Imperial National Wildlife Refuge

I finally found time to visit this wonderful area. 

This is a long day trip from Phoenix so we only had time

to explore a very small part of this amazing place.
There is just so much to see and enjoy!!

From the Colorado River there are spectacular views! 

With a bit of a current, it is just a little slower going

and this day we had some wind to contend with also.

Still a magnificent day!!



This side channel was several miles long and was so

enchanting. We drifted with the current at a good clip and could

only hear the wind in the grass and trees.

This channel had no outlet, so had to return

against the current, but was still worth the effort.

There were NO people here on this Tuesday,
except at the Martinez Resort.

 Although not a real Resort, it is a good stop for food and drink, located at the
dock area of Fisher Landing where we put in.
I will be returning here soon to explore more of the lakes
and channels of the Colorado River!

Watson Lake

I wouldn't normally think of Watson Lake, as a lake with

no people, since it is in the town of Prescott, AZ. I went there in the middle of

the week in September....and

NO PEOPLE!!

I guess this is the perfect time to visit this lake.

LUCKY ME!!

Very easy to put your kayak in at either

of the two docking areas.

A perfect day for exploring.




It is a big lake for an Arizona lake.
The water level is down about 10 feet from the
last time I was here. Still a great lake


Has plenty of wildlife, these are Mergansers.


The rock formations are awesome.
What do you think this looks like??

Willow Lake

Willow Lake is just a few miles from Watson Lake, they are similar in so many ways but also so different.

It is a little smaller.

It also has beautiful rock formations.

I think this lake has more chance of wildlife, as it has more vegetation.

We saw an Eagle this day, awesome sight!!

In the end it got very windy and the waves chased us away!!

In the fall ....October, NO people, just birds!!

Knoll Lake

A beautiful lake and quiet,

24 miles on a dirt road but not a bad road.

Almost NO PEOPLE on a weekend,

a few fisherman.

The knoll.

The old ramp works great!!

Bear Canyon Lake

The only way to get to this lake is hike down a steep trail

that is 1/4 mile long with switchbacks. Some

maps show boating here but there is no road to this lakes shoreline.

I saw this great Tarantula here !

Blue Ridge Reservoir

The best time to go here is during the

week in off season. It is a popular place in the summer.

You will wait in line to put in on a weekend.

It is beautiful and it rained this day,

it was awesome!!

Morton Lake (the silent lake)

This is my favorite lake, there are NO PEOPLE here.
It is next to Kinnikinick Lake,

but the one mile road that separates them is high clearance only

and very slow going.
There is no boat ramp, no parking lot.
My kind of lake!!

The day I was here it was totally silent, not just quiet.
So that is why I call it THE SILENT LAKE!

Kinnikinick Lake

On your way to Kinnikinick and Morton Lakes

the view is great!

The lake was a little bumpy this day, but very quiet and peaceful. To get to this lake it is a nine mile dirt road, but not bad to travel; a lake worth going to.

Almost NO PEOPLE go here, there were a
few fisherman here on a weekend.

Upper Lake Mary

Putting in is easy here!!

There are people on the lake but you can get away

from them by going to the no wake end and it is a very large end.

This was a great day on the lake!!

Always rains in the afternoon during monsoon season.

South end of the lake, early morning.


Osprey

Scott Reservoir

Not very many people at this lake even though it is near town.

If you went during the week, maybe NO PEOPLE!!

Investigating the far end.

It is a pretty little lake!

A storm moving in.!

Marshall Lake

This is a wonderful wildlife lake.

Small but so rewarding.

NO PEOPLE!

With a beautiful view!!

Tremaine Lake

South end

View from Soldier Annex

This is where you would put in. The dirt road comes within about 300 yards, you can carry your kayak if you have two people. There is also a gate but I could not get it open so I went under the fence. It would be easy and worth it to get to this lake where NO ONE ELSE GOES.

Soldier Lake

NOT ONE PERSON at this lake on a weekend!!

A dirt road goes right to it.

Not very big but nice and quiet. I will return here for sure!

Soldier Annex Lake

You can only go here if you have a four wheel drive vehicle.

I hiked in to see what this lake was like.

It is a good size lake with good birds, great blue heron, white faced ibis and other ducks which I could not identify because I could not get close without my kayak.

NO PEOPLE!!

Long Lake

A good size lake with almost NO PEOPLE!

But... not very pretty. A sixteen mile drive on a dirt road. Nearby is Soldier Lake and Tremaine Lake so you can go to all three, makes the drive worth it.