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Chilling Out on our Close-By Lakes

So what is a pontoon boat and why would I want one?

A pontoon boat consists of flat platforms, usually 20 or more feet in length and about 8′ wide, strapped atop 2 torpedo-like flotation units made of aluminum or heavy-duty plastic, filled with air, rigid foam or both.

You can’t tip a pontoon over, they accommodate up to a dozen passengers, and have a roof that provides some relief from the sun. Almost anyone can drive one after a few practice sessions. Nearly all these boats are powered by a single outboard engine.

Given the pontoons’ flotation plus bench placement, passengers ride about 4′-5′ above the surface of the water, making for better viewing and little or no spray in the face.

All of Arizona’s lakes, and particularly those on the narrower portions of the Salt River, offer spectacular scenery. Rocky, high-flung cliffs tower over shorelines in some areas, then give way to brushy hillsides and finally to sandy beaches.

A special treat for those who’ll be out on the water for a half-day or more is finding a quiet, secluded cove close to the water’s edge, take a dip, maybe cast a line, and let the breezes wander beneath the boat’s shade canopy.

  • Lake Pleasant 26 miles northwest from Phoenix
    (602) 697-8452
    Hourly rate: $60-$70
    Half-day rate: $150-170
    All-day rate: $240-$275
    Deposit: $500

The 4 Salt River lakes lie behind a quartet of dams northeast and east of the East Valley.

  • Roosevelt Lake
    (928) 467-2246
    Hourly rate: $60 (2-hour minimum)
    Half-day rate: $180
    All-day rate: $290
    Deposit: $275

  • Apache Lake – Apache Lake is the least accessible, but possibly the most rewarding from an outback perspective.
    (928) 467-2511
    Hourly rate: $20 M-F, more on weekends
    Half-day rate: $80
    All-day rate: $150
    Overnight rate: $200
    Deposit: $250

  • Canyon Lake
    (602) 944-6504
    Hourly rate: $60-70
    Half-day rate: $240-$280
    All-day rate: $300-350
    Deposit: $300

  • Saguaro Lake
    There’s Horseback riding, too!
    How about a steamboat ride?
    (480) 986-0969
    Hourly rate: $60-70
    Half-day rate: $240-$280
    All-day rate: $300-$350
    Deposit: $300

A day at the lake on a pontoon boat, accessible within a relatively short drive from the city, offers an uncomplicated and back-to-nature cure, whether for just few hours or several days!

And for you jet-skiers, there’s also Bartlett Lake! Just east of Carefree.

Arizona Leisure offers a location map of Arizona lakes.

There are 9 major lakes… Lake Mead, Havasu, Lake Roosevelt, Lake Pleasant, Saguaro Lake, Canyon Lake, San Carlos and Mohave.