Patagonia Lake State Park

I went kayaking here with my friend in August 2021 and it was gorgeous. It was hot of course, but the water helped a lot. It was a little dirty in some places where people had dumped their trash after hanging out by the water, but otherwise it was good time. We rented a kayak from the rental office and the guys there were nice and helped us get situated before we set off. They helped us back up to the dock when we were done too. The kayaks themselves were pretty well-kept. There was a good amount of parking and a couple of porta potties in the parking lot, but nowhere else to go to the bathroom and change so we crouched between two cars (one was ours so we opened the door for additional privacy) to change quickly. The parking lot was muddy so I'd recommend bringing water and towels to wash your shoes with after, if you don't bring a change of shoes entirely.

We went on a weekday to kayak and it was so peaceful and beautiful. Coming from the Phoenix area where all the lakes nearby are always crowded, it was nice to enjoy some peaceful kayaking. I can't speak to how the weekends are, but this was a Thursday and it was great. They have boat/kayak rentals there too!

Spent a day kayaking and I will say it's a beautiful lake area. Plenty of parking, and lots of areas to put your kayak in. We stopped off at the visitors center first, and the volunteer Debbie was very helpful and friendly. Highly recommend this state park for a fun filled day of kayaking, swimming, hiking, or just strolling around.

We came here for some bird watching and to our our feet in the water to cool off. We got more than we bargained for since we saw white tail deer families on our birding trail hike. This was super cool and quite a special experience. The visitor center also had a nice area for picnics, hummingbird watching and butterfly gazing. The only downfall is that when I searched for admission tickets, it said $15 only to get there and be surprised by a $20 weekend fee (that's steep). I wish there were half day passes but I also understand the costs and reasons.

We took the dogs along with us for camping. Patagonia Lake State Park is pet-friendly. I even saw a pet goat in one of the campsites! The trail areas along the lake are narrow. Campsite #50 has a good-sized area to put a large tent under the larger trees (see pictures). There is water and electricity for tent and RV camping. Facilities and showers are available. It's a nice getaway and enjoy nature.

I had a coworker that loved to visit Patagonia Lake so when we had time off for the holiday weekend I wanted to visit. The park makes for a nice daytrip from Tucson and is about an hour away, close-ish to Nogales. They do have cabins and a fair number of camping sites available (RV and tent) for rental if you want to stay on site though. It's a bit of an isolated spot so aside from perhaps a border patrol checkpoint and the signs reading in kilometers instead of miles you won't really be aware of its location as being near the border. The lake itself is a peaceful place to relax and unwind. There's boat rentals, a beach and a trail. The lake gets stocked with a variety of fish. In the winter you can reel in some rainbow trout and in the summer you can catch catfish. There are also omnipresent populations of crappie, largemouth bass and bluegill. There's numerous bird feeders around the trail for those that want to birdwatch. I saw a few finches and a hummingbird when we were here but I'm sure with better equipment than my eyes and a camera phone I would've been able to see some more uncommon species. We came with the toddler and two pups. If you have dogs they are allowed everywhere except the beach, the rules state. As a result we avoided the beach altogether but after reading some more reviews apparently your dogs can still go to the beach area but they have to stay on the grassy parts and not the sandy spots close to the water. I wish the rules had specified this more because I really wanted to check out the beach. If you want to see some cool sights from a higher vantage point and to feel a little like Indiana Jones be sure to go on the wooden high arched bridge. The toddler had so much fun going up and down it she wanted to do that all day! She's more of a daredevil than me.The trail we went on (Overlook Trail) is paved for a very small portion of it but then is unpaved for the rest I think. The trail itself is about 1.5 miles each way. While the part of the trail I ventured on wasn't too bad as an adult, it might be harder for littler tykes with the steeper narrow slopes so we'll wait until our kiddo is a little older before taking her on it. Dogs are allowed on this trail except for the days when they have tours. The public restroom that we used was very well maintained and well stocked.***Park Rules (From the website):***Littering is unlawfulNo glass containers or pets are allowed on the beach.Keep pets on a 6 ft. leash and do not leave unattended. Pick up after your pets.Campfires must be attended and are allowed only in approved fire rings. Wood gathering is not permitted.Generators are not permitted.All vehicles must remain on paved surfaces.Quiet hours are 9 p.m. until 8 a.m.Day-use hours are from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m.Park entrance gate opens at 4 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m.Damaging or removing the natural rocks, vegetation or public property is prohibited.Personal Watercraft (jet skis) and above-water-exhausted boats (jet boats) are prohibited on the lake."No Wake Zone" speed on east half of lake. All boat traffic is counterclockwise.Water skiing and towing not allowed on weekends and holidays May 1st through September 30th.Boaters should familiarize themselves with all Arizona watercraft rules and regulations.Camping only permitted in designated sites with a maximum of six adults and no more than 12 people per site.Check out time is 12 noon. Check-in time is at 2 p.m.Contact ranger residence, or call 911 for after-hour emergencies.Park and Facility HoursGates are closed from 10:00 p.m. - 4:00 a.m.Ranger StationApril - October8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (Mon - Thu)7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (Fri - Sat)7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. (Sun)November - March8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (daily)Visitor CenterOpen Daily8:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.Park StoreHours vary by seasonPark Entrance FeePer vehicle (1-4 adults): $15-$20Individual/bicycle: $3

I love discovering beautiful places. Patagonia Lake is a beautiful place. It's surrounded by mountains with a variety of birds to see. There's a very cool footbridge that is so steep but great for photos! Tent and RV parking are available by reservation (for a few).

Very fun lake to go and chill with the family or even by yourself if you want to go and watch the sunset! They have a bench in the perfect spot to sit and chill and take in the beauty! I recommend taking water shoes !! There is a lot of yucky plants inside the shore area and rocks. Sandals won't work !! They will get sucked up by the algie and water plants and rip!! (Happened to us)

Unable to really rate as we drove for an hour and they were turning people away at the gate due to COVID-19 No day use at this time so we did not get to see the lake or area at allWe will go back after this lifts fingers crossed

Beautiful lake but not a lot of amenities. Great looking campground and cabins. When I have time I will definitely go back and explore further.