Roper Lake State Park - Safford, AZ - a beautiful state park with two lakes

Found in southeastern Arizona six miles away from Safford is Roper Lake State Park. The lake is 3,130 feet and gives visitors the opportunity to fish, hike, swim, picnic or enjoy a hot mineral spring. The four hundred acre park has two sections, Dankworth pond and Roper Lake.

The Roper Lake State Park is open from 6am until 10pm with the most popular spot being the Island Day Use Area. The day use area has ramadas and picnic tables which three sides of the lake surround. Several small ponds for endangered species can be found near another picnic area. There are thirty areas of lake surfaces in the park that are stocked with bass, catfish and crappie. The last Thursday of the month at nine in the morning Sammy Gomez teaches fishing.

The Roper State Park limits use of boats to those without gasoline powered engines to ensure the peacefulness of the facilities. The park has hiking trails that cover five miles going around Roper Lake. Hikers are advised to take a hat, sunscreen and plenty of water in addition to wearing comfortable shoes. March through May and September through November are considered to be the best times to visit the park with the temperatures being the most pleasant.

The Pacific Flyway goes through Arizona making Roper Lake State Park a good place to observe flocks of migrating birds. Roper Lake is a place where many migratory birds stop and some of them nest because of the mesquite, water, palo verde trees and salt cedar found there.

The park offers a number of campground areas with seventy-one units for camping. There are several amenities at the Hacienda Campground in the park. These include vending machines, restrooms, grills and telephone availability. There are also electric hookups and sites with handicap access. There is a limit of fifteen days placed on camping in the area. The park also has a stone lined mineral hot spring with a handrail and stone steps.

The second portion of the park, Dankworth Pond is day use only. This section of the park offers picnic tables with grills and shaded areas. This pond is manmade with a variety of ducks, blackbirds and coots in addition to other birds that nest in the cattails around the pond. Commercial fishing was the original use of Dankworth Pond now it is used as a recreational fishing facility. Dankworth Pond is more accessible to the handicapped than the Roper Lake section of the Roper Lake State Park.

The pond also has Dankworth Village which is an Indian living site that allows visitors to take tours on their own in order to learn about Native American history. Roper Lake State park is a great place to visit for a few hours or a few days whether you go to Dankworth Pond or Roper Lake for your visit.

All rules and regulations of the park must be followed while within its boundaries. Visitors are asked to leave the area the way that they found it when they leave to ensure that others can enjoy it as well.