Story and photos by Cheryl Hartz
At an altitude of 3,000 feet, Roper Lake is 32 acres of near-perfect water craft action this time of year in the 338-acre Roper Lake State Park.
The swimming beach may be closed if water levels aren’t up after summer monsoons. A reservoir on Mount Graham feeds the lake by allotment through a ditch system. Arizona’s long-running drought has decreased water levels statewide. Monsoon rains resupply the reservoir, and thus, the lakes.
Even when swimming is prohibited, kayaks, canoe, and small boats are allowed, as are paddle boards. We took our kayaks out frequently on the calm lake, sometimes just floating to gaze at nearby Mount Graham.
Everywhere in the park provides a tremendous view of 10,724-foot high Mount Graham in the Pinaleño Mountains of the Coronado National Forest. Arizona’s fourth-highest peak is a short drive away with an extensive trail system.
We hiked part of the Round the Mountain Trail, staying alert for bear sign. The mountain is home to the densest population of black bears in Arizona. Campgrounds contain bear-proof boxes to store your food, as well as bear-proof trash containers.
The southern-most peak in the continental United States over 10,000 feet, Mt. Graham boasts an international observatory, which is open only by pre-arranged tours through the University of Arizona.
Roper Lake State Park has five miles of connected trails. Mariah Mesa Trail is a three-quarter-mile loop that rises above the lake and campground, with replica dwellings of the sort that the Mogollon Indians might have used 1,000 years ago in the San Simon Valley. The half-mile Fenceline Trail connects the Mariah and the 0.3-mile West Hill Loop around and within the campgrounds and lake.
Only 3 miles away, Dankworth Pond State Park basically is an extension of Roper Lake, so you don’t need to pay another entry fee. The lake is only 15 acres, but fishing is good. Lots of shore access and docks give anglers potential access to largemouth bass, bluegill, rainbow trout, and catfish at both lakes.
Roper Lake was developed as a private recreation area, while Dankworth was a private catfishing lake, but fortunately for adventurers, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission and State Parks acquired them in 1969 and 1975, respectively, developed the campgrounds, and stocked the lakes.
Average monthly high temperature is 92 degrees in September and 82 in October, with lows in the 40s and 50s. Fish stay active during these months and swimming can still be popular as well. November’s average high is 69, and even December and January have mild daily temperatures of about 60.
We camped in March, with perfect daytime highs around 70. We chose Roper Lake with the plan to visit Whitewater Draw, a couple of hours south, to see where thousands of sandhill cranes winter. The birds start their return migration in mid-March. We were delighted to see them, but that’s a future article.
We also were delighted by the flocks of yellow-headed blackbirds that winter at Roper Lake. They rise from the lake cattails and campground trees en masse, and when they turn as one into the sun, viewers get a dazzling flash of color. It was an unexpected and pleasurable experience during an all-together wonderful trip.
Happy desert and mountain hiking!
