Directions:
North from Phoenix on I-17 to Carefree Highway (AZ 74), about 5 miles north of Deer Valley Road.
West on Carefree Highway to either of the two entrances on the right.The first entrance is the Pleasant Harbor entrance and there are two ramps on this side as well as the Spring Canyon Landing which is a sand beach to launch from. The second entrance is is at Castle Hot Springs Road on the Lake Pleasant Regional Park side and there are to launch ramps and multiple places to beach (rocky in most places) launch.
Comments:
The park's web site is quite good and has lots of information including a map of the lake and surroundings.
There is one other way in to the lake which is from Table Mesa Road providing access to the upper extremes of the Agua Fria River arm above the seasonal eagle closure area. Dec. 15 - Jun. 15 (see map).
There are many miles of shoreline and coves to explore. It is usually at its fullest in May, then is drained off to supply Phoenix through the summer. It is paddleable and interesting at any level.
Castle Creek is a good place to paddle from the Regional Park's North Ramp (4-Lane) and is inhabited mostly by fishermen.
Cole's Bay has lots of little coves and fingers to check out.
Humbug Bay/Creek is a favorite haunt of the party crowd on weekends which can either make it a dangerous place or a destination for wild life viewing.
Agua Fria makes for a good, if long, paddle either from the North Ramp or Spring Canyon Landing. If paddling from the harbor side, use caution rounding the point at Buzzard's Neck as boat traffic is condensed there.
Cautions:
This is a large, popular lake, and can be busy on weekend afternoons. Lots of very fast boats and many jet skiers to test your torso rotation. Wear bright colors, reflective gear at night. Since it is large and has some wide expanses, it can get choppy with lots of traffic or wind.
If you paddle, be sure to have the required safety gear including a light at night.
AZ Game & Fish Boating Regulations 5-333.5.C (viewing requires Adobe Acrobat Reader):
"Manually propelled watercraft shall carry, ready at hand, a lantern or flashlight showing a white light which shall be exhibited in sufficient time to avert collision. Manually propelled watercraft used on the waters of this state where power driven watercraft are prohibited are exempt from the provisions of this section."
I find if you leave the light on, boaters are drawn closer to see what the heck that little light is. I sometimes wear a headlamp backwards when it is windy because it is harder to hear boats approaching then.
