Times Spent Outdoors: Priceless!
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Lake Powell Report (6/23/21) Lake Powell is dropping. Inflowing water today is 10,000 Acre Feet less than outflow. The parched Southwest really needs Monsoon rain to fall this summer. Be careful when traveling on the lake. Stay in the middle of the main channel to ensure a safe trip. Stripers Still Hitting Bait Stripers are still hitting bait in the normal spots like Buoy 25 Cove and Wall, Rincon, and Moki Canyon. On my weekly fishing trip, we saw fewer slurping stripers in the channel between... Full story
As I began to gather material for this June issue, I was noticing that there is some optimism about scheduling and re-scheduling events. Is our long wait over? Can we really recreate again? So many events were cancelled last year and some will still need to be rescheduled, but overall, with caution and care, it appears the worst may be over. We hope so! Meanwhile, before the weather really heats up, it is an excellent time to go to our waterways. Lake Pleasant with all its amenities is a... Full story
Concert and Fireworks Planned for July 3 – 4, 2021 LAKE HAVASU CITY, Arizona (June 24, 2021) – The megadrought in the Southwest has lead to epic water shortages, but there is one bright side. While Lakes Powell and Mead are both under 40 percent of their reservoir storage capacity, the water level of the Colorado River's 45-mile long Lake Havasu, on the border between California and Arizona, remains consistent-as much as 98 percent full in the summer. In fact, the elevation of Lake Havasu typ... Full story
It's more fun at the lake! forty five minutes from downtown Phoenix, Pleasant Harbor, located on the southeastern shores of Lake Pleasant, serves as a one-stop recreation spot for lakeside fun and a safe outing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Activities Abound Pleasant Harbor is open to the public 365 days a year, and features Dillon's Bayou restaurant, sailing, boat and Jet Ski rentals, kayaks, and paddle boards, fly boarding, slip rentals and storage, as well as a full-service RV resort with... Full story
The state's backcountry is the perfect place for experienced hikers to expand their trail horizons. Excerpts From Visit Arizona [admin@visitarizona.com] The following adventures and lesser-known hiking gems range from moderate to difficult, but they share several qualities in common: getting away from the crowds and immersing yourself in the most diverse ecosystems, wildlife and scenic beauty that Arizona has to offer. Note: Backcountry trails are, by definition, remote and isolated, often... Full story
Put A Spring In Your Step - Hike (And Bike) Close To Home View TT's blog about outdoor options in Tempe during COVID-19. And check out the City of Tempe's website for the latest updates on closures. Adapted From An Article By Toni Smith - Submitted By Tempe Tourism It's been a long year and a bit, but we all know that. What we may not know are some great places for relieving the resultant stress buildup by hiking. And, they are close to home. Papago Park • Papago Park has several easy hikes t... Full story
'Pick a trail and lace up your shoes.' From Arizona State Parks And Trails Attention Arizona hikers! If you're looking for a great way to get outdoors any time of year with friends or the family, here are some insider tips about the best hiking trails in Arizona's state parks. Explore these diverse options throughout this amazingly beautiful state, and cross these hikes off your bucket list! From Arizona's hiking trails you will come across a variety of amazing sights and experiences that range... Full story
From Arizona State Parks Check out our extensive Arizona wildflower list at the bottom of the page, complete with vibrant photos and bloom information! How many will you see in 2021? February showers make March wildflowers in the desert parks and create yet another reason to explore this beautiful state! During years of average and above average precipitation, it seems every direction you look there are beautiful yellow, red, white, orange, blue, or purple flowers blanketing the landscape. Try... Full story
AZGFD’s Canyon Creek Hatchery will provide some trout for the department's Community Fishing Program waters this winter. The current drought conditions have caused reduced spring water flows at the hatchery, making it difficult to maintain the quality water flow needed to support the large number of fish in its raceways. Utilizing some of the fish for winter stockings in community waters will reduce numbers of trout at the hatchery and help ensure the fish there have adequate water to grow a... Full story
The year 2020 saw a lot of people venturing into the outdoors for the first time. According to the National Shooting Sports Foundation, this past year 6.2 million new shooters took up the sport. There was also a spike in camping and other outdoor activities. Some people were afraid to gather together inside, but outside is a different matter. If you are one of the newbies, I hope you continue to enjoy the outdoors this year and for many years to come. Many Good Reasons There are a lot of good... Full story
Flagstaff We went up to Flagstaff at the beginning of September, and even at that altitude, it was still warm. We even went way up the mountain to hike the Kachina Trail and it was still warm in the sun. But Kachina is a gorgeous trail and in October, it should be a glorious time to do that hike. The Kachina is very long and joins a lot of other nice long hikes on the mountain. It is an out-and-back trail, so we usually just hike until we decide we need to turn back. To get to the Kachina... Full story
Located off of Arizona Highway 95 at Castle Rock Road, and Colorado River Mile 220, Castle Rock Bay is a splendidly scenic and secluded ten-acre section of the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge. This popular launch area for non-motorized boats is also a peaceful setting for hiking, fishing and relaxing on the beach. The Havasu National Wildlife Refuge is comprised of 37,515 acres along the lower Colorado River in both Arizona and California. It protects 30 river miles, 300 miles of shoreline from...
