Mormon Lake, AZ

Mormon Lake is the largest natural lake in Arizona... sometimes. During droughts, it's frequently not so large, and occasionally it's even dry. When it's a lake, which is most of the time, it can be an excellent place to fish, boat, windsurf and birdwatch. Wet or not, there's a picturesque little resort on the lake's western shore where you can rent recreational equipment such as mountain bikes, horses to ride, snowmobiles and cross-country skis in season. Or you can drop in at the Mormon Lake Lodge, a famous cowboy steak house where the brands of local ranches are burned into the log walls. Dairy Springs and Double Springs National Forest campgrounds are located nearby, too. There, in addition to developed campsites, you'll find some excellent hiking trails which lead to panoramic overlooks of the lake and the surrounding area.