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Goldwater Lake

4.6 (35 reviews)
Closed 6:00 am - 10:00 pm

Goldwater Lake Photos

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Andrew C.

Nice, peaceful lake. You can't swim, but you can fish. They also have boat rentals. I've been here before just didn't remember its name. My wife and I had a nice, peaceful walk, saw some deer, and relaxed on a bench in the shade during a late Sunday afternoon. We both enjoyed it. They have nice bathrooms, a play area for the little ones, and a beach volleyball net.

Double trouble
Jack M.

Beautiful, clean lake with zero trash in sight. It's on the smaller side--but hey, it's not about the size of the boat, right? but the motion in the ocean.. or something like that The water was still a bit chilly, but that didn't stop the dogs from diving in. The surrounding park is well-maintained, and parking was easy. From the lot, it's just a hop, skip, and a jump to the water. Fun spot to hang out, explore, or rent some kayaks for a relaxing day.

Lacy K.

Smaller lake, but one of the most beautiful in AZ. I come from the PNW where lakes are surrounded by trees and grass, so I love that about this AZ lake. The lush green scenery makes this such a great spot to relax, kayak, and fish (for mental health, not because we actually catch anything). The kids have fun catching crawdads along the streams. My dogs love it as well. Only downside is that it's off limits for swimming. Take a picnic, setup a spot for the day, enjoy nature.

Tanya P.

This lake is very scenic and beautiful Clean and well maintained. Lots of picnic spots and parking if you come early Great fishing when it's not busy You can rent a canoe or kayak if you make a reservation an cruise around the lake or go for a walk around it. Took off one star for the parking

Amber D.

Beautiful area to go fishing, hiking, kayaking or have a picnic. Lots of wildlife and very scenic.

Travis T.

I enjoyed a nice day here while camping in Prescott. Goldwater Lake is located a little ways outside of the city. There are picnic tables and ramadas throughout the park and a trail that circles the lake. The pine trees give plenty of shade. Trails lead off in all directions, but you can easily connect with the main trail. There is plenty to do here like hiking, sand volleyball, playgrounds and canoes and kayaks that can be rented. Goldwater Lake offers both day passes and yearly passes. We enjoyed a quiet day hiking around the lake while taking in the beautiful views. I even took a nap on the grass! It's definitely worth the trip up if you live in the Valley.

Vladmir T.

Great Daytime Picnic Area Lots Of Benches and Picnic Tables: Ample spots to sit and relax and watch the ducks floating by and the clouds rolling by the treetops. A big pavilion area is great for family get together but it must be reserved. Smaller lake which allows small electric motor boats or kayaking and canoeing. No speed boats as the lake is not big enough for that.... A nice little spot for sure!

Amy Z.

Prescott loop trail. We had another fabulous hike here recently. I wanted to update about the hiking loop trail it's called Prescott loop trail. We noticed that the signs were faded and hard to read, but if you follow my descriptions from my previous review it will get you back there. Some of the pine trees were being cut in the last one year due to the beetles, so you'll see along the trail, but it's still beautiful. Most of the people who come here are going for fishing or canoeing but there are very few people are on the hiking trails., which is good for us. We really enjoyed the hiking because it's very quite and peaceful. Enjoy your outdoor activities, stay safe and healthy. Namaste

Horseback riders leading their horses to the water!
Dee R.

We have only been here once. It was a little out of the way, but oh so worth it. We decided to go fishing and we had already been fishing at Lynx Lake, Willow Lake and Watson Lake, so thought we would try Goldwater Lake. And it was so worth it! We got to see a beautiful sight of horseback riders going to the lake to water their horses, what a magnificent sight to see!

Nice view from the trail
Judith M.

I enjoy coming here with my family! They have plenty of parking, benches for picnics, a playground, & restrooms. There is a nice trail that goes around the lake, which makes for great photo ops. There are rentals for kayaks here, but I have yet to do that. It's a perfect place with plenty of shade if you want some outdoor family time!

Head left at 81 for a long loop or right for more trails
Kris L.

This follow on review is to highlight the amazing post monsoon wildflowers along the full loop hike starting with trail 330 headed west from Senator highway, then trail 81 south along Banning Creek, and finally Goldwater trail 396 back to the parking lot at the 330 trail head. This route is 6.5-7 miles depending on how much you want to wonder along Goldwater lake. When 330 meets up with 81 the wildflowers really start to crop up. Walk a short way north on 81 through the small stream-bed meadow to see fields of yellow and white, with orange globe mallow and several different purple flowers interspersed. To complete the loop, head south on 81. You can walk along the stream bed and the old water pipeline or just to the west is an access road, but the stream bed is more interesting. At about a half mile along 81 you will come to a nice pond with trickling water. After the pond the loop heads up hill on trail 396. 396 takes you near the ridge line and you will have views of the lake in about 20 minutes. After the lake view, the trail is mostly through forest and gets a bit drier until you reach the junction with the lake park. If you detour along the lake, you will need to walk a bit on the road just past the staffed park entry booth to get to 330, which will be on your left. It is just a short distance to the parking area on Senator highway at this point.

Kay V.

Peaceful and great for bird watching! Saw some Great Blue herons and eagle. Walked around the lake. Rainbow trout under ice.

View of lake from off the many picnic benches

What a nice little surprise. Swung by with lunch just to have a quick picnic. Nice little lake well situated in the pines. Plenty of parking and tables. Even some rentals of kayaks available.

Beautiful night view

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Ask the Community - Goldwater Lake

Is the road paved to the lake?

Yes it is.

Is it safe and are we allowed to swim there?

Not sure about swimming.

Is it free?

$3 fee entry and you can use the same entry ticket to go to other lakes or parks in Prescott on the same day.

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Review Highlights - Goldwater Lake

We decided to go fishing and we had already been fishing at Lynx Lake, Willow Lake and Watson Lake, so thought we would try Goldwater Lake.

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Lynx Lake - Path by the dam

Lynx Lake

4.2(57 reviews)
3.9 mi

My daughter Zoe rented Loop B at Lynx Lake from 8/23/24 - 8/26/24. Rich & Jenny are AWESOME…read moreVolunteers who take care of the area & they are amazing folks. Very helpful & ready to tell you any helpful information you need while staying. We left a night early because my daughter rented the amount of days just in case we wanted to stay longer. Yet the 25th(today) is my 54th birthday & I was ready to be home for the week. We came home very rested with plenty of beautiful pics & cool experiences to tell friends & family.

I've been to Lynx Lake a few times, and this recent visit was pretty similar to my past…read moreexperiences. I'm giving it a 3-star review mainly because the lake has recently been drained and they want it to refill naturally, so it's unclear when water levels will return to normal. There is also a $5 day-use fee to enter the park. You can pay cash or card. Currently, the park opens at 7:00 AM and the gates close at 5:00 PM. The trail around the lake is about 2.5 miles and offers a few different routes, including at least one path that leads to a small waterfall (or what would be a waterfall if the lake wasn't drained). The west side of the lake is more paved and level, making it easier for walking, while the east side is more rugged with a dirt trail. One thing to add, the bathrooms were clean, but they had smell in them was hard to ignore and really unpleasant. Overall, it's still a nice area for a casual walk around the lake, especially if you're in the area.

Photos
Lynx Lake
Lynx Lake
Lynx Lake - East side trail

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East side trail

Goldwater Lake - lakes - Updated May 2026

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