Route Editor
Route Scout
The lake offers recreational fishing tucked away in a picturesque stand of mature ponderosa pines high on the slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains. A paved road through Rose Canyon Campground leads to a small parking area, a short walk from the water. Rainbow trout large enough to catch and take home generally are released in the lake about once a month from early April through the end of August, when water temperatures become a little too warm for these cold water fish. All stocking and fishing regulations for Rose Canyon lake, as well as all the other lakes within the Coronado, are managed by Arizona Game and Fish, which publishes the current stocking schedule. This is a beautiful place, and many people come here to enjoy the other features that it offers in addition to fishing. Tall trees and rocky slopes line the shore and are reflected in the lake’s sheltered waters. Rose Canyon Lake Trail #37 leads around the water’s edge and provides good opportunities for photography, bird watching, and just plain strolling. A few downed logs close to the water provide good places to sit and enjoy a snack or a bit of quiet meditation. Campsites are spacious, spread out among stands of big ponderosa pine and clumps of Gambel oak in a cool forest setting. During rainy seasons, Rose Creek meanders through the area to Rose Canyon Lake at the lower end of the campground. This six-acre lake is sheltered by trees, and offers a pleasant setting for a woodland walk, a lakeside time-out, or an afternoon of fishing for stocked trout. A one-mile trail leading around the lake provides access for anglers and walkers. This trail is handicapped-accessible from a lower parking area to a floating dock near the dam. The area also provides access for woodland walks, wildlife watching, and fishing when the campground itself is closed for the season. Please remember, however, that in the off-season the gates will be closed and locked, so no garbage service is provided and no water is available. If you visit then, you’ll want to be sure to pack out everything you pack in. Check out the Triplogs. Gate Policy: If a gate is closed upon arrival, leave it closed after you go through. If it is open, leave it open. Leaving a closed gate open may put cattle in danger. Closing an open gate may cut them off from water. Please be respectful, leave gates as found. Leave No Trace and +Add a Triplog after your car camp trip to support this local community.
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