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| Hiking | 12.01 Miles |
466 AEG |
| | Hiking | 12.01 Miles | 6 Hrs 53 Mns | | 1.81 mph |
| 466 ft AEG | 15 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | I'd heard Watson Lake was a nice place to both hike and paddle, so I figured I should go check it out before things got too warm - I've heard the lake can get to be a bit odiferous in the summer months, but it was just fine, and since it's a no wake lake, if there aren't any winds, the surface can be glass smooth, making for extra beautiful reflection photos. Unfortunately for my photography, the day was breezy - with steady winds at 10-14mph with gusts up to 30 - but it made for nice hiking, and for the most part, the paddling was great, though there were times when things got a little choppy.
Originally parked near the north boat ramp to pick up the trail going clockwise - the trail through the granite dells region is well marked with painted white dots, and the hike could easily be extended out into the network of trails that have been established. If winds had been too high to paddle after finishing the lake loop, I would have probably headed back out in this direction to explore more. If you need a better idea of what trails are available, the city has interactive maps online at prescotttrails.com, and it seems they've also made their maps available via a mapping app (Avenza). If you had no idea that Prescott had this network of trails established and arrived unprepared with alternate plans, the trailheads have paper maps for a donation of $1.
The hiking on the northern end of the lake is through the southern reaches of the granite dells. The area is really beautiful, and I was fascinated with the colors and textures in the rock. There are some views of the lake along the way, but much of the time, the views are of granite hoodoos and outcroppings. I didn't find the path difficult to follow, though it is possible to wander onto an adjoining trail if not paying attention to the junctions, which are not always signed. The universally colored marker in the region is a white dot on the durable surfaces...so it's entirely possible to follow the incorrect white dots off into the distance.
Eventually, the trail winds around and away from the granite dells and joins up with a multiuse flat pathway (a converted rail to trail) before separating once again to contour around the lake. The southern end of the lake isn't as interesting, though there are some taller trees and nesting bald eagles have been observed in the area.
For the most part, the hiking was free of insects that I usually associate with hiking in riparian areas, though there were some sections that were thick with bugs and the characteristic high whine of mosquitoes in flight....somehow I seem to have made it through without getting eaten alive, so perhaps they weren't mosquitoes after all. As you pass the southern boat launch area, be aware that on some days you might be wandering into active rounds of disc golf.
After returning to my car, I decided that the walk from the parking lot down to the launch ramp was a bit far to portage my gear, so I drove around to the southern boat launch to put in. After having a quick snack and switching out my gear, I got my boat on the water and opted to follow the shoreline clockwise around the lake to check out all the coves made by the granite dells. The lake is quite small, so once I hit the point opposite the southern boat launch, I turned around and continued paddling around, completing several circuits around the northern shoreline before calling it a day.
Other People: Most were on the Peavine multi-use section, though I saw a few other folk hiking the loop. There were also a bunch of folk at the southern boat launch area hanging out and enjoying the day. There were a few other kayaks on the lake, along with a paddle boarder and a wind surfer.
Wildlife: a few squirrel, plenty of birds, several turtles (though they all submerged themselves before I could get close enough to identify them), and a number of lizards also spotted. |
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Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Some nice wildflowers on various sections - certainly enough to slow down my pace. |
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Watson Lake |
76-100% full |
76-100% full |
| | | best guess based on the high water line. | | _____________________
Happier when hiking....I may not move fast (and I'm often distracted by wildflowers), but I'll get there eventually  |
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