Scuba Diving Near Phoenix, AZ — Local and Regional Dive Sites
You don’t have to travel far to find great diving. From the desert lakes right here in the Valley to the Sea of Cortez seven hours south, there’s more underwater Arizona — and just-outside-Arizona — than most divers realize. Here’s where we dive and what to expect at each site.
Lake Pleasant — Your Backyard Dive Site
Peoria, AZ | About 1 hour from Queen Creek
Lake Pleasant is the closest open water dive site to the Phoenix metro, and it earns its reputation as the go-to training and fun dive destination for Valley divers. Located off the Carefree Highway in the Sonoran Desert, the lake offers year-round diving with conditions that change dramatically by season. Most divers opt for shore diving for a relaxed, laid-back day. Dive, surface, sit in the sun, repeat. It's a great place to practice skills, log dives, or just get wet on a weekend.
What's down there: Catfish, carp, bluegill, bass, and other freshwater life. Popular sites include Sunset Ridge, Vista Point, and Desert Tortoise.
Visibility: Up to 40-60 feet in winter months when the water is cold and turnover is low. Summertime brings in 5-10 feet of visibility.
Depth: Shore diving typically reaches 60-70 feet at lower water levels. With higher water levels and especially from a boat, 100+ foot depths are reachable. Boat diving can take you beyond 200 feet, making Lake Pleasant a legitimate technical diving destination.
Water temp: Cold in winter with mid-50s at the surface and colder at depth, so a drysuit is recommended. Summer surface temps climb high enough to skip a wetsuit entirely.
Ready to get in the water? Call us at (480) 881-4013 and we'll get a dive day scheduled.
Lake Mohave — Wrecks in the Desert
Bullhead City, AZ | About 4.5 hours from Queen Creek
Lake Mohave sits on the Colorado River near Bullhead City and delivers something most Arizona divers don't expect: actual wrecks. The underwater park includes a sunken school bus and a dedicated buoyancy park, which makes it equal parts novelty and solid skills practice. There's also a couple of small boats, a van, and an old payphone underwater!
Water temp: Stays cold year-round. A 7mm wetsuit or drysuit is the right call regardless of season.
Visibility: Generally good with 40-60 feet all year round.
Depth: Depths reach around 80-100 feet, with easy shore access there's plenty of shallow spots for all levels of experience.
Logistics: This is a full-day commitment. The round trip is approximately nine hours of driving, plus three dives. Plan for an early morning departure and a late return. Pack a lunch, snacks, and a dry change of clothes — you'll want them.
We run trips to Lake Mohave a handful of times a year. Call (480) 881-4013 or message us to find out when we're heading out next.
San Carlos, Mexico — Sea of Cortez Diving
San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico | About 7 hours from Queen Creek
Seven hours south of Queen Creek, the Sea of Cortez opens up into some of the best diving accessible by car from Phoenix. San Carlos is packed with life at every depth — shallow reefs, blue water walls, and a handful of wrecks that make it a standout destination for divers at any certification level.
Wildlife: Sea horses, sea lions, turtles, hammerhead sharks, and more color than you'll know what to do with in the shallows. Sea lions are notorious for showing up uninvited on dives, which is exactly as good as it sounds.
Depth: Most of the sites start off shallow, making it an excellent choice for beginner divers. Although many sites drop quickly to significant depths, making San Carlos a top choice for technical divers and rebreather divers looking for serious bottom time as well!
Shallow diving: Bring an underwater camera. The shallow sites offer enough marine life to fill a memory card.
Wrecks: San Carlos has multiple wreck dive sites and is a great place to earn your SDI Wreck Diver certification.
Seasons: Winter diving requires a 7mm wetsuit or drysuit. Summer is a rash guard and board shorts situation with 80-degree-plus water and clear visibility.
We run regular trips to San Carlos. Check our trips page for upcoming dates or call us to get on the list.
Southern California — Ocean Diving Within a Day's Drive
Various sites | About 6 hours from Queen Creek
Six hours west and you're diving the Pacific. Southern California offers year-round ocean diving — kelp forests, boat trips, and some well-known wrecks — all within a manageable drive from the Valley.
Shore diving sites: Diver's Cove and Shaw's Cove in Laguna Beach, the Marine Room in La Jolla, and Casino Point on Catalina Island.
What's underwater: Giant sea bass, rays, lobster, crabs, nudibranchs, and Garibaldi moving through towering kelp. The kelp forests off Southern California are genuinely unlike anything in Arizona diving.
Wrecks: The HMCS Yukon and the Ruby E are both accessible in the San Diego area and worth the trip for wreck divers.
Gear: A 7mm wetsuit with hood and gloves is highly recommended. A drysuit is optimal if you run cold.
We run regular California trips — check the trips page for upcoming dates.
Want to Dive Somewhere Else?
Our local Lakes in Arizona, San Carlos, and Southern California are just the beginning. Dive Arizona runs trips to Roatan, Fiji, the Maldives, and so many more destinations across the Globe. Check out our upcoming trips here!
