MY HUSBAND AND I USED TO SWIM AT APACHE AND ROOSEVELT LAKE WHEN WE HAD APACHE AND ROOSEVELT LAKE WHEN WE HAD A WEEK OFF FROM GRADUATE SCHOOL. IN 1925 MORMON FLAT DAM WAS COMPLETED TO FORM THESE BEAUTIFUL LAKES FOR RECREATION IN THE DESERT. WE USUALLY WENT TO SWIM AND CAMPED IN OUR VOLKSWAGEN MINIVAN. THE ROAD TO THE LAKES IS WINDY AND WAS GRAVEL IN THE 1980'S AND WE HAD A FLAT TIRE WITH NO SPARE. WE HAD TO GET AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE TO TOW US BACK TO TOWN AND PULL THE CAR INTO A STATION.
THE VEGETATION IN THIS 'DESERT FOREST' IS CREOSOTE, PRICKLY PEAR, JUMPING CHOLLA, SAQUARO, GREASEWOOD TREES, AND MESQUITE TREES. THERE ARE MANY DESERT ANIMALS, ESPECIALLY COYOTES AND A VARIETY OF BIRDS.
TORTILLA FLATS WAS OUR NEXT STOP AS THE HALFWAY SPOT AROUND THE LAKES. IT WAS AN OLD STAGE COACH STOP BUILT IN 1904. IT STILL HAS A RUSTIC LOOK TO THE BUILDING AND IT WAS A CENTER FOR THE GOLD DIGGERS DURING THE EARLY 1900'S.
ROOSEVELT LAKE IS THE LARGEST MAN MADE LAKE IN THE TONTO FOREST IN ARIZONA AND WAS ONCE THE LARGEST MAN MADE LAKE IN THE WORLD. IT COVERS 22,000 ACRES OF SURFACE WATER. TODAY THE ROADS ARE PAVED AND THE CLIFFS HAVE DEEP RAVINES THAT TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY. THERE ARE MANY SMALL LIZARDS, SNAKES, AND GILA MONSTERS. WE BOUGHT MOST OF OUR FOOD IN CANS TO COOK. THE MINIVAN HAD A SMALL REFRIGERATOR AND WE BROUGHT ANOTHER COOLER. OUR TIME AT THE LAKE WAS ALL ABOUT RELAXING AND HAVING FUN WITH OURSELVES IN THE HOT DESERT.
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