PADDLING
Fingers in the Water
Woods Canyon Lake
Photos and Text by Annemarie Eveland
It was one of those perfectly perfect days. The skies were clear and blue, the air soft with a hint of coolness. The kind of day that begs you to go outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature. So, I gathered up my faithful black four-legged companion and headed east on 260 Highway. It took less than 40 minutes of leisurely driving to arrive at the turn-off to Woods Canyon Lake. It’s easy to see as it has signage and is across the highway from the Apache Sitgreaves Ranger Station.
Our Local Waterworks
By Rob Bettaso
What’s the expression?: when in Rome, do as the Romans. In the White Mountains, I will modify that and suggest: when in the monsoon season, do as the ducks do and stay on the water. Assuming, of course, there are absolutely no signs of lightning.
This has been a reasonably wet monsoon in the high country and while initially I was able to do a fair amount of hiking, eventually the trails became quite muddy so I shifted gears and spent more time cycling the gravel roads. By early August, I decided to
Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Cienega Lake
One of the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s most beautiful and accessible lakes is Horseshoe Cienega located on the northeast corner of the Fort Apache Reservation....
Hawley Lake
Hawley Lake is another beautiful Fort Apache Reservation lake. The drive is a lot longer but takes you through a mountain road with twists and turns as you descend to the ...
Like Horseshoe Lake & Campground
A December Paddle on the Verde
By Anne Groebner
With winter looming over our shoulders and the kayaking season in the White Mountains coming to an end, I was ready to head south and take my chances on the Verde River in Cottonwood. I had never paddled the Verde but had read about it and I wasn’t ready to hang up my paddles. Neither were a couple of friends, Lee and Jackie, who are as passionate about kayaking as I am.
We drove to Cottonwood the night before and stayed at the Lux Verde Inn. The room was so big that stacking three kayaks inside was no problem. It was the perfect room — ground floor, on
A January Paddle on Saguaro
By Anne Groebner
I am always astounded by the diversity in Arizona. You can be cross-country skiing on top of a mountain, in a foot of snow with freezing temperatures one morning and kayaking in the heat of the Sonoran desert on the same day. That might be pushing it a little, but it is doable! I went skiing on a Thursday in February (see That Wild Blue Yonder, by Rob Bettaso in this issue), and was kayaking Saguaro Lake, in Mesa on the following Saturday. Both days were amazing with blue skies and perfect weather.
Paddling
White Mountain Lake
Special THANK YOU goes out to Lydia for her invite to White Mountain Lake! The lake is private but Lydia provided us with guest passes and we enjoyed the morning on the water.
The Perfume River - Part I
BY ROB BETTASO
The night before our launch, I had a dream. It was fairly typical of dreams, I suppose, nonsensical on its face, but, when considered carefully, loaded with possible symbolism. In the dream, I had walked out
The Perfume River
Part II
BY ROB BETTASO
Last month, in Part 1 of this two-part story, I described the background events that led up to a four-day float down the San Juan
A Weekend in the Canyon
BY KILEY DAVIS
Living in Arizona for my entire life, I have always wanted to visit Antelope Canyon — a breathtaking slot canyon in Page, Arizona. However, with the Covid pandemic still looming, the upper part of the canyon has been closed, as you are required to have a guide take you on a tour of the canyon. I thought my desire to visit the canyon would have to be put off for another year.
Paddling the Salt
BY ANNE GROEBNER
On a typical summer day on the lower Salt River, you will find it filled with energetic inner-tubers converging on — and in — its cool waters as a reprieve from the triple digit temperatures of the desert valley. And yet, it is one of the go-to places for kayakers who reside in the surrounding cities. It is a beautiful paddle on one of Arizona’s largest rivers surrounded by desert landscapes,
How to Buy a Kayak
BY ANNE GROEBNER
Buying a kayaking 101 — buy a kayak that looks cool with some basic paddles or even the ones that come with it — if it’s a package deal —throw it on top of your car or in the back of your truck, drive to the lake
Treasures Around Us
PHOTO & TEXT BY ROB BETTASO
Life comes at you fast, they say, to which I would add: it generally knocks you flying and then, once you’ve dusted yourself off, you notice that several weeks have gone by. Such is the case with a whole bunch of fun outdoor activities I’ve experienced going all the way back to early this past fall.
Horseshoe Lake
Located on AZ Route 260, approximately 2 miles north of A-1 Lake. Located just a few miles before
A-1 Lake, Horseshoe Lake has a lot of waterfowl and other wildlife. It is a great place to kayak surrounded with the fall colors. A Reservation permit is required.
Hawley Lake
BY ANNE GROEBNER
I had looked forward to kayaking Hawley Lake all summer but, unfortunately, the Pandemic hit at the start of spring and everything shut down and nothing opened back up until nearly fall. Turns out, fall is a great time to kayak Hawley Lake. We hoped the colors would have changed by the time we made it out there but even the first week
Clear Creek Reservoir
BY ANNE GROEBNER
I first heard about Clear Creek from Diane Tilton at AZGFD. She kept asking me if I had ever kayaked there. I am always up for new adventures so I got some friends together and we drove to Winslow. It was pretty easy to Find — about 10 minutes (5.9 miles) outside of Winslow, 1.2 miles on AZ-87/AZ-99 east and then turned left onto 99 south
Blue Ridge Reservoir
(C.G. Craig Reservoir)
BY ANNE GROEBNER
C.C. Cragin Reservoir is a 70-acre lake that flows snake-like through towering Ponderosa, Aspen, Douglas fir, cliffs and rocky shorelines. It has given me, by far, one of the best kayaking experiences I have had in Arizona. The Reservoir sits atop the Mogollon Rim within the Coconino National
Fool Hollow Recreation Area - AZ State park
BY ANNE GROEBNER
A 150-acre lake surrounded by towering pine trees and offering 92 hook-up sites and 31 non-hookup sites.
The Park was named when Thomas Jefferson Adair moved into the area in 1885 to start a farm. The locals joked that only a fool would try and farm that land and the
Rainbow Lake
Rainbow Lake is an urban lake that offers easy access and a large water surface to explore. There are plenty of wildlife to see, including cormorants, egrets, herons, eagles and osprey. If you are looking to stay close to town, this is the lake to paddle.
Scott Reservoir
I have lived in the White Mountains for over 25 years now and this summer was the first time I ever kayaked Scott Reservoir. To be honest, I never saw it with this much water before. Between the drought and irrigation, it always looked like just a puddle to me.
Under a Full Moon
Show Low Lake
Have you ever kayaked or canoed under a full moon? It is one of the most serene experiences you’ll ever have. My husband loaded up the canoe during July 4th’s full moon and we headed to Show Low Lake.
