Lake Pleasant Regional Park
Lake Pleasant is an excellent place to view water and desert birds throughout the year. It is managed by Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department, although the northern half is in Yavapai County. There are campgrounds and a renovated Discovery Center here. Look for migrating loons, ducks, gulls, terns, grebes, shorebirds, and pelicans. Rare birds found at this reservoir have included all 3 scoters, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Pomarine and Long-tailed Jaegers, Sabine’s, Iceland, and Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Red-necked Grebe, Pacific and Red-throated Loons.
Site Information
Region: Phoenix and Central
County: Maricopa
Directions: From I-17, head west on SR 74 (Carefree Highway-West, exit 223B) 11.5 miles to Castle Hot Springs Road. Turn right (north), go 2.25 miles and turn right at Lake Pleasant Access Road. At 0.5 miles east of the pay station (0.75 miles from Castle Hot Springs Road), the road splits into North Park and South Park roads. Continue on North Park road 1.3 miles and turn right on Peninsula Boulevard. In about 0.5 miles is the entrance to Scorpion Bay Marina.
Latitude: 33.848994
Longitude: -112.280238
Operational Hours: Other
Other Operational Hours: Main entrance: May 1 to October 31: 5 am-9 pm daily. November 1 to April 30: 6 am-8 pm daily. Please visit the Park Updates page for North Entrance information.
Admission or Fees: $7 per vehicle. Maricopa County Parks annual passes also valid. For other fees including for camping and boating, please visit the website.
Best time to visit:September-May best for bird diversity and weather. For June-August, only early morning or evening is recommended due to the intense summer heat.
Habitats: Desert, Lake or Pond
Know Before You Go
Campgrounds, picnic areas, and other recreational facilities are handicapped-accessible, but the hiking trails are not.
Safety First! Arizona has many beautiful places to explore and we’d like to help you make it a safe and enjoyable experience. Check out our recommendations for hiking precautions.
Species Highlights
Speciality: Costa’s Hummingbird, Elf Owl, Gilded Flicker
Charismatic: Black-throated Sparrow, Cactus Wren, Curve-billed Thrasher, Gambel’s Quail, Gila Woodpecker, Lesser Nighthawk, White-winged Dove
Contact Information
Parks and Recreation Department
Maricopa County
41835 N. Castle Hot Springs Rd.
Morristown, AZ 85342
Phone: 602-506-2930 ext 1
Website: https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/park-locator/lake-pleasant-regional-park/
Email: maricopacountyparks@maricopa.gov
Additional Resources
Additional Resources: Lake Pleasant Regional Park
eBird links:
Lake Pleasant (Maricopa County)
Lake Pleasant (Yavapai County)
Lake Pleasant--Visitor Center
Lake Pleasant--Ten Lane Boat Ramp
Lake Pleasant--Operations Center
Lake Pleasant--Scorpion Bay Marina
Lake Pleasant--Pipeline Canyon Trail (Maricopa Co.)
Lake Pleasant--Castle Creek (Four Lane) Boat Ramp (Yavapai Co)
Lake Pleasant--Chalky Spring
