Whitehorse Lake near Williams is situated at about 6,500 feet and is a beautiful area to camp for a weekend, or explore for a day! Camping is open May-September and sites are $28/night by reservation only. We spent a weekend here at the end of June, and it’s definitely one of our top 5 spots so far. (Other favorites are Dogtown Lake, Lynx Lake, and Big Lake. Yes, we love camping near lakes!)
Here are 5 reasons to camp at Whitehorse Lake:
- Campsites are by the water – anywhere from 100-500 feet are large campsites that allow easy access to the water. Our weekend camping home was Loop C 56 and one of the best! Loop B also had great spots. The kids could explore the woods and down by the lake very easily. No swimming allowed in the lake, just fishing and non-motorized boats.
- Toilets and drinking water – there are numerous vault toilets located around the campground, as well as water spigots. The toilets were very clean, much better than we’ve seen at other camping locations, so hats off to the employees!
- Food truck with snacks, food, drinks, and items – have you seen a food truck at a campground? This was a fun addition for sure. They offer shave ice, lemonade, pretzels, burgers and hot dogs, and more. Firewood and other small items (did you forget ketchup?) are for sale, as well as kayak and canoe rentals.
- Cooler weather – Williams averages 80’s temps in summer, with lows in 50’s. It’s a perfect escape from the Phoenix heat! Definitely bring a jacket and pants for the evenings, but you’ll be in shorts and a tshirt by 11am.
- Trail around the lake – this 2 mile one way trail is good for kids and takes you around the lake, meeting up with the paved road on either end. There are plenty of spots to fish. The trail is narrow at times and not good for strollers.
- Bonus: travel 20 min south for epic views at Sycamore Point (it’s like a mini Grand Canyon experience), or hike at Sycamore Falls (seasonal waterfall, but beautiful any time of the year). If camping isn’t your thing, try an overnight glamping stay at Backland.
- Note: the road to Whitehorse Lake is not paved, and will make your car very dusty. Nothing a good car wash can’t fix tho!
More awesome things to do near Williams can be found here!
