Young Travel Guide: Off-Roading and Beyond

Roosevelt Lake, the largest reservoir in central Arizona, is an epic day trip destination from your Payson vacation rental. Just forty minutes south of Payson along Highway 188, this massive lake sits in a dramatic desert canyon surrounded by the Tonto National Forest and offers water recreation on a grand scale.

Activities at Roosevelt Lake

Boating, fishing, kayaking, and swimming are all popular at Roosevelt Lake, which stretches for over twenty miles when full. Bass fishing is particularly productive, with largemouth and smallmouth bass thriving in the warm desert waters. The Tonto National Monument, perched on a hillside overlooking the lake, preserves Salado cliff dwellings that are over seven hundred years old and accessible via a short but steep trail.

A Desert-Mountain Combo Day

Start your morning in the cool pines of Payson, drive down to the desert canyon for a day of warm-water recreation at Roosevelt Lake, then climb back to your mountain vacation rental in the evening for a dramatic temperature and scenery change. This desert-to-mountain experience is unique to the Payson area and highlights the incredible ecological diversity of central Arizona. Plan your Roosevelt Lake excursion from your Payson rental at LoveYourVacationRental.com.