Water Meets the Desert

People who are in the desert will always say it’s a welcome sight to see water.  For us being on the open road this winter we have definitely had our share of dust.  Ahh, if we could only find the perfect site.  And that we did at Lake Pleasant Regional Park.

At North Park, Firemen's Cove

North Park Entrance

This park is located in Maricopa County and has a north entrance station for shoreline camping along Firemen’s Cove (or in and around a smaller area called Cottonwood Cove).  It also has a main entrance station for “big time” recreation and camping (148+ semi-developed & developed sites for RV/tent camping) which includes boating, fishing, trails, nature/desert outdoor centers and much more.  Lake Pleasant is approximately 30 miles north of Phoenix with the Bradshaw Mountains in the distance at an elevation of almost 8,000 feet in elevation.  The park covers 23,662 acres of which 10,000 acres are water with an average depth of 70 feet or 260 feet at the deepest. 

Who is that fellow across the water?  He looks friendly!

So, it is at the north entrance that we found – quite by accident on our second day – what we have referred to as the “best spot” that we’ve had all winter.  We found an awesome spot sitting a couple hundred feet from the water at Cottonwood Cove.  

Our site from the Pipeline Canyon Trail

A beautiful night for a campfire.

,Currently, the longest hiking trail in the park – Pipeline Canyon Trail – runs north to south at an elevation change of 1,690 feet.  A new floating bridge allows year-round access and makes for a great fishing spot. 

Hey guy, I like your hat!

Floating bridge

Kay standing in front of a Velvet Mesquite tree.

The Lake itself is home to 17 species of fish such as Bass, Blue Gill, Crappie and Tilapia.  We passed this time on the fishing – couldn’t justify a temporary license for well over $50!  Our bird friends - in and out of the water - were the mallard ducks, a double-crested cormorant, great blue heron, Gambel’s quail, road runners and many turkey vultures.  This area is also a main nesting area for bald eagles; none seen on this visit though.  Note:  The eagles did not have a successful breeding year for 2014.

We're familiar with these ducks. . .Mallards.

Cormorant & Sonoran mud turtle enjoying some sun.

A pair of Lesser Scoup's

Ash-throated fly catcher.

New plants and flowers that were new this visit ~

A small group of flowers found on the trail.

Desert Lupine

Desert Ironwood ~ in full bloom.

Our four legged friends were the roaming wild burrows, Desert cottontail rabbit, Antelope squirrel, Kangaroo rat . . . and the “free range” beef cow that just showed up along the shoreline for a couple of days.  Steaks anyone???? (Jeff's suggestion!) 

These guys were very close to our site!

 

Stayed for 2 days and then was gone.

We were fortunate to be in the north Park at the time of Paddle Fest 2014.  One of the vendors, Daring Adventures, sums it up quite nicely with this statement.

      “Improving the quality of life for people with disabilities and other life challenges through the power of outdoor recreation.”

There was music, a “Try out a Paddle Craft”, fishing derby, kayak races and more.  A beautiful sunny day which couldn’t be more perfect for people watching . . . got to get those pooches in the picture too!  A lot of fun was had by all in a colorful sea of kayaks.

Daring Adventures ~ one of the vendors for the event

Poco Pad Sumo Wrestling. Gal on the left was blind.

Get a life jacket and pick out a paddle craft to try!

"Ok, Mom, let's get cracking!"

What a lazy day for this guy!

"Get my life jacket on. . .I'm ready to start paddling"

Lastly, the uniqueness of the Lake Pleasant area is the New Waddell Dam (completed 1992) that was created to expand the lake to three times the size and hold five times the amount of water of the old lake (old dam built 1927).  You ask, “Where does all this water come from?”  It comes from the Central Arizona Canal that lies 5 miles south of the lake.  The water is brought in from the Colorado River by canals, pumps and siphons all the way from Lake Havasu.  Imagine water being lifted nearly 2,900 vertical feet by 14 pumping plants throughout the state of Arizona.  So sorry that we didn't get a picture of the Dam which is at the Main Entrance.  Trust us . . . it's HUGE!

A view of the Central Arizona Canal

 

It’s pretty amazing to learn that the water is delivered (1.5 million acre-feet per year) to Central/Southern Arizona via the canals.  Jeff read that one acre foot = average family of 4’s yearly water usage.  Add to that the current estimated population of the Phoenix area at 4.3 million and that’s a lot of water that is needed.  WOW!  We now have an even greater appreciation of just how important water is for these areas.  Let’s all try and conserve our water resources wherever we live!

thanks!

Hugs to all ~ Kay & Jeff

Our sleepy heads, Chuck & Abby