Alamo Lake State Park: Everything You Need to Know

Just over 2.5 hours from Phoenix, Arizona sits a beautiful lake surrounded by mountains, cacti and quiet.  With the closest town being 40 miles away, Alamo Lake State Park is the perfect place to enjoy the peace of the desert.

Alamo Lake State Park offers beautiful lake days, quiet camping and adventurous off-roading.  Today we’ll dive into everything you need to know about Alamo Lake State Park.

Let’s dive right in and start with some important links.  

Important Links

Alamo Lake State Park website

Alamo Lake State Park Camping – Make Reservations Here

State Park Brochure (PDF Download)

Location

Alamo Lake State Park is truly in the middle of nowhere of western Arizona.  The closest Walmart was located in Buckeye, AZ, which was an hour and 45 minutes away.

As for major cities, Alamo Lake is 2.5 hours from Phoenix, AZ, 4.5 hours from Las Vegas, NV and 5 hours from San Diego, CA.  If you plan to visit, I highly recommend camping here or renting a camper cabin so you can enjoy more than a few hours.  

Fees

All of Arizona State Park have daily entrance fees, including Alamo Lake State Park. There are few different types of fees to be aware of.

• Daily Fee Per Vehicle (1 person): $10.00
• Daily Fee Per vehicle (2-4 people): $20.00
• Daily Fee Per Individual/bicycle: $5.00

However, if you are camping here, this fee is waived!  Unlike other states where this fee is added to your stay, you don’t have to worry about daily fees if you’re camping here.  

Hours

At Alamo Lake State Park, the Day Use Hours are 6am – 10pm everyday.  

But the Visitor Center has different hours depending on the season.  In the summer (June – September) the visitor center is only open from 6am – 10am and 12pm – 4pm.  However for the rest of the year the visitor center is open from 8am – 5pm.

What to Expect

If you’ve started planning any part of your trip to Alamo Lake, you already know that this park is truly in the middle of nowhere.  The nearest market and gas station is about 45 minutes away and anything more affordable is over an hour.  Make sure you come prepared when you are visiting!

Alamo Lake State Park sits at 1,300 feet of elevation, so you won’t be affected by the altitude here.  But this is a desert climate, which means hot and dry weather.  Always pack your sun protection and plenty of water if you are visiting Alamo Lake.  

There are well over 100 campsites at Alamo Lake State Park.  There are also 4 camper cabins perfect for those who don’t love sleeping under the stars.  But whether you are staying here for a few days, or just taking a day trip, what is there to do?

Things to Do Here

When you visit Alamo Lake State Park there are plenty of things to do and enjoy in the great outdoors.  With a lake of 3,500 surface acres, you can enjoy boating, fishing and even swimming. 

If Off–Roading is your idea of a good time, there are several off-roading trails that connect to hundreds of other trails on the nearby BLM land.  Just make sure to pack plenty of gas!

There are also a few hiking trails and who wouldn’t enjoy watching the sun set the sky on fire in the morning/evening?  The area is surrounded by desert mountains, cacti and endless sky.  So you can find plenty of beautiful nature and wildlife to watch and enjoy.

And if you feel like staying to enjoy the peace and quiet for more than a few days, there are several different camping options.  

Boating, Fishing, Swimming

In Alamo Lake State Park there are 3 boat ramps that are available to motorized and non-motorized boats.  The Main Boat Ramp is open all year, the Cholla Boat Ramp is open if the water levels aren’t too low and the High Level Boat Ramp is only open if the water levels are high.  You can check their website for which boat ramp(s) are open before you get here.

If fishing is the name of your game, you can catch Large Mouth Bass, Crappie Bass and even Tilapia.  Tilapia are best fished for in the hotter months, while the Bass are best in the Spring months when they spawn.  

Swimming in Alamo Lake is a “swim at your own risk” situation. There is no assigned swimming beach, nor are there any lifeguards.  Make sure you are cautious and don’t swim near the boat ramps or dam.  It is also recommended that you wear some sort of footwear since there are so many cacti in the area.  

Off-Roading (OHV)

If people weren’t boating they were enjoying the off-roading trails!  Just outside the perimeter of Alamo Lake State Park there are hundreds of OHV riding trails.  These are perfect for side-by-sides or dirt bikes.  When we visited, this was the main thing that people were doing.  

Guests would leave their campsites in the morning and return in the afternoon from a full day of riding on these trails.  Be aware that OHV use is only allowed on the park roads if the OHV/ATV is street legal.  

But if you prefer to stay on your own 2 feet, there are a few hiking trails you can enjoy too.  

Hiking

Alamo Lake State Park has 3 hiking trails within the park boundary.  All 3 of these trails are less than a mile and are located between Alamo Road and the Main Boat Ramp.

• Wild Burro Trail – 0.8miles
• Rattlesnake Overlook – 0.1miles
• Crosscut Trail – 0.4miles

These trails all connect and can be completed in less than an hour.  I highly recommend hiking to Rattlesnake Overlook for a great view of the lake.  

While there aren’t a ton of hiking trails, my husband and I enjoyed our time walking around the campground roads while we were here.  

Camping 

At Alamo Lake State Park there are several different campgrounds, 5 loops and 2 group areas to be exact.  Some of the sites are non-electric, others have 30amp electric, and others are full-hookup.  In short, you can be as rustic as you want while camping here and enjoying the peace and quiet.  

Non-electric sites are located in Loop A, some of B, D and E.  These sites have a picnic table, fire ring, place to park and they cost $25 per night.

Electric and Water Sites cost $40 per night and are located in Loop C and a few in Loop B.  These sites also offer a picnic table, fire ring, various size pad for your camper, and have water/electric hook-ups.  

And finally there are the Full Hook-up sites that are $50 per night and only located in Loop F.  These sites are much closer together and feel more like an RV Park than a state park.  

Cabins

Camping can be a little rough around the edges, especially during the heat of summer. But Alamo Lake State Park offers 4 different cabins that visitors can rent.  Each cabin costs $85 per night and has electric and air conditioning.  

Each cabin can sleep up to 6 people.  These visitors can enjoy lake views without the bugs or heat of camping.  There are no bathrooms in the cabins, so you will have to use the nearby facilities to shower and go to the bathroom.  

Group Camping 

There are 2 group camping areas in Alamo Lake State Park.  These areas are great for groups of friends who want to camp together and save some money.  Each site is $30 per night with a $15/vehicle fee.  You’ll have to call the park at (928) 669-2088 for details and to make your reservations.  

Nature and Wildlife

Lastly, you can simply sit and enjoy the peace and quiet of the area.  There are many birds that pass through this area, including humming birds and white pelicans.  You will also probably get to see some of the wild burros that wander here.

The desert is also a beautiful place to enjoy sunsets and the incredible Saguaro Cacti around you.  So sit back and enjoy the unique landscape and wildlife.  

Conclusion

Alamo Lake State Park is both beautiful and rugged.  With desert mountains, cacti and a beautiful lake here, you can enjoy hiking, off-roading, or boating here.  Whether you drive in for the day or stay for 2 weeks in their campground, you’ll love the peace and quiet of Alamo Lake State Park.  

As always, feel free to email me at averagewildexperience@gmail.com with any questions!  

-Happy Camping!