{{short description|State park in Arizona, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}} {{Infobox park | name = Alamo Lake State Park | image = Alamo Lake and Artillery Peak.jpg | image_caption = Alamo Lake and Artillery Peak | image_alt = Landscape | image_size = 280 | map = USA Arizona | map_caption = Location in Arizona | map_size = 280 | relief = 1 | map_label = Alamo Lake State Park | map_label_position = | location = La Paz County, Arizona, United States | coordinates = {{coord|34|13|56|N|113|36|10|W|display=inline,title}} | coords_ref = | area = {{convert|4900|acre|abbr=on}} | elevation = {{convert|1300|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=azparks2/> | established = 1969<ref name=azparks3/> | administrator = Arizona State Parks & Trails | visitation_num = 55,090 | visitation_year = 2024 | visitation_ref = <ref name=aztourism/> | website = {{URL|https://azstateparks.com/alamo-lake}} | module = | free_label = Logo | free_data = frameless|150px }} {{Infobox body of water | name = Alamo Lake | image = | caption = | pushpin_map=Arizona | image_bathymetry = | caption_bathymetry = | location = La Paz / Mohave counties, Arizona | coordinates = {{Coord|34|13|56|N|113|36|10|W|region:US-AZ_type:waterbody}} | type = reservoir | inflow = Bill Williams River | outflow = Bill Williams River, evaporation | catchment = | basin_countries = United States | length = | width = <!-- | area = {{convert|17000|acre|abbr=on}} (when full) --> | depth = | max-depth = {{convert|80|ft|abbr=on}} | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = {{convert|1237|ft|abbr=on}} | islands = | cities = }} '''Alamo Lake State Park''' is a state park of Arizona, United States, centered on '''Alamo Lake''', a flood control and recreational reservoir. The park is located in western Arizona about {{convert|38|mi|km}} north of Wenden. It is accessed via a paved two-lane road off either U.S. Route 60 to the south or U.S. Route 93 to the east.<ref name="azparks"/> Owing to its remoteness, the park is often considered one of the "best kept secrets" of the state park system.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}}
Alamo Lake State Park features camping facilities and attracts wildlife enthusiasts, as the park is home to numerous wildlife species including the bald eagle. The park's remoteness and distance from cities also makes it a destination for stargazing, as it is the darkest sky state park in Arizona.<ref>{{Cite web|last=R|first=Mike|date=2021-08-24|title=State Park Bortle 2 Scale Information In The US|url=https://cosmospnw.com/us-state-parks-bortle-2-information/|access-date=2022-01-29|website=CosmosPNW|language=en-US}}</ref>
==Alamo Lake== Alamo Lake itself is formed by the Alamo Dam that is part of the Alamo Lake State Park administered by the Arizona State Parks. The lake impounds runoff from the Bill Williams River, an intermittent tributary of the Colorado River. The dam was constructed in 1968 by the Army Corps of Engineers, primarily for flood control purposes. The dam is an earthfill dam that rises {{convert|283|ft|m}} from the streambed.
While the Bill Williams River is often dry, heavy seasonal rains maintain the lake's depth. During extreme flood events, the reservoir can fill rapidly; the lake has been recorded to rise {{convert|11|ft|m}} in a single night due to extreme flooding.<ref name="azparks" />
Unusually high flows during the 1970s and 1980s increased the depth and size of the reservoir to unexpected levels, giving birth to recreational and fishing possibilities. Since then, the lake has been stocked with numerous fish species, including largemouth bass, crappie, sunfish, channel catfish, flathead catfish and tilapia.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/where_fish_southwest.shtml |title=Southwestern Arizona |publisher=Arizona Game and Fish Department |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610101147/http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/where_fish_southwest.shtml |archive-date=10 June 2008 |access-date=2008-05-27}}</ref> The lake is host to fishing tournaments and has been the location of at least one Arizona state fishing record.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/state_records.shtml |title=Arizona Fishing Records |publisher=Arizona Game and Fish Department |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515172718/http://www.azgfd.gov/h_f/state_records.shtml |archive-date=15 May 2008 |access-date=2008-05-27}}</ref>
The park can be accessed by a paved road from Highway 60 at the Wenden turn-off to the north on Alamo Lake Road.
