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Cool Lizard Gear
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SHOP OUR STORE for unique items to help you explore Arizona in style and comfort.
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Lake Pleasant Regional Park is located just 30 miles north of Phoenix, and 15 miles west of I-17 on Hwy 74 (Carefree Hwy). It is open 24 hours per day and offers picnicking, camping, hiking trails, the Visitor's Center and the Desert Outdoor Center, fishing, and boating.
Its 23,662 acres offers an ideal location for desert recreation.
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The Visitor's Center is open to the public and provides
information on the Central Arizona Project, Waddell Dam and Lake Pleasant. Gifts, brochures etc. are available in the Visitor's Center as well.
The Desert Outdoor Center is open by reservation only, and it contains the ONLY barrier free trail in the park.
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The Pipeline Canyon Trail is the longest trail in the park, and connects the north entrance area to the main entrance area. This is a rugged, scenic trail.
Trails are open year round. All park trails are open to hiking only.
Left: Pipeline Canyon Trail (north end)
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Fish include White Bass, Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill and White Crappie (per Lake Pleasant brochure). A valid Arizona Fishing License is required to fish within the park.
Picnic areas are open from dawn to sunset and include single use and group use areas.
Developed campgrounds for tent and RV are available; primitive camping is also permitted in several areas along the shore (portable toilets are provided in some areas).
Right: Visitor's Center
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Special Tips
Traveling with children, pets or special needs
Accessibility
Lake Pleasant Regional Park contains wheelchair accessible restrooms. These are two stall restrooms with one stall being large and accessible.
The ONLY barrier free trail is at the Desert Outdoor Center and this is open by reservation only.
Although picnic areas provide handicap parking spaces, most of the picnic tables are NOT accessible. Barriers, including boulders (to keep cars out) and steep trails down to the tables, make many
tables totally inaccessible. Fee camping areas are accessible and I spoke to a park employee about use of camp spaces as picnic areas for people who cannot hike down the trails. She said that as long
as fee paying campers are not using those spaces, it should be alright. The few accessible tables I spotted near the parking area were being used by families.
The north entrance area is not used nearly as much as the main entrance area. For more privacy in the restrooms, plus a better choice of accessible picnic areas, this would be a better option.
For those coming and going from Phoenix, the new Target at 24890 N. Lake Pleasant Parkway in Peoria has a private, accessible restroom.
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 Traveling with children
Turkey vultures, coyotes, lizards and wild burros are just a few of the wild creatures your child can find roaming freely throughout the park.
The Visitor's Center provides information and exhibits about the park and its inhabitants, including the desert tortoise.
The Desert Outdoor Center provides educational programs and exhibits, and is open to schools and other groups by reservation only.
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 Traveling with pets
For your pet's safety, as well as the safety of wildlife, your pet should be leashed (it is a requirement in all parks).
Bring plenty of water and food and follow all safety precautions and preparations for back road travel. For the safety of your pet, NEVER LEAVE YOUR PET UNATTENDED IN A VEHICLE. Temperatures can be extreme in Arizona.
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Directions & Resources
From Phoenix or Flagstaff, take I-17. Go west Hwy 74 toward Wickenburg. Turn right on Castle Hot Springs Rd.
The Lake Pleasant Regional Park main entrance and (further north) north entrance will both be on the right.
Resources:
maricopa.gov/parks/lake_pleasant Lake Pleasant Park
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