Communities for Outdoor Recreation in Arizona
So you are ready to plan a trip to enjoy Arizona’s great outdoors?
The following gateway communities are ready to welcome you and help plan your trip. The links are for local communities that are able to provide more information about local organizations that offer guest services.
| Area | Hunting | Fishing | Boating | Shooting | OHV | Watchable Wildlife |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuma | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Lake Pleasant | x | x | x | x | ||
| Lake Havasu | x | x | x | x | ||
| City of Show Low | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| City of Buckeye | x | x | ||||
| Payson | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Pinetop-Lakeside | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Springerville-Eagar | x | x | x | x | x | x |
| Tucson | x |
Apache County
Springerville-Eager
- Just outside of Springerville and Eagar on the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest is some of the finest elk hunting in the nation.
- Becker Lake is a blue ribbon catch and release rainbow trout fishery. Nearby Greer Lakes, Big Lake, and Luna Lake also provide great trout fishing experiences.
- Miles high elevation creeks including Black River and the Little Colorado River offer great stream trout fishing opportunities found nowhere else in Arizona.
- Bring your boat out to Lyman Lake (no engine size restrictions) for water skiing or wakeboarding.
- Springerville and Eagar are the gateway to Arizona’s white mountains on the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest.
- Saffel Canyon OHV Trail offers great routes with scenic views in addition to many other opportunities for motorized travel on the Forest
- Visit Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area or one of the other nearby wildlife areas. You might see elk, deer, pronghorn and a variety of bird species, from eagles to hummingbirds.
- The Grasslands and Weinema Wildlife Areas have easy hiking trails along native grasslands and the Little Colorado River offering hikers impressive vistas and great opportunities to experience nature.
- Learn more, visit http://springervilleeagarchamber.com/visitor-information/
Cochise County
Coconino County
Gila County
Payson
- Premiere big game hunting destination
- Stocked urban fishing lakes
- Verde River, Tonto and Christopher Creek fishing
- Wildlife viewing: elk, deer, javelina, coyote, bear, birds and more
- Two fish hatcheries close by for premier fishing
- Home to the Payson Wildlife Fair
- Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
- Gila Trout Fly Fishing Destination
- Rifle/Bow Shooting Range with walking archery range
- Fossil Creek
- AZ Trail Community / Hiking Destination
- Warm water/cold water fishing
- Green Valley Lakes in town / kayaking and fishing
- Forest Lakes
- www.paysonrimcountry.com
Graham County
Greenlee County
La Paz County
Lake Havasu City
- One of the premiere bass fishing lakes in the Western U.S., including largemouth, smallmouth, striper, as well as redear sunfish
- 60 miles of uninterrupted navigable waterways
- More than 1,800 miles of off-road trails for hiking, mountain biking, and off-roading
- OHV access to the 750-mile Arizona Peace Trail
- Wildlife watching at Bill Williams and Lake Havasu National Wildlife Refuges, including the nutting flycatcher, mountain goats, and burros
- Visit https://golakehavasu.com/
Maricopa County
Buckeye
- Premiere dove, small game and waterfowl hunting destination
- Audubon Important Bird Area along the Gila River
- Wildlife viewing: deer, javelina, coyote, birds and more
- Landscape scale river restoration
- Home to the http://skylineregionalpark.com/
- Three Wildlife Areas and four additional properties managed for wildlife (over 11,000 acres)
- http://www.buckeyevalleychamber.org/
- http://gilariverprojects.com/overview/
Peoria, Lake Pleasant Regional Park
- With two boat launching ramps, Lake Pleasant is a water enthusiast’s dream for wake boarding, boating, water skiing, wakeboarding and kayaking among some of the most popular activities. Fishing
- Fishing is available at Lake Pleasant by boat or shoreline with various club and organizations scheduling amateur and pro-national events each year. Spring and summer are the optimal times to fish at the lake due to the higher water level. Summertime heat pushes the fish into deeper water where it’s cooler
- Night fishing, a popular activity among the locals at Lake Pleasant, is one way to increase your odds for largemouth bass. White bass or stripers are active in deeper water whereas catfish are most active at night in the coves
- Camping
- 148 sites for RV and tent camping in both developed and semi-developed sites
- Lake Pleasant is known for having some of the best inland scuba diving in the western states
- Moonlight Scorpion Hunting, guided and self-guided “hunting” tours are available and are a great activity for the family
- With access to 570 acres of parks and more than 25 miles of trails and the natural beauty of the hills and valleys of the Sonoran Desert, Peoria is a hiking mecca
- Visit https://VisitPeoriaAZ.com
- Lake Pleasant Regional Park
Navajo County
City of Show Low
- A premiere hunting destination for big game, small game and waterfowl
- Superb fishing at over 50 nearby lakes and streams, including easily accessible and family friendly trout fishing at Show Low Creek and Silver Creek
- In town fishing and boating on Follow Hollow and Show Low Lakes
- New Second Knoll Target Range is a great new venue in Eastern Arizona for recreational and competition shooting
- Hundreds of miles of trails on the White Mountain Trail System for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding
- Spectacular fall colors in the nearby Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
- Wildlife viewing in the nearby Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests; at various lakes, streams and wetlands in the area and at the Wenima and Sipe Wildlife Areas
- OHV riding on the Maverick Trail and on the maintained road network in the nearby Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests
- Visit http://www.showlowaz.gov/129/Visitors
Pinetop-Lakeside
- Hunting opportunities include big game, small game, and waterfowl at Jacques Marsh
- Make family fishing memories at Woodland Lake, Rainbow Lake and Show Low Lake
- Rainbow Lake is a great place to kayak or canoe. Take a boat out on Rainbow Lake or Woodland Lake to enjoy quality time fishing
- Many safe shooting areas on the USFS or Second Knoll Target Range are close by
- Connect to the OHV Maverick Trail and other USFS roads nearby
- Great wildlife viewing right outside the town on the Apache Sitgreaves National Forest. Bring your binoculars to Jacques Marsh, Woodland Lake, and Rainbow Lake to catch a glimpse of many of our seasonal and migratory birds. In the winter, you’re likely to see a bald eagle or two
- Visit the top 10 things to do, for more information about all of the outdoor adventures in Pinetop-Lakeside
Pima County
Tucson
- Premiere outdoor recreation
- Home to Saguaro National Park, Catalina State Park, Santa Catalina Mountains
- Wildlife viewing in national forest, national park, state and county parks
- Birding at Sabino Canyon, Agua Caliente Park, Sweetwater Wetlands, The Loop, Madera Canyon
- https://www.visittucson.org/
Santa Cruz County
Yuma County
Yuma
- A premiere dove hunting destination
- Fishing & boating: access to the lower Colorado River, Mittry Lake, the Imperial Reservoir and several community fishing waters
- Home to the Adair Shooting Range
- OHV access to the lower end of the Arizona Peace Trail
- Wildlife watching at Audobon Important Bird Area along the lower Colorado River
- Visit http://www.visityuma.com/index.html
