Just two miles long and running the width of several football fields, Tempe Town Lake used to resemble nothing more than a French fry baking in the dry river bed of the Rio Salado River. Five years after its grand opening, this man-made lake located in the heart of downtown Tempe, Arizona is celebrated as one of the top three attractions in the state, just after the Grand Canyon and Bank One Ballpark.
Counted among the more than two million visitors each year are tourists, second-home owners (called snow-birds by the locals) and residents from the neighboring cities of Mesa, Chandler, Scottsdale and Phoenix. October through May marks Town Lake’s busy season. Outdoor enthusiasts can walk, cycle or rollerblade on more than five miles of paved trails. For the more competitive, Town Lake has become a popular venue for fundraising 5K and 10K walks and runs, Olympic-rated Triathalons and, for the intrepid sailor, the annual cardboard boat races.
A marina provides five lanes of boat launches, dry boat storage and trailered boat parking. Watercraft are restricted to sailboats or boats propelled with single-engine motors. Windsurfing is permitted. Visitors can rent pedal boats, electric boats and kayaks. The lake is stocked with trout, bass, and catfish, and fishing is allowed with a standard Arizona fishing license available at local sporting goods stores.
Tempe Town Lake has established a reputation for excellent live music. Local and national acts regularly perform at outdoor concerts that can accommodate several thousand fans. Further connecting the community with the arts, Tempe Center for the Arts will open in 2006. The center will house local performing artists as well as draw national acts, and be physically connected with Tempe Beach Bark and Town Lake.