Arizona Falls

About

Arizona Falls is a 20-foot drop on the Arizona Canal near 56th Street and Indian School Road, and it doubles as a working hydroelectric plant. People came here for picnics as far back as the 1880s, and in 1902 it became the site of Phoenix's first hydroelectric plant. The plant shut down in 1950 and reopened to the public in 2003 after a restoration, and visiting is free. It now makes up to 750 kilowatts, enough for up to 150 homes, and the WaterWorks art installation by Lajos Héder and Mags Harries puts you close to the falling water. The site is open around the clock, with parking from 5:30 in the morning until 10 at night. It sits right on the canal path, so a walk or run along the water is easy to add.