Completed in 1925 the Mormon Flat Dam was formed and created Canyon Lake. Canyon lake is 950 acres of beauty and one of our favorite lake to paddle board, kayak and jet ski on. One of the first lakes created from the damming of the Salt River Canyon Lake is one of four great lakes of the Salt River. Two others, Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake, are upstream. The fourth, Saguaro Lake, is downstream.

Canyon Lake lies approximately 15 miles (24 km) up the Apache Trail from Apache Junction, Arizona and 51 miles (82 km) east of Phoenix. It is within the Superstition Wilderness of Tonto National Forest and is a popular recreation area for the Phoenix metropolitan area. Recreation amenities include hiking trails, camping, and boating, all managed by the United States Forest Service. Canyon Lake is a popular stop along the Apache Trail route from Apache Junction, Arizona, passing Tortilla Flat, Arizona, before reaching Apache Lake and Roosevelt Lake behind Theodore Roosevelt Dam.