Apache Lake is one of four

reservoirs A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation. Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of water, interrup ...

built along the Salt River in central

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

as part of the

Salt River Project The Salt River Project (SRP) encompasses two separate entities: the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District, an agency of the state of Arizona that serves as an electrical utility for the Phoenix metropolitan area, and the ...

Geography

The lake is located along the

Apache Trail The Apache Trail in Arizona was a stagecoach trail that ran through the Superstition Mountains. It was named the Apache Trail after the Apache Indians who originally used this trail to move through the Superstition Mountains. The historic ...

and about 16 miles east of

Tortilla Flat ''Tortilla Flat'' (1935) is an early John Steinbeck novel set in Monterey, California. The novel was the author's first clear critical and commercial success. The book portrays a group of 'paisanos'—literally, countrymen—a small band of e ...

, in Maricopa County, Arizona. It is about 65 miles (104 km) northeast of Phoenix. Apache Lake is formed by Horse Mesa Dam impounded the Salt River, which was completed in 1927. The second largest of the four Salt River Project reservoirs, Apache Lake is located about 5 miles (8 km) downstream from

Theodore Roosevelt Lake Theodore Roosevelt Lake (usually called Roosevelt Lake, sometimes Lake Roosevelt) is a large reservoir formed by Theodore Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River (Arizona), Salt River in Arizona as part of the Salt River Project (SRP). Located roughly ...

(the largest), and upstream from Canyon Lake and Saguaro Lake. The surface area of the lake is at full capacity and it can store of water.

Recreation

Apache Lake is a popular recreation destination within the

Tonto National Forest The Tonto National Forest, encompassing , is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet (427 m) in ...

, which is the authority that manages the facilities located at the lake. The lake is located along the Apache Trail and a number of other hiking trails can be found in the area. Situated along Apache Lake is Apache Lake Marina and Resort, which offers visitors various amenities. The resort includes 3 motels, an RV park, a gas dock house, a restaurant and bar, wet and dry boat storage slips, and a general store. Apache Lake Marina and Resort is the only development along Apache Lake that offers motel rooms and campgrounds with full hook ups. ApacheDawn Big

Many species of

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

can be found in the lake, including largemouth, smallmouth and

yellow bass The yellow bass (''Morone mississippiensis'') is a member of the family Moronidae. This species is a deep bodied fish that possesses five to seven dark stripes laterally along the sides, the lowest few of these are often broken or disrupted anter ...

crappie Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers. Etymology The genus name ''Pomoxi ...

, sunfish, both

channel Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Australia in Queensland and pa ...

and

flathead catfish The flathead catfish (''Pylodictis olivaris''), also called by several common names including mudcat or shovelhead cat, is a large species of North American freshwater catfish in the family Ictaluridae. It is the only species of the genus ''Py ...

walleye The walleye (''Sander vitreus'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Stizostedion vitreum''), also called the walleyed pike, yellow pike, yellow pikeperch or yellow pickerel, is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the Northern ...

and

carp The term carp (: carp) is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family (biology), family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized game fish, quarries and a ...

. 2022 fish kill has been caused by

golden algae The Chrysophyceae, usually called chrysophytes, chrysomonads, golden-brown algae, or golden algae, are a large group of algae, found mostly in freshwater. Golden algae is also commonly used to refer to a single species, '' Prymnesium parvum'', wh ...

Tonto National Monument Tonto National Monument is a National Monument in the Superstition Mountains, in Gila County of central Arizona. The area lies on the northeastern edge of the Sonoran Desert ecoregion, an arid habitat with annual rainfall of about 16 inches (40 ...

, with ancient

cliff dwelling In archaeology, cliff dwellings are dwellings formed by using niches or caves in high cliffs, and sometimes with excavation or additions in the way of masonry. Two special types of cliff dwelling are distinguished by archaeologists: the cliff- ...

s, is located south of the reservoir.

References

External links

*
Apache Lake Marina

Horse Mesa Dam and Apache Lake - SRP

Arizona Boating Locations Facilities Map

Arizona Fishing Locations Map

Video of Apache Lake
{{authority control Reservoirs in Gila County, Arizona Reservoirs in Maricopa County, Arizona Superstition Mountains Arizona placenames of Native American origin Tonto National Forest Reservoirs in Arizona

Geography

Recreation

See also

References

External links