Roosevelt Lake

There are a lot of facts and figures that could be told about Theodore Roosevelt Lake, but let's just say it's a wonderfully scenic area of Arizona's east valley and certainly worth a visit.

For 18 miles, it runs parallel to State Highway 188 with boating and hiking opportunities, camping and picnic sites all along the way. At the south end of the lake stand the Roosevelt bridge and dam, where the historic Apache Trail begins. And if that's not enough, Tonto National Monument's Upper and Lower Cliff Dwellings of the Solado people is conveniently situated and certainly worth a visit.

Lake Roosevelt runs roughly northwest to southeast and sits between Payson and Globe, the two closest towns to it.

The Cholla Recreation Site, at the more northern end of Lake Roosevelt, has wonderful camping sites and a nice trail that leads down to the water. One of my favorite subjects is trees, so I kinda went crazy taking pictures of all the dead forms that were so picturesque against the brilliant blue water and sky. Bear with me, okay?

One of several pulloffs along Highway 188 where one can enjoy panoramas of the lake. Spring time is especially nice with loads of brittle bush and globe mallow lining the lakeshore.

Theodore Roosevelt Dam was originally built between the years 1905 and 1911. It has since been renovated and expanded. The 350-foot masonry wall dams up the Salt River, creating Lake Roosevelt.

A stop at the Cottonwood/Frazier Recreation Site turned out to be more than just a nice spot for lunch. Nearby was a huge tree that had no less than six great blue herons in it. It could be there was a nest they were protecting, as they got a little nervous when several turkey vultures kept circling the tree.

The remaining shots were taken while on the Cottonwood Canyon Trail. The trailhead is located across Highway 188 from the lake, about a mile east of the Visitor Center. Because it was so late in the day, we only got as far as the canyon floor before we had to turn back. It was an easy hike, and on the way back, there were nice glimpses of Roosevelt Lake. We probably walked a couple miles RT from the trailhead to the floor with only gradual ups and downs.