ARIVACA LAKE — You might land a largemouth bass. You might spot a vermilion flycatcher. Or maybe you'll just catch a few hours of peace and quiet in a soothing setting.
It's nearly springtime — and the livin' is easy at Arivaca Lake about 65 miles southwest of Tucson.
The 90-acre lake, built with a dam by the Arizona Game and Fish Department in 1970, is tucked away in a remote expanse of rolling grasslands and rocky bluffs.
The site is free of admission fees — and free of fancy facilities. Visitors make do with a primitive boat ramp.
Many anglers fish from the banks or paddle out in small boats or floats in a quest for bass, catfish or bluegills. A state fishing license is required. Boats powered by a single electric motor are permitted.
If you're more into bird-watching than bass fishing, bring binoculars and scan the hillsides above the lake.
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"We've seen a cardinal, a Western bluebird, a vermilion flycatcher and a dusky flycatcher," said Carole Donnelly as she and fellow birder Doug Billings searched for more species in a lakeside clump of trees.
To get to Arivaca Lake from Tucson, take Interstate 19 south, past Green Valley, and get off at the Arivaca Road Exit (Exit 48). Follow signs to the town of Arivaca, and from there continue southeast about five miles to a signed left turnoff for the lake. An unpaved, 2.3-mile road, suitable for passenger cars in good weather, leads to the water.
Be aware that you could encounter illegal immigration or smuggling traffic in the area.
For more hiking stories, go to: go.azstarnet.com/trails.
