The use of Rose Canyon Lake north of Tucson will be limited until 2025, the Coronado National Forest Service announced this week.
The closure order for the lake, located about 30 miles northeast of Tucson in the Santa Catalina Mountains, began on Sunday. It will remain in effect until Oct. 22, 2025.
In that time, Forest Service officials say that โentering, going into, or being in or uponโ Rose Canyon Lake is prohibited.
However, the overall recreation area will remain open and fishing from the shore will be allowed, Forest Service officials said Tuesday in a post to X.
Rose Canyon Lake will be closed to โprotect public health and safety,โ as well as the environmental quality of the lake as itโs a fishery, the Forest Service said Tuesday.
While roads leading up to the lake are usually closed during the winter due to weather conditions, they said, this extended closure will allow for new fish to grow and mature, as the lake was developed to be used as a fishery.
โMostly rainbow and brown trout are stocked by Arizona Game and Fish โฆ (they plan) to stock it one more time in early November and then will resume stocking in March 2024,โ a spokeswoman for the Forest Service said Wednesday in a written statement. โThis lake was developed as a fishery and its use outside of that would likely have a ripple effect on Threatened or Endangered species downstream.โ
Violations of the closure order would result in a misdemeanor, with fines of up to $5,000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations. Violating this order could also result in imprisonment of up to six months, the Forest Service said.
