Visitors find aquatic recreation areas throughout the state. Pristine mountain lakes and state parks along the Colorado River attract many repeat visitors. Other water recreation areas are surprising, like the chain of lakes in the state’s hottest desert. Wherever the Arizona adventure leads, expect to find many ways to get on the water.
Rafting through the Grand Canyon is a bucket-list adventure for many water enthusiasts. Follow the path of the Colorado River down the western border of Arizona and find riverside parks that offer up-tempo water skiing at Lake Havasu and more mellow paddle boarding and kayaking at Cattail Cove. Or head to Lake Mead and Lake Powell for water recreation surrounded by scenic canyons.
The Phoenix area features recreation reservoirs created by harnessing the Salt River. Find a full-service marina with equipment rentals at Roosevelt Lake — the biggest lake on the Salt River — or book at paddle-wheeler cruise at smaller, more remote destinations such as Saguaro Lake and Canyon Lake. Between the lakes, free-flowing sections of the Salt River attract tubers in summer months.
Throughout the state, enjoy scenic drives to discover outdoor playgrounds such as Watson Lake near Prescott to Patagonia Lake near the Arizona-Mexico border. Find even more put-in points along Arizona’s two Wild & Scenic Rivers — the untamed Verde River, which feeds the remote Fossil Creek wonderland in Central Arizona.
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Lazy rivers and wild rapids
The state's most famous river — the mighty Colorado — is one of the longest rivers in the U.S., and is responsible not only for carving the 277-mile chasm through the Grand Canyon but also for sustaining more than 40 million people in seven states.
Along Arizona’s seven other major rivers, including the Salt, Gila and Verde rivers, rafting, tubing and kayaking provide a cool and scenic respite from the heat. Fishing is another popular pastime, and you’ll find no shortage of opportunities to reel in a variety of trout, catfish, tilapia, crappie and largemouth bass.
Rafting the Grand Canyon
A bucket list trip for rafting enthusiasts — or those wanting to see the Grand Canyon from a new perspective — is a motorized or oar-powered rafting trip through the canyon on the Colorado. Smooth water or white-water trips range in length from a half-day to 13 days. For those seeking “big water,” July and August are your best bet. Rafting trips are arranged through commercial river-running companies and require advanced reservations — some up to a year in advance.
Lakes, Skiing and The London Bridge
From the chain lakes of Greater Phoenix such as Lake Pleasant, Canyon Lake and Lake Roosevelt, to those in southern and central Arizona like Patagonia Lake and the otherworldly granite dells of Watson Lake, fans of water sports will find plenty of opportunities to boat, water ski, windsurf, paddle board, dive, Jet ski and fish while enjoying the scenery.
To the west and north of Arizona, Lake Powell and Lake Havasu — home to the London Bridge (yes, that London Bridge) — represent some of the largest manmade reservoirs in the U.S. In addition to the usual activities, visitors to Lake Havasu and the Parker Strip can opt to set up camp or rent a houseboat during their stay to ensure they’re never far from their next water adventure.
A desert oasis: Lake Powell
Lake Powell, which straddles the border between Arizona and Utah, has made many a bucket list owing to its views of deep waters surrounded by red-rock bluffs and canyons. Plan a week-long trip on a houseboat with kayaks and Jet skis and spend the days exploring slot canyons and the nights beached on sandy shores. If only a short stay is possible, rent a watercraft of your choice for the day or book a boat tour and enjoy the red-rock splendor.
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