Palo Verde

About Palo Verde

Palo Verde is a boat launching site near the beautiful Canyon Lake. Palo Verde allows users to picnic, fish, and enjoy general boating activities in one of Arizona’s most scenic reservoirs. Recreationalists can enjoy the day around the water during a hot summer to cool off, photograph the gorgeous surrounding mountains, or try to catch some of our native Arizona fish at the water’s edge.

How to Get There

This site is 14 miles northeast of Apache Junction on Arizona State Hwy. 88 (historic “Apache Trail”). From Mesa, take US 60 to the Idaho Road exit. Go north on Idaho Road to State Hwy. 88 and turn right. After crossing the first bridge at the lake, watch for the Palo Verde sign and turn left into the site. The entire route is paved with narrow, sharp curves and traffic is heavy. View and download a map.

Plan Your Visit to Palo Verde

Heading to Palo Verde? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)