Good Riding in Tempe/Phoenix area?

What kind of riding spots are closeby? I know of the big places like Havasu, Mead, Powell, but what about everyday riding spots close to the city?

Ryan, you leaving us?

There is Sagauro Lake and Canyon lake and lake Pleasant. They are all nice lakes not huge by any means. They are about 30-45 minutes from the Phx/Tempe area. If you can get to Sagauro on a weekday morning you will get perfect glass - even better than powell. If you are willing to drive a little bit, there is also Roosevelt lake. It is big and you can get nice water on weekends.

Ryan, just ask Badboy he was over here last week.
It was windy and rough. Normally you get smooth water and warm temp.

The best riding lake in the Phoenix metro area by far is Bartlett. Pleasant is cigarette boat heaven and Sugaro is pretty small and very crowded. Bartlett is sweet any weekday and is usually ridable on the weekends until 11 am and after 6 pm. It is a bit narrow but a good driver solves any issues involved with that aspect.

Bartlett is horrible, we were there last weekend, bad drivers, crazy people and the cops drive even crazier than the people. My vote for the best Phoenix area lake is Apache, it's hard to get to, but is awesome!

We ride at bartlett once every week and it is butter almost everytime...we go to pleasant once a week as well and it can be hit or miss....it can be smooth if there is no traffic during the week..weekends are a joke at pleasant...never been to roosevelt or apache but i have heard you can get good water there

Apache is a very sweet lake but it is pretty far out there (Far East side) and not very big. I live up North so I might as well drive to Powell over Apache. Bartlett is crappy on the weekends between 10 or 11 am to 5 pm so I agree with you there. I usually drink some cold ones and hang in a cove during that part of the day. Roosevelt is a great lake as well if you want to spend a weekend up there since it too is pretty far out there from everything but the East side of the Valley.

On google earth it looks like there is a river right downtown tempe by a football field and arena. I can see a ramp and docks. What about that? Maybe during winter?

Oh Brandon, I am checking into Grad Schools for next year and was recommended ASU because they always have the hottest chicks in Playboy for the PAC 10!!!!

That's Tempe Town Lake and no motorized traffic is allowed unless you are special, plus it's not very deep. They used to hold the big air challenge there though.

Oh man, ya all the lakes are terrible in Az and the chicks aren't actually hot here at ASU at all. You should definitely stay away from both.



Having not lived anywhere else that I really wakeboarded I am used to the lakes here and love them. If you live close to ASU you'll have about a 30 minute drive on the freeway to Saguaro. But generally to get good water you have to get up early or stay until later. (For some reason my back almost always hurts until we have 30 minutes of daylight left.)

Oh, and the chicks at ASU are unbelievable! It's the land of supermodels here! And they love to go wakeboarding!

What I'd reccomend Ryan, if you end up coming here, is check the find a third section and start finding some people to regularly ride with. Most people I know, myself included, have a strict policy that you can't bring an uninvited friend along . . . unless she's hot.

yes they do have the hottest chicks every year. all the lakes are good. especially this time of year because the offshore 'i have a big, swinging D#@K' don't take there boats out because it is too cold. you will only see the die hards out at any lake.

josh- where are all the hot wakeboard girls hiding? i can have a pull if you bring some out!!!!!