Saguaro Lake, 41 miles from downtown Phoenix, is the Salt River Project lake closest to Phoenix. It is a long, narrow and winding lake created by the construction of Stewart Mountain Dam.

Saguaro del Norte Recreation site is near the dam and includes the Saguaro Lake Marina (which includes a restaurant and boat concession), an aid station, picnic tables, restrooms and boat ramps.

 

Butcher Jones Beach, which can be reached by a road a few miles north of Saguaro del Norte, features swimming, picnic and restroom facilities. The area is open daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. from April through September.

Bagley Flat Campground (30 spaces) is about four miles from the dam but is accessible only by boat. It is open all year (no fees). To get there, travel up a narrow cliff-bordered portion of the lake. The campground is in a scenic and peaceful area and has sanitation facilities.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department stocks all of the SRP lakes with fish. There generally are good supplies of walleye, largemouth and yellow bass, rainbow and brown trout, bluegills, channel catfish, and crappie in Saguaro.

To get there: There are two ways to reach the lake. One is to take the Bush Highway north from U.S. Highway 60 to the Saguaro del Norte Recreation Site turnoff. The other way is to take the Beeline Highway (State Route 87) from either the McDowell Road turnoff in Mesa or from Shea Boulevard near Fountain Hills. About eight miles after crossing the Verde River, turn right at signs indicating the Saguaro Lake Recreation Area.

14011 N. Bush Highway
Saguaro Lake
Mesa, AZ 85205
Tel. (480) 984-5311