Parker Canyon Lake — Attraction in Arizona

My family surprised me with a trip here on Father's Day which was also a small day get away for my 41st birthday, this is my honest assessment.

The views were amazing, rolling hills around, clouds in the sky, wildlife all over the place and the water looked pretty cool as well. We were able to snag a table in the shade, if you go and want a table in shade on the overlook I highly recommend you get there early.

The boat rentals we decently priced. My kids and wife took a paddle boat out for 1.5 hours on the lake, jumped off it into the lake, swam and created some great memories!

We actually purchased a 2 hour ride, but the guy on the dock said we could take a break, come back and finish the rest of our time if we wanted. I have you get children 6, 7, 8 so naturally they got hungry and needed to use the bathroom. So when the offer was made for them to hop off and return to finish their time later we were happy to do it.... When we asked, how will we know when the time is up or when to come back, he literally did not have an answer for us. So I told him I would start a timer and come over to the dock to signal my wife when the time was up or they would come back when they were ready for the break.

We had lunch by the overlook, talking about their experiences and as a dad seeing their faces light up with joy really made the trip worth it.

Now when it came time to get back on the paddle boat and finish the last 30 minutes or so, all of a sudden the gentleman at the dock got amnesia about what he told us in regards to the break. He had mistakenly given incorrect information, but was unwilling to admit to it even tho my wife, all 3 kids and myself heard him say we could come back and finish the ride. He then reached out to the tackle shop where we paid to rent the paddle boat and asked "how much time we had left?" And the shop responded our time was finished at 1pm, it was 1:30pm.

I was directed to go and talk to the guy running the tackle shop so I did. He very rudely brushed off what I told him his guy at the dock said about us being able to return, told me they would not extend the time and gave me a very sarcastic, loud and rude "Sorry Pal!" As he giggled.

I didn't think it was funny, I also thought the customer service was generally good until this occurred in front of the tackle shop manager and dock workers friends/family. Them as well as the people sitting on a boat at the dock with the dog worker seemed to find this all amusing while my kids sadly walked away unable to finish their paddle boat time.

All in all I will not be able to return here based on the experience but you can have a good time here.

I'm always fair in my assessments of a business and their customer service. Personally I would go to...

Best Valentine date ever! We stopped at The Steak Out in Sonoita for a wonderful dinner and then drove another hour down to the lake for camping and fishing.

We got to the campground just after dark and saw dozens of deer! And the sky appeared so low with a thick conglomerance of stars. 'Someone' had forgotten to bring the tent. 🙄 Whatever. I didn't even complain at him. We didn't make this trip for complaints. Everything was fine, LoL! So we had a night of 'adventure sleeping' in the truck. Not exactly comfy, but it was 30° outside with the wind roaring! It even rained for a little while. At least the truck was warm and dry and we still had our sleeping bags and pillows. It was fine. Everything was fine.

Then at around sunrise, we got bundled up and trudged down to the lake. The fish were not awake yet. They didn't start biting until around 10am. But by the end of the day, we had seven delicious trout hanging from our stringer.

The lake is beautiful and quiet with friendly campers and a few boaters. They had stocked the trout the previous weekend and the fishing was good.

There are plenty of restrooms up the hill near the campsites. Yeah, it's a long walk up to the bathroom and back down to the lake. My legs were aching the next day.

Overall, it was a fun getaway and a...

Take Highway 83 heading out of Tucson off I-10. Around a 2 hour drive, up out of City. Mile high altitude for cooler temperatures. They have most everything you'll need, if you forgot something, either fishing equipment or rental boats too. Buy your fishing license there, in case you forgot to, before leaving Tucson. Over the mountain from Sierra Vista, Ft. Huachuca and Bisbee. Winding roads, so drive cautiously and in the appropriate speed limits. Feels inviting and family friendly. Fun or relaxing, for each family member. Have consideration for others and their property. Remember to be a good neighbor while camping. Follow the rules and it will make your stay much more pleasant. In the Pines, Scrub oak and rocky terrain, so be careful. Fresh outdoor air, no City smell, just good clean fresh air! Best for early Summer or early Fall or if you enjoy the cold go earlier or later in the year. If later or earlier in the year, so don't forget your warm clothes and long underwear, for those cold nights. Depending on weather temps each year, it's about 20° plus, cooler than Tucson because of the higher altitude. Not too big of lake - just ride for paddling a boat or troll fishing, or just enjoying spending your time on the water. A cool Oasis in the hot South...