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    Willow Springs Lake

    4.6 (20 reviews)

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    Monica E.

    It's settled -- this is one of my favorite lakes. Ever. Granted, that might change in peak holiday season when the lake and its campground are infested with other humans. But, for now, I enjoy Willow Springs in all of its grand serenity. What I love most is that you can get a decent walk in right along the bank without fear of falling into a foot of mud. And the water is so clean! Crystal clear. The entire area is a very scenic. Elevation is at about 7,500 feet. Situated on the edge of Mogollon Rim, you will find some dense forest areas full of Ponderosa Pine, Oak and Douglas Fir. It's not too-too dense (certainly not Blair Witch Project-style), but thick enough that you begin to wonder if an elk family has already spotted you. There is fishing and also boating allowed here. I was all eagle eyed, hoping to see Rainbow trout or bass. No such thing happened. The lake area also has a few spots for grilling, even a ramada. You'll have to lug your gear beyond the little paved walkway if you want to reach the better picnic site. Also, the bank has these large, smooth rock surfaces, which are perfect for sitting and sunbathing. Here, you will also find Sinkhole Campground (the larger Canyon Point Campground is up the highway). It does not have any lakeside sites -- it's about a mile or so away from the lake. It's a smaller campground with only about a couple dozen site. The trailer limit is 32', and there are no hookups here, but there are sites with electricity. Also, no dispersed camping within 1/2 mile of the lake. But you do have access to grills and fire rings. Yes! And bonus: If you don't want to come all the way into the campground, you will find a day use area right off State Route 260.

    Melissa P.

    Had a great time here, fishing and hiking around the lake. Still a little snow in late March but nothing that will prevent you from being able to walk/hike around. Even saw some kayaks out on the water, not many. Clean. No trash. Beautiful. Good parking options.

    Willow Springs Lake
    Roxanna D.

    Beautiful, relaxing, calming, tranquil... I can go on and on. It's just beautiful there. Today was our 1st time there and we will be back again. The fish we're biting

    Paddle board willow springs
    Becky R.

    This is my all-time favorite rim lake! It's quiet & peaceful. We can usually get a good parking spot and a nice beachfront spot. We love swimming and fishing here. There's even a spot to the left side of the lake for cliff jumping! But it's a little hike to get there.

    Brought out the floaty...
    Ed A.

    FUN, FUn, Fun, fun.. The lake was huge and water was very clear, it was actually refreshing. My fav spot when we go up to go camping, lots of trout.

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great place to get out and enjoy a nice relaxing Saturday for fishing, swimming and grilling.

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    11 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Clean lake. fun place to watch eagles swoop down to catch fish! And great great fishing hole!!

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Beautiful spot, easy to get to with lots of parking. Could use some trash cans as there was lots of litter after the holiday weekend.

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    12 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Ask the Community - Willow Springs Lake

    Review Highlights - Willow Springs Lake

    If you prefer dispersed camping, you can head east a mile or two up from the lake and find Young Rd, which provides dispersed camping.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Rim Country Rec Kayak, SUP, Pedal boat, Canoe , Camping Rentals - we love dogs so bring them to the lake!

    Rim Country Rec Kayak, SUP, Pedal boat, Canoe , Camping Rentals

    4.8(27 reviews)
    44.2 km

    My partner and I had a great experience renting kayaks from Michelle! The kayak rental was…read morestraightforward, smooth, and lots of fun :) The assistance in attaching the kayaks to the car was also very appreciated. What a great way to enjoy the beauty of Payson and Willow Lake Pros: Responsiveness: Michelle was incredibly responsive and helpful over text! She was clear and prompt and great to communicate with. Help with securing kayaks: Michelle and her friend helped my partner and I secure kayaks to the car, and were patient with us as we figured out the best way to get them stacked and loaded. Flexibility: Michelle was flexible to our needs and allowed us to keep the kayaks as long as we wanted, and was there to give us the kayaks and coordinate the drop off as well. Straightforward pricing: Pricing was clear and straightforward and just as stated on the website and in all communication with Michelle. The Kayaks were $45 for a full day of use! Convenient location to Payson and Willow Lake: We were staying in Payson, and the kayak pick-up and drop off point was incredibly convenient. Dog friendly: Our pups enjoyed getting in the kayak, as seen in the pictures! They had a great day as well! Michelle's dogs were also at the kayak pick-up site, and we had so much fun petting them and playing with them. Cons: No cons to speak of! I will happily rent a Kayak from Michelle in the future!

    What a great way to explore the lake. We rented two kayaks from Rim Country and they made it super…read moreeasy. I drive a convertible so no picking up kayaks for me! They drop them right off at the top of the hill where you can dump them in the water and they come and pick them up as well. Make sure you make a reservation.

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    Rim Country Rec Kayak, SUP, Pedal boat, Canoe , Camping Rentals - Experience the beauty of a cool mountain lake near Payson, AZ.

    Experience the beauty of a cool mountain lake near Payson, AZ.

    Rim Country Rec Kayak, SUP, Pedal boat, Canoe , Camping Rentals
    Rim Country Rec Kayak, SUP, Pedal boat, Canoe , Camping Rentals

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    Tonto National Forest

    Tonto National Forest

    4.6(38 reviews)
    41.7 km

    The Tonto National Forest is a large territory of preserved lands northeast of Phoenix ideally…read moresuited for recreation. There is a lifetime of official and unofficial trails in the Forest. Most of them are in the desert, with little shade and oppressive heat, but if you live in Arizona that probably doesn't stop you. Based on its size and preservation, there are stunning vistas of the Forest even a short drive from the Phoenix area. Describing it as a "forest" is a deceptive term. It is more of a National Desert. Acknowledging that point does not make it a less impressive place to explore. Arguably, the panoramic views are even more impressive in the desert because there are no trees blocking your line of sight. One of the more surprising aspects of the forest is how few Arizona citizens take advantage of the recreation opportunities. Phoenix is a megacity, but if drive 30 minutes away, you can have a 10 mile trail all to yourself. This means either Phoenix citizens are not into the outdoors or there are enough trails for everyone to spread out. One trail in particular that my brother, wife, and I were able to explore by ourselves was the Ballantine Trail. It's halfway between Mesa and Payson on highway 87. The first couple of miles suffered significant burn damage a year earlier. This was quite disappointing at first. As we continued hiking, we were able to appreciate the signs of transition from burned and blackened landscape to fresh grass and bush rejuvenation. The return hike along the side of the mountain, rather than over the top, yielded one of the most stunning views of grass and saguaro cacti that I have seen.

    I was in town in Show Low staying at my friend's place and decided to take my dog to Tonto National…read moreForest (specifically the two sixty trail area) so we could enjoy the weekend day. It was an hour ride, but I think it was so worth it! My dog really enjoyed it! What I loved was that the facility and trail were clean and well maintained. There was a restroom station and a marker/direction for a subtrail at the entrance from a parking lot. The trail itself was clear and not crowded at all. There were just 2 other people we met during a weekday late morning during our visit for an hour there. My dog really enjoyed roaming around the trail and we loved that we didn't see any trash at all. While the trail was a bit unleveled, the path was clear! Bonus too that it was a free hike/walk for us, including parking! The only minus was that there was no cell phone signal (T-mobile/Mint Mobile), so I was very wary that we might get lost if we didn't keep track of ourselves well enough..so we mostly stayed on the trail and didn't go in too far. But...it is a wonderful place to enjoy the nature for sure!

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    Tonto National Forest
    Tonto National Forest
    Tonto National Forest

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    Willow Springs Lake - fishing - Updated May 2026

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