Lake Havasu State Park: Bass fishing, boating and splashy fun
There really isn’t a down time at Lake Havasu State Park.
The park, situated along the wide spot on the Colorado River that is Lake Havasu, is by far the most visited Arizona state park, averaging about 500,000 visitors each year. Whether the weather is blazing hot in summer or pleasantly mild in winter, you can expect plenty of company whenever you visit this park.
Lake Havasu is popular with college students looking for a spring break party as well as folks from California and Nevada (not to mention Arizona) looking for a quick getaway to spend some time on the water.
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John Guthrie, western region manager for Arizona State Parks and former Lake Havasu park manager, knows the life cycle of the park well.
“Spring break starts in March and goes through the middle of April,” Guthrie said. “You get boaters and water sports in the summer – Memorial Day weekend is our busiest of the year. In the winter time, you have winter visitors and our special events. It’s busy the whole year.”
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Havasu State Park facts
Best time to go: Fall and winter have the most pleasant weather. It gets pretty hot in late spring and summer — the average high temp is above 105 in June, July and August.
Trails: There is one main trail, the 1.75-mile Mohave Sunset Trail. Guthrie said improvements are in the works to increase options for hikers, cyclists and people who just want to take a leisurely walk.
He said the path of the trail will be altered to accommodate the construction of cabins in the camping area but the new path will add a bit of variety to what has been a pretty flat trail. Roads in the park are being widened to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians.
“Some people aren’t looking to hike as much as to be able to walk in the park,” Guthrie said. “The original road was very narrow, but we’ve widened it. We’ll be able to have our pedestrians and bicycles safely travel on each side.”
Boating and fishing: The big attraction at Lake Havasu State Park is the lake. The park has five boat launch ramps, including one for personal watercraft such as Jet Skis and a ramp for oversize boats. Non-motorized boats can launch from any ramp.
Keep in mind that both Arizona and California share jurisdiction of the Colorado River so boaters should be aware of regulations for both states.
Don't have a boat? There are several rental companies around Lake Havasu City.
Guthrie said the fishing is good in the lake thanks to stepped-up efforts from Arizona Parks and Trails, Arizona Game and Fish Department and several federal agencies.
"Apparently, it’s paid off. The fishing is just tremendous," Guthrie said. "They say it’s one of the best fishing lakes or rivers in this area."
Anglers, particularly those looking for bass, are taking notice and the park hosts several fishing tournaments each year. The prestigious Bassmasters Elite Series event took place here in 2015 and the lake frequently shows up on lists of best bass-fishing lakes.
Swimming: There is a designated swimming area at the day-use beach, and swimming is allowed all along the shoreline. Be mindful of boats and other watercraft and keep in mind that the water temperature can vary from temperate to cold.
Nearby parks: Cattail Cove State Park is about 15 miles south of Lake Havasu. Cattail Cove offers Colorado River access in a smaller, quieter setting. Buckskin Mountain State Park is farther south along the Colorado River. Both parks offer camping in addition to water access.
Guthrie said improvements are in the works for those parks too.
Work underway at Cattail Cove includes a marina, road repairs and additional campsites. There are 61 campsites at Cattail Cove but that number could double once improvements are completed.
At Buckskin Mountain, upgrades to roads, campsites (there are currently 68) and the boat-launch area are scheduled to take place within the next year.
Campground: Camping is open all year. All sites have electrical hookups and access to water. Nightly fee is $35 for standard sites and $40 for beachfront sites. The fee includes showers, restrooms, water, dump station and day-use facilities. Campsites have picnic tables and fire rings and most have shade ramadas. Most sites can accommodate both RVs and tents.
Guthrie said the cabins are expected to be opened late March. Seven cabins will open initially with more to come later.
The cabins have electricity and include use of the showers, restrooms and dump station. Accommodations include one bed and two sets of bunk beds. Each cabin will have a grill/fire ring and parking space for a car or RV (with water and electricity hookups).
Campsites can be reserved at azstateparks.com/reserve/lake-havasu/camping. There's a two-night minimum on weekends from April 1 through Sept. 30; you must reserve Friday and Saturday nights. You must reserve Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights on Memorial Day weekend, July Fourth (when it falls on a weekend), Labor Day weekend and Columbus Day weekend.
Special events: Annual invents include: Lake Havasu Balloon Festival in January, Blue Grass on the Beach at Lake Havasu, the Havasu Triathlon and the Hobie Cat Regatta in March. The Lake Havasu Boat Show in April, the Sand, Water, RV Expo in November and the Christmas Boat Parade of Lights in December.
Nearest services: Lake Havasu City.
Visiting Lake Havasu State Park
Where: 699 London Bridge Road, Lake Havasu City. From Phoenix, take Interstate 10 west to State Route 95. Turn north and drive to Lake Havasu City. Head west on Industrial Boulevard into the park. It's about 195 miles one way.
When: The park is open 24 hours a day. Visitor center hours are 6 a.m.-4 p.m. daily from October through April. From May through September, hours are 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and 6 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays-Sundays.
Admission: $15 per vehicle Mondays-Thursdays, $20 per vehicle Fridays-Sundays and holidays. Oversize vehicle parking is an additional $10.
Details: azstateparks.com/lake-havasu.