length from Mesa to Saguaro Lake (backed up by the Stewart Mountain Dam) are access points with parking lots the size of Target, but today, Black Friday, they were mostly empty--just us and a few others avoiding the mania in town.
Further up the river lie Apache Lake, Canyon Lake and 80 miles from Phoenix, Roosevelt Lake and Dam, built in 1911 to control flooding.
The whole Salt River to Roosevelt Lake area lies within the Tonto National Forest and every parking lot requires you display your $6 Recreational Pass. We probably saw 200 signs, "Did You Buy Your Pass?", "Cars Without Passes Will Be Ticketed," "Cars MUST Display Tonto National Forest Recreation Pass," with the closest place to purchase such pass being BACK IN PHOENIX. I'm sure it's a great way to get the people who use the place to help pay for it, but it's certainly a cumbersome procedure. We're going to backtrack down the mountain to buy a pass
for a parking lot we're in NOW?
I don't think so.
There are no drop boxes here like there are in campgrounds in Montana. Maybe they have more danger of vandalism and theft, I don't know the reason, but the system is screwy.
Saguaro lake is about an hour and a half from us at Sun Lakes, but only 18 miles from Mesa, so it is mobbed in the summer. Arrive late on a summer weekend and you're not getting that boat near the water.
Here's a shocker: Roosevelt lake is not small--it's 22 miles long at full pool--but summer water temperatures can be more than 90 degrees. It's deepest point is 300 feet, so we're talking surface temps here, but still, impressive.
In 1911, when Roosevelt Dam was built it was the highest masonry dam, and Roosevelt lake the largest man made lake, in the world. IN THE WORLD. It's still the 3rd largest--that's what they claim. That's really big, isn't it?
During the summer so much water is taken out of the lake for irrigation, and to supply the lakes further down, that it can be a half mile from the campground to the water. But they let you camp on
Saguaro Lake Norte
First view of the lake is hre at the Marina. the beaches that surface, so in places you can still get near the water--if you can find a flat place that isn't muddy. After all, this is desert and water can't be wasted on campers, you know--or FISHERs for crying out loud. It's needed downstream for golf courses n' stuff. Important stuff. Oh, don't get me started.
But that's Roosevelt lake--more of that on another day.
Anytime I'm by water I'm happy, but today, with my toes in the riffles, I'm truly in heaven. I haven't sprung for an Arizona fishing license since we're only here two months, but today just watching the fly fishermen was enough.
It truly is another world down by the water.
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