Rucker Dam

The CCC built a rock dam in the 1930s to retain water from Rucker Creek. The AZ Game & Fish Dept. began stocking the 3-acre lake in the 1940s, and it became a popular fishing and recreation destination for decades. 

In 1994, the Rattlesnake Fire burned 28,000 acres of the National Forest. In the aftermath of the fire, slopes denuded of vegetation eroded and washed downhill, filling the lake with silt. Due to the unstable nature of the steep Rucker Watershed today, and the continued risk of flooding and sedimentation, it is neither safe nor sustainable to redevelop the lake. 

As you approach the Rucker Trail #222 trailhead, you will pass the dry Rucker Lake bed on the right (east) side of the road.