Arizona · Rock climbing · Fort McDowell

Saguaro Lake

Saguaro LakePhoto: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
1 route
5.7
Trad
Nov–Apr
best months

Is Saguaro Lake open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Mesa Ranger District.

As of · Source: USFS · Mesa Ranger District. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Saguaro Lake is a climbing area in Arizona's Tonto National Forest, within the Mesa Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the land. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to visit. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show March highs around 78°F and November highs around 78°F, while summer highs climb into the mid-100s. The climbing here is centered on a single route, Release, a trad climb rated 5.7. It was first climbed by Jim Kraus and Rick LeGrand. River Crag and Lost Whiskey Wall sit about 0.1 mile away, and Lower Canyon is about 0.4 mile off. For a walk, Butcher Jones is about 0.8 mile away.

  • Best time to go · Nov–Apr

    Best time to visit Saguaro Lake

    Best months: November–April. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      69° / 39°

      5 wet

    2. Feb

      72° / 41°

      5 wet

    3. Mar

      78° / 46°

      4 wet

    4. Apr

      85° / 50°

      2 wet

    5. May

      93° / 59°

      1 wet

    6. Jun

      103° / 68°

      1 wet

    7. Jul

      105° / 76°

      3 wet

    8. Aug

      104° / 76°

      5 wet

    9. Sep

      100° / 69°

      4 wet

    10. Oct

      90° / 56°

      2 wet

    11. Nov

      78° / 45°

      3 wet

    12. Dec

      68° / 38°

      4 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Stewart Mtn Dam, AZ, 1 mi away at 1,422 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Routes (1)

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Lower CanyonPhoto: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

Lower Canyon

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Upper CanyonPhoto: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)

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