Parker Canyon Lake

Parker Canyon Lake
Parker Canyon Lake
	Parker Canyon Lake
	Parker Canyon Lake
Location	Cochise County, Arizona, United States
Coordinates	31°25′37″N 110°27′19″W / 31.42694°N 110.45528°W
Type	reservoir
Primary inflows	Parker, Merritt, and Collins Canyons
Primary outflows	Parker Canyon
Basin countries	United States
Managing agency	Sierra Vista Ranger District; Coronado National Forest; U.S. Forest Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture
Built	1965
Surface area	132 acres (53 ha)
Average depth	40 ft (12 m)
Max. depth	60 ft (18 m)
Surface elevation	5,400 ft (1,600 m)
Website	https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/coronado/recarea/?recid=25522

Parker Canyon Lake is located in southeastern Arizona, 28 miles (45 km) southwest of Sierra Vista around the Huachuca Mountains and about 5 miles (8.0 km) north of the border with Mexico. The lake is a reservoir formed by a dam in Parker Canyon in the south end of the Canelo Hills in southwestern Cochise County. Parker Canyon is a tributary to the Santa Cruz River in the San Rafael Valley. The facilities are maintained by Coronado National Forest division of the USDA Forest Service.

Fish species

Parker Canyon Lake is stocked with rainbow trout once a month from October to March. The lake was stocked with channel catfish which now hold a reproducing population. The rest of the fish assemblage consist of largemouth bass, bluegill, green sunfish, redear sunfish, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, and mosquitofish. Northern pike, which were abundant, recently vanished in the past few years. Other fish that were stocked but didn't establish or their stockings ceased to exist include coho salmon, red shiners, fathead minnows, and threadfin shad.^[2]

Recreational Activities

The Coronado National Forest maintains a campground with two loops. One is dedicated to tents only while the other accommodates RVs and Trailers. There is no electricity or dump facilities in the campground.

The lake hosts a boat ramp and a small store which offers food, fishing equipment, paddle boat, canoe, and motor boat rentals.