Becker Lake Wildlife Area

The Becker Lake Wildlife Area is located in east-central Arizona, within Springerville city limits. Known for a wide variety of waterfowl and shorebirds, as well as wildlife like antelope and prairie dogs, Becker Lake offers plenty of attractions for nature lovers.

The lake was created in 1880 by constructing a dam at the head of an old oxbow of the Little Colorado River. The lake was used principally for irrigation purposes, however a fishery existed at one point. In 1973, the Becker family sold 338 deeded acres to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, which included the lake of approximately 100 surface-acres.

In that year, the Commission directed the Arizona Game and Fish Department to manage Becker Lake as a quality trout fishery. Since then, the Department has managed the lake as a "Blue Ribbon" fishery with special regulations, such as motor restrictions, bag and possession limits, restricted methods of take and seasonal closures. In January 2002, the Department purchased an additional 291 acres of adjacent private land utilizing the Department's Heritage Fund to protect and enhance stream and riparian habitat along the Little Colorado River for wildlife species of special concern.