Mormon Lake

Visit a woodland retreat near Flagstaff that offers year-round backcountry adventures.

Surrounded by a ponderosa pine forest, Mormon Lake invites visitors to enjoy a pristine high-country getaway. The resort on the lake’s western shore rents mountain bikes, horses, snowmobiles and cross-country skis for weekend warriors to get outside and play. Tent and RV sites are available at nearby campgrounds, and cabins at the lakeside village add more amenities. While the lake’s water level fluctuates and fishing and boating activity has decreased in recent years, the surrounding forest attracts hikers, skiers, mountain bikers and horseback riders to the cool pines near Flagstaff.

Hit the Trails

Summer temps at Mormon Lake rarely top the 70s and 80s. This area outside of Flagstaff is a popular summer hiking destination with trails that lead to panoramic views of the lake in Coconino National Forest. Navajo Spring Trail is accessible from the village and leads through meadows ringed by tall pine trees on a trail shared with mountain bikers and horseback riders. Mormon Lake also provides access points to the Arizona National Scenic Trail, an 800-mile trek from the border of Mexico to Utah. Nearby Walnut Canyon offers a short but strenuous 1-mile hike into a canyon that showcases 25 Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings.

Play in the Snow

At an elevation of 7,000 feet, the Mormon Lake area is popular among snowmobilers and cross-country skiers who set off into the wilderness to explore the wide-open meadows and scenic mountain trails. The snowy winters in Northern Arizona also attract outdoor enthusiasts to Snowbowl ski resort north of Flagstaff for some of the state’s best alpine skiing as well as popular hills for epic family snow tubing.

Stay in a Rustic Lodge

Mormon Lake Village hugs the western shore of the lake. The woodsy retreat includes a rustic lodge with a general store, a cowboy steakhouse and a small museum dedicated to writer and outdoorsman Zane Grey. Many of his books were set in Arizona, and the museum has a great collection of movie memorabilia and photos. Summer is peak season here, when the lodge hosts live music on weekends and the rodeo grounds at the edge of the village draw big crowds.