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One of my goals this year is to spend more time outdoors, so on Saturday I set out to a site that’s new to me: Canyon Lake.
Here’s how my trip went.
The drive
I left my apartment in Phoenix around 7 a.m. and, after making a couple of stops to get gas, pick up friends in Mesa, buy ice, and I made it to the lake around 8:30 a.m. There was no traffic getting there, even on a holiday weekend.
If you’re doing a straight shot, it’s about an hour’s drive east of Phoenix.
Parking
I was worried that with Labor Day traffic, the Acacia Day Use Area might be full, but once I got to the lot where you can purchase a day pass, I found plenty of open spots.
Some people I went with purchased the Tonto Daily Pass at the lake, but I had purchased one in advance at a local hiking store for $8. It’s nice that both options are available!
Shade
I gathered up my gear and met up with my friends, and we set off for the shore. I saw that many picnic tables under the area’s large ramadas were still open, so we grabbed one to store all of our stuff. I had anticipated having very little shade during the day, so this was a nice surprise. Someone in our group had also brought a canopy, but we didn’t end up using it thanks to the ramada.
The lake
The temperature of the lake was perfect—not too cold, but definitely chilly against the heat. We spent a few hours swimming, playing catch in the water, paddleboarding, and eating our picnic lunches under the ramada.
I had a really wonderful time, and I appreciated that it was a low-stress experience, even on a holiday weekend. I can’t believe it took me this long to go there, and I’ll definitely plan to go again soon! Maybe next time, I’ll visit the Canyon Lake Marina and take a tour on the Dolly Steamboat.
