Add the Southwest’s Coronado National Forest to your fishing wish list

Parker Canyon Lake, in the Coronado National Forest, is just 125 of the 10 million acres of fishable lakes and reservoirs open to visitors on national forests and grasslands across the country. (USDA Forest Service/Heidi Schewel)

Don’t let the arid terrain fool you. The Southwestern U.S. offers more than 10 million acres of fishable reservoirs, lakes and ponds and 220,000 miles of rivers and streams.

The Coronado National Forest in southeastern Arizona, for example, is in the middle of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts. Yet from its desert floor to its pine-covered mountaintops, the Coronado includes 16 “sky island” mountain ranges sporting six fishable lakes, some open to boating.

Finding your way

Start your day among saguaros and mesquites of Sonoran Desert scrub or oaks and yuccas of Chihuahuan Desert grassland. In short order, you can travel through multiple vegetation zones to find yourself surrounded by pine, fir and aspen and mixed conifer forests, even spruce-fir forest on Mount Graham. The variety of plants you’ll see might be like what you would find on a journey from Mexico to Canada, and all in one day.

High up in the mountains of the Coronado National Forest is Rose Canyon Lake, which also offers nearby opportunities for visitors to set up camp. If you are planning a trip out to a forest or grassland, you may find the Interactive Visitor Map useful to locate nearby campgrounds and other recreation opportunities. (USDA Forest Service/Heidi Schewel)

The Coronado’s six fishing lakes are scattered between the low and high elevations where a variety of fish can be found. The species vary, but you can find both cold and warm water fish, including stocked rainbow trout and resident bass, sunfish, and catfish. Some lakes have nearby campgrounds and picnic areas.

In the lowlands, Arivaca Lake, Frye Mesa Reservoir, Parker Canyon Lake and Pena Blanca Lake range in elevation from 3,750 feet to 5,375 feet, in mostly oak and grassland settings. Boating is allowed at all, except for Frye Mesa due to its more remote location and small size. Boat ramps are available at Parker Canyon and Pena Blanca, as are nearby campgrounds. All are open year-round. Fees apply in some areas for some activities.

Venturing higher up into the mountains, Riggs Flat Lake and Rose Canyon Lake provide respite from the summer heat. Riggs Flat allows boats and is home to both warm and cold-water fish. Boats are not permitted at Rose Canyon. However, fishing is a very popular activity. Both lakes have nearby campgrounds and are open during the summer months. Fees apply for some activities.

It may not look like it but there are some prime fishing spots just over the horizon in this picture of the Coronado National Forest. Find unknown fishing opportunities near you by browsing our Interactive Visitor Map. (USDA Forest Service/Heidi Schewel)

Like all national forests and grasslands, the Coronado National Forest is a land of many uses. Fishing and boating are among many recreational opportunities found throughout the Sky Islands of southeastern Arizona.

Visit the forest online

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