The warm blanket of water was ripped off the surface by an unprecedented cold blast from the north. At press time, daily air temperature has been in the 100s, with low air temperature in the 80s. The water temperature has been holding in the 80s but is now 76 and may be lower tomorrow. How will fish respond to the quick cold front? Stripers In the past week, stripers have been feeding on the surface at dawn and dusk. They were not dependable each day but when it was about time to give up, they... Full story
Peoria, AZ (October 9, 2020) – The Annual Haunted Harbor Trunk-N-Treat at Lake Pleasant will occur on Saturday, October 24 from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. The event includes a safe and fun environment to trick or treat, Halloween costume contest, a live Rockabilly band and food trucks. Although there is a $7.00 entry gate fee per carload, this charge is waived if children are dressed in Halloween costumes. All attendees must wear a mask and follow posted social distancing guidelines. Pleasant Har... Full story
At Press Time, This Is The State Lands Information One spark is all it takes! • On Friday, Aug. 14, Stage I fire restrictions were re-implemented to state lands within Coconino County - SOUTH of the Grand Canyon and in Yavapai County. • Stage II fire restrictions remain in place in Gila, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave and Yuma Counties and Coconino - NORTH of the Grand Canyon. • Target shooting and fireworks are never allowed at any time of the year. • For more information, please call our state f... Full story
EVENING UPDATE: Sears Fire - Oct. 1 PHOENIX, Oct. 1, 2020 -Firefighters continue to patrol, monitor and mop up hotspots along the perimeter of the Sears Fire. The fire remains at 14,476 acres and is now 48 percent contained. Higher temperatures today caused an increase in fire activity which resulted in an unburned pocket of vegetation to ignite within the fire's interior, however there was no threat of it spotting over containment lines. Fire crews continue to monitor and protect critical... Full story
There Are Beautiful Drives Near Alpine And Springerville If you're looking to get out of the heat and see some gorgeous country where it's cool and green, I've got the perfect road trip for you. If you've ever been to Alpine or Springerville, you already know how pretty the Apache-Sitgreaves Forest is, and I've got a couple of back-road drives for you that don't require 4WD. In fact, we saw a lot of RV's on the second part of our road trip. The First Leg The first leg of our trip starts just... Full story
The latest in off-road vehicles, boats, RVs, travel trailers set to bring down the curtain on 2020. To say that 2020 has been an unusual year is a gross understatement. Between fighting a stubborn pandemic and a volatile presidential election cycle, people have been forced to become more inventive in ways to pursue safe and fun recreational outlets. Just In Time For Fall, Winter Adventures For the past nine years, outdoor motorsports enthusiasts have relied on the Sand-Water-RV Expo, presented... Full story
Although the letter from London was often on our minds, Jim and I were able to enjoy our flight to Scotland, the wedding of his sister Lynn, and the delightful family of her new husband Frank. It had been a memorable time in Glasgow, but now that the celebrations were over, we were ready to begin our three-part travels of Scotland, the Irelands, and Wales. (We called this journey our "trilogy.") We telephoned London just before we left Glasgow. As there was not an answer at Crampton's, we... Full story
Maps Are Guides To So Many Cool Spots In Arizona Somebody asked me recently how John and I find so many cool places around Arizona. The answer is maps. I have a lot of maps. When we were planning our recent trip to Williams, I spread several maps out on the kitchen table: a DeLorme Atlas and Gazettee; a Forest Service Map of Kaibab National Forest Williams, Chalendar and Tusayan Ranger Districts; a National Geographic Trails Illustrated Topographic map of Sycamore Canyon and Verde Valley... Full story
With cooler Arizona temperatures on the way in a few months, recreation enthusiasts begin the seasonal transitionfrom summer to fall and winter outdoor activities like camping, fishing, boating, RVing, travel and off-roading. This means Southwest residents and vacationing visitors alike anxiously await the opportunity to enjoy everything that local deserts, mountains, rivers and lakes have to offer. Bigger, Better As it has for the past eight years, the official kick-off of approaching fall and... Full story
10-Miles Across The Desert And Up Crown King adventure is waiting for you, Crown King, the top of the mountain, adventure, adventure, adventure.... Carol and I just returned from a few days in Crown King, Ariz. This was not our first trip but as always it was an adventure. And, not only an adventure because of the 28-miles of rough and winding road. Part of the adventure for us was in going just a few miles north west of the valley with its' several million people and finding this very small... Full story
Lake Powell is now back to normal and open for fishing, recreating and camping 24 hours per day. Smallmouth Bass fishing has been incredible with a consistent catch of 40 fish or better each day. Most anglers are pounding the shoreline from 5-30 feet deep with plastic baits including Ned rigs, plastic grubs, Maniac Cutter bugs, and various crankbaits. Many have enjoyed topwater fishing in the early morning and evening in coves and the backs of canyons. Lake Powell bass seem happy to have anglers... Full story
The Japanese have a term "Shinrinyoku" that literally means "forest therapy". They know that getting outdoors soothes your soul and relaxes your mind. It is really good for kids to get outdoors and be able to run and play and explore nature – and yes, even get really dirty. My dad started taking me camping and hunting when I was very young, and I always love the feeling that you get when you leave the city behind. To this day, it lifts my spirits to get out where there are no buildings in v... Full story
You can still get to Apache Lake – you just have to go to Roosevelt Lake and drive south from there. Right now the Apache Trail is still washed out, but access to the lake from the north is still possible. You may not remember the name Casey Iwai – he was a youngster who was quite a stick back in the day. He even fished the Bassmaster trail for a year and was featured on their television coverage. He had a great reputation in the tournament circles in Arizona as well. Casey is now a doctor, but... Website