Butcher Jones Beach is the swimming beach at the Butcher Jones Day Use Area, a Tonto National Forest picnic and beach site on the north shore of Saguaro Lake, managed by the Mesa Ranger District. Saguaro Lake is the fourth and lowest of the reservoirs on the Salt River, held back by Stewart Mountain Dam, and the beach sits at the head of a small cove walled in by tan and red cliffs, with saguaros on the slopes above. The Forest Service lists it as one of the most-visited sites on the whole Tonto.

From Mesa, drive north on State Route 87 (the Beeline Highway) about 27 miles, turn right onto the Bush Highway (Forest Road 204) for 2 miles, then turn left onto Forest Road 166, Butcher Jones Beach Road, and follow it 2 miles to the end. The road is paved the whole way. The site is about 10 miles east of Fort McDowell and 31 miles from Mesa. Parking lots fill early on spring and summer weekends and holidays, and the Forest Service says to have a backup plan if the lot is full. No trailers are allowed, and the site has no OHV access.

The swim area is a gently sloping beach that deepens gradually off the picnic area, which makes it one of the easier places at the lake for kids and waders. Buoys mark the swimming zone, and the whole bay in front of Butcher Jones is closed to motorized boats, so the water is calm and kayaks and paddleboards launch straight off the beach. There are no lifeguards. The lake is a desert reservoir, so the water is warm through the long summer and cold in winter, and lake levels change daily with irrigation demand and power generation, which can leave rocks and snags just under the surface.

A pass is required to park. A Tonto Daily Pass costs $8 per vehicle per day if you buy it ahead of time at a Tonto National Forest office or a retail vendor in the Valley, or $12 per vehicle per day from the on-site fee machine, which takes only debit or credit cards. The $80 Tonto Discovery Pass (annual) and the $60 senior and access annual pass are honored, as are America the Beautiful interagency passes. The site is open year round for day use only, with no overnight camping. Glass containers are prohibited and dogs must be on a leash.

Mesquite trees shade the picnic tables, and the site has vault toilets but no drinking water, so bring all the water you need. There is no trash service at Saguaro Lake. The lake has had golden algae fish kills in recent years (2017 to 2019 and 2022). Members of the Salt River wild horse herd sometimes graze the mesquite flats and come down to drink at the shore. Give them plenty of room and don't feed them.

The Butcher Jones Trail starts at the east end of the parking area and follows the north shore of the lake to Burro Cove and the Pinter's Point loop, about 5 miles out and back, with lake views most of the way and little shade past the first stretch. Fishing from shore is popular for bass, crappie and catfish. The Saguaro Lake Marina, with boat rentals and the boat ramp, is a short drive away at the end of Forest Road 204.