Alamo Lake – A Well-Kept Secret

By Mary Young

If you are looking for a quiet, relatively unknown lake to explore, head to Alamo Lake in the Bill Williams River Valley. You won’t be disappointed.

Spring rains produce a brilliant display of wildflowers that color the hillsides. As you cruise the lake, you’ll delight at the wildlife along the shore: bald and golden eagles, foxes, coyotes, waterfowl, mule deer, and wild burros. Low ambient light makes it a favorite of astronomers.

The dam was built primarily for flood control. During the rainy season the lake has been known to rise 11 feet overnight, so plan accordingly. Stays are limited to 15 days.

The Alamo Lake State Park is open every day of the year and offers campgrounds with hookups to water and electricity. Public restrooms and showers are available.
 
You can rent a boat at the well-stocked marina store, which also has a restaurant. Other facilities include a fish-cleaning station, sewage disposal, picnic areas, and a bait shop.

Anglers can expect to catch bluegill, largemouth bass, channel catfish, and black crappie.

Entrance and camping fees are charged per vehicle with a limit of two vehicles per campsite. Camping is permitted only in designated areas, and fires must be inside an existing fire ring. Call ahead for current rates.

To get to Alamo Lake, head for Wickenburg northwest of Phoenix then take Hwy 60 west to Wenden. Turn north on the Alamo Lake access road and drive 38 miles to the park. The road is paved all the way.

For more information, call (602) 669-2088 or visit www.pr.state.az.us or www.gf.state.az.us.

Learn more about great places to visit in Mary Young’s book “Arizona Waterways,” a pocket guide to boating and fishing in Arizona. It’s available at Amazon.com or visit www.kandmpress.com to buy or to see a list of retailers. Young can be reached at mary@kandmpress.com. Her pocket guides are also available at the Arizona Boating & Watersports booth at upcoming shows and expos. Young is often available for a book-signing.