Last time we tried to camp at Blue Ridge Reservoir near Strawberry we were thwarted by road closures. Luckily, Graham and I were finally able to check it out last weekend. We didn't bring the canoe because this was a short camping trip, but next time it is a must. There is a ramp for boat loading, and most visitors had their kayaks and canoes in tow. This time we were content to let our dogs play ... Read more
A birthday canoeing and camping trip to Saguaro Lake
** This post contains affiliate links to camping supplies.When Graham told me he wanted to celebrate his birthday by camping at Saguaro Lake, I was nervous. We had an incident with some raccoons and skunks on our last camping trip there, though I admit it was because we were lazy about putting our food away in a timely manner.Our first step to prepare was to buy a used canoe, his birthday gift. We ... Read more
Butcher Jones Recreation Area – Memorial Day weekend
What else do you do when it's over 95 degrees but swim? We headed out to Butcher Jones Recreation Area on Sunday to lounge on inflatables and bask in the sunlight.Getting there was easy: We first stopped at Walgreens on Thomas and Power roads for a Tonto pass, then drove on Bush Highway to Butcher Jones Road. The beach was a popular place to cool off on Memorial Day weekend.On the drive back, we ... Read more
Kayaking and camping at Saguaro Lake
My return to Saguaro Lake's campsites was just as memorable as the first trip. Instead of canoes we rented inflatable kayaks from Arizona Hiking Shack near Thomas Road and 32nd Street in Phoenix. We inflated the two kayaks on the parking lot using the pump we were provided with. In a few minutes the kayaks were ready to go; one would carry most of the camping gear in two large watertight ... Read more
Update: Renting a canoe in Phoenix
Last year, we rented a canoe from Arizona Outdoor Fun and had it strapped atop the car. When we went to rent one again, after we had filled out all the paperwork and paid, we were informed they no longer allow that and that we would need a trailer. To rent one would cost $65 a day plus a $500 deposit. That was a deal-breaker. Instead, we rented an inflatable canoe from another company, Hiking ... Read more
Camping and canoeing at Saguaro Lake
I'm going to Saguaro Lake this weekend, so I thought I'd recap a memorable 2011 camping trip. Did you know there’s a camping spot at Saguaro Lake accessible only by boat? Our problem was that we don’t own a boat. The solution? We rented a canoe from Arizona Outdoor Fun in Phoenix. It cost $40 a night in December 2011, but the price has since gone up to $70 a day or $50 each per day if you rent ... Read more