Lake Havasu is a 35-kilometre reservoir on the Colorado River created by Parker Dam in 1938. The lake sits in a natural trough between the Mohave Mountains on the Arizona side and the Whipple Mountains on the California side, giving it a dramatic desert-canyon setting that is more striking than most American reservoir lakes. Water temperatures reach 30°C (86°F) in summer and rarely drop below 15°C in winter, which makes it genuinely usable year-round.
Boating, jet-skiing, water-skiing, and fishing dominate the lake's social life from March through October. Striped bass and largemouth bass are the main fishing quarry, and tournaments draw competitive anglers from across the Southwest. The quieter northern end of the lake, toward the Topock Gorge, is reachable by slow boat and has sheltered coves where you can anchor in red-rock canyon scenery with no other boat in sight. Topock Gorge is also a wildlife corridor — great blue herons, cormorants, and occasional bald eagles fish the narrows.
The western (California) shore is accessible by car from Parker and offers sandy beaches that are considerably less crowded than the Arizona side. Rent a boat from any of the marinas on the Havasu Riviera and take a day to explore.