Bartlett Lake is the less regulated, more beautiful Lake Pleasant. The 14-mile drive from the turnoff to the lake is magical - saguaros line the curvy road while plump roadrunners and quail scurry across the sand. When you pass over the final hill, the view of the long body of water is just spectacular.
Once you're at the lake, you have a few options as to where to camp. We chose to take the main road all the way to the end (it's called the flats) and drove along a rough, 4x4 road til we found a vacant spot next to the lakeside.
Once we settled in, we unpacked our tent and opened a few beers while relaxing in the cloudy water of Bartlett Lake. If we were to go again, we definitely would have brought a boat or rented one at the marina. It was a fun experience though and I can't wait to return in the less sweltering Fall months!