Lyman Reservoir, lake
Lyman Reservoir is a large lake near Springerville in eastern Arizona, fed by the Little Colorado River and surrounded by mountains including Mount Baldy and Escudilla Mountain. The water covers about 1,400 acres and reaches an average depth of 22 feet when full, supporting fish species like bass, catfish, crappie, carp, and walleye.
The reservoir was built in the 20th century to secure water supply for the region and enable irrigation for farming. Lyman Lake State Park opened in 1961 as Arizona's first state park dedicated primarily to recreation.
The name comes from early settlers of the region. Today, the lake serves as a place where visitors escape busy city life and connect with nature through fishing, boating, and quiet reflection by the water.
The lake sits about 17 miles north of Springerville at an elevation of nearly 6,000 feet. The park offers 56 campsites, parking areas, walking trails, and shaded spaces, with boats of any size permitted and an on-site store providing supplies and equipment rentals.
The lake is unusual for having no speed restrictions on motorboats, making it a destination for water sports in the area. The Peninsula Petroglyph Trail near the west end features over 200 ancient carvings left by Ancestral Pueblo people and the region's early inhabitants.
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