==Climate==
According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Alamo Lake State Park has a hot desert climate, abbreviated "BWh" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Alamo Lake State Park was {{convert|124|F|C|1}} on July 29, 1995, while the coldest temperature recorded was {{convert|19|F|C|1}} on December 26, 1990, January 15, 2007, January 4–5, 2019, and January 22, 2023.<ref name = NOWData />
{{Weather box |location = Alamo Dam, Arizona, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1975–present |single line = Yes |collapsed = Yes
|Jan record high F = 84 |Feb record high F = 90 |Mar record high F = 102 |Apr record high F = 107 |May record high F = 114 |Jun record high F = 123 |Jul record high F = 124 |Aug record high F = 121 |Sep record high F = 118 |Oct record high F = 110 |Nov record high F = 98 |Dec record high F = 84
|Jan avg record high F = 76.4 |Feb avg record high F = 81.9 |Mar avg record high F = 90.6 |Apr avg record high F = 100.4 |May avg record high F = 107.3 |Jun avg record high F = 114.4 |Jul avg record high F = 117.1 |Aug avg record high F = 115.7 |Sep avg record high F = 111.2 |Oct avg record high F = 102.9 |Nov avg record high F = 89.3 |Dec avg record high F = 76.6 |year avg record high F = 118.3
|Jan high F = 65.6 |Feb high F = 70.1 |Mar high F = 77.2 |Apr high F = 85.0 |May high F = 94.3 |Jun high F = 104.6 |Jul high F = 108.1 |Aug high F = 106.8 |Sep high F = 101.3 |Oct high F = 89.6 |Nov high F = 75.8 |Dec high F = 64.5 |year high F =
|Jan mean F = 48.8 |Feb mean F = 52.9 |Mar mean F = 59.3 |Apr mean F = 66.6 |May mean F = 75.7 |Jun mean F = 84.9 |Jul mean F = 90.8 |Aug mean F = 89.6 |Sep mean F = 82.9 |Oct mean F = 70.5 |Nov mean F = 57.7 |Dec mean F = 48.0 |year mean F =
|Jan low F = 31.9 |Feb low F = 35.6 |Mar low F = 41.4 |Apr low F = 48.3 |May low F = 57.1 |Jun low F = 65.2 |Jul low F = 73.5 |Aug low F = 72.5 |Sep low F = 64.4 |Oct low F = 51.3 |Nov low F = 39.5 |Dec low F = 31.4 |year low F =
|Jan avg record low F = 26.8 |Feb avg record low F = 30.3 |Mar avg record low F = 34.9 |Apr avg record low F = 41.0 |May avg record low F = 49.0 |Jun avg record low F = 57.4 |Jul avg record low F = 66.8 |Aug avg record low F = 66.5 |Sep avg record low F = 56.3 |Oct avg record low F = 43.9 |Nov avg record low F = 33.0 |Dec avg record low F = 26.1 |year avg record low F = 24.5
|Jan record low F = 19 |Feb record low F = 21 |Mar record low F = 26 |Apr record low F = 32 |May record low F = 33 |Jun record low F = 43 |Jul record low F = 58 |Aug record low F = 59 |Sep record low F = 37 |Oct record low F = 29 |Nov record low F = 25 |Dec record low F = 19
|precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation inch = 1.03 |Feb precipitation inch = 1.13 |Mar precipitation inch = 0.77 |Apr precipitation inch = 0.24 |May precipitation inch = 0.08 |Jun precipitation inch = 0.06 |Jul precipitation inch = 0.82 |Aug precipitation inch = 1.18 |Sep precipitation inch = 0.74 |Oct precipitation inch = 0.55 |Nov precipitation inch = 0.56 |Dec precipitation inch = 0.66 |year precipitation inch =
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in |Jan precipitation days = 4.0 |Feb precipitation days = 4.2 |Mar precipitation days = 3.4 |Apr precipitation days = 1.5 |May precipitation days = 0.7 |Jun precipitation days = 0.3 |Jul precipitation days = 2.9 |Aug precipitation days = 4.9 |Sep precipitation days = 2.5 |Oct precipitation days = 2.0 |Nov precipitation days = 1.8 |Dec precipitation days = 3.2
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA> {{cite web |url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00020100&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL |publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration |title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Alamo Dam, AZ |access-date = March 26, 2023 }} </ref> |source 2 = National Weather Service<ref name = NOWData> {{cite web |url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=psr |publisher = National Weather Service |title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Phoenix |access-date = March 26, 2023 }} </ref> }}
==References== <references> <ref name=azparks>{{cite web |url=https://azstateparks.com/alamo-lake |title=Alamo Lake State Park |publisher=Arizona State Parks & Trails |access-date=October 3, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name=azparks2>{{cite web |url=https://azstateparks.com/alamo-lake/explore/maps |title=Alamo Lake State Park Maps |publisher=Arizona State Parks & Trails |access-date=October 3, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name=azparks3>{{cite web |url=https://azstateparks.com/alamo-lake/explore/park-history |title=History of Alamo Lake State Park |publisher=Arizona State Parks & Trails |access-date=October 3, 2025}}</ref>
<ref name=aztourism>{{cite web |url=https://tourism.az.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/State-Parks-July-2025.pdf |title=Monthly State Parks Visitation Report |date=July 2025 |publisher=Arizona Office of Tourism |access-date=October 3, 2025}}</ref> </references>
==External links== *[https://azstateparks.com/alamo-lake Alamo Lake State Park] Arizona State Parks & Trails *[https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Asset-Management/Alamo-Dam/ Alamo Dam] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230623183549/https://www.spl.usace.army.mil/Missions/Asset-Management/Alamo-Dam/ |date=June 23, 2023 }} United States Army Corps of Engineers
{{AZ Parks}}
{{authority control}}
Category:1969 establishments in Arizona Category:Dams completed in 1968 Category:Dams in Arizona Category:Parks in La Paz County, Arizona Category:Protected areas established in 1969 Category:Reservoirs in La Paz County, Arizona Category:Reservoirs in Mohave County, Arizona Category:State parks of Arizona Category:United States Army Corps of Engineers dams Category:Reservoirs in Arizona