Wednesday, March 26

Lake Pleasant is a reservoir created by the Waddell Dam in 1927. The original dam was the largest agricultural dam in the world at its time. The current dam was completed in 1994, tripling the surface area of the lake to 7,500 acres. The average depth of the lake is 70 feet. The Aqua Fria River feeds the lake, but most of its water comes from the Central Arizona Project Aqueduct which diverts water from the Colorado River. The lake currently stores about five years worth of water, and it’s very, very clear.

The lake is a major water sports recreation center, with fishing, water skiing, sailing, windsurfing, scuba and more. It is part of the Lake Pleasant Regional Park in Yavapai and Maricopa Counties. The park is a popular area for hiking, mountain biking and camping. We did a little hiking ourselves, and then visited the marina for refreshments.

We head back to chilly Minnesota bright and early on Friday, going from 80 degrees to 30 degrees.