Willow Dells Loop • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Discovery Trail - Watson Lake

Secret Cove - Watson Lake

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partners

LindaAnn

trekkin_gecko

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

l, k and i headed out for a tour of watson and willow lakes.
a 7:20 start and low 40's felt great.
from the parking lot, we did the obligatory road walk to get to watson and start our ccw loop around the lake.

my favorite portions are once you get off of the peavine trail and on the lakeshore trail.
this trail begins the massive boulder maze.
we took a stop at the watson dam area to check the strong water flow.
to complete the watson loop, we hopped on the north shore trail.

next up was our ccw loop of willow lake.
after a short flat walk through what is sometimes a lake, we hit the boulder maze.
fun times.

after a relaxing lunch by the boat ramp, we did some more flatish walking to get to l's birding area.
this area features some of the largest cottonwoods i've ever seen.
a bit more bouldering, and we finished our loops.

good to get out with k and l again, in some cooler temps.

Fauna

Fauna [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Greater Roadrunner

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

	Watson Lake	76-100% full	76-100% full
	Looked almost full

	Willow Creek Reservoir	51-75% full	51-75% full
	Looked to be 15'+ below full pool

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

1 archive

230460

Apr 07 2026

trekkin_gecko

Guides 10
Routes 718
Photos 7,657
Triplogs 4,890

67 female

Joined Nov 17 2008
phoenix, az

Watson - Willow Loops, AZ

Hiking		Apr 07 2026
		trekkin_gecko • Triplogs 4,890

Hiking	12.87 Miles	1,100 AEG

Hiking	12.87 Miles	6 Hrs 18 Mns	2.35 mph
	1,100 ft AEG	50 Mns Break

Linked

8 linked trail guides

Partners

partners

LindaAnn

The_Eagle

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

bruce and linda invited me to hike the watson and willow lake loops in prescott
we got going around 0715 with temps in the 40s
a short road walk to watson lake, then the loop trail counterclockwise
the route included parts of the peavine trail, lakeshore and northshore trail
nice to be around water
the east and north side trails wound through spectacular boulder terrain
we explored a few nooks & crannies, and checked out the dam
back on the road and across the dry willow lakebed
counterclockwise on this loop too
more of the boulders on the eastern part, with unique formations and striations
took a break near the boat dock and finished out the loop
a section of open flat terrain, then a more riparian environment under a canopy of cottonwoods
one more short bouldering section that topped out with a nice view
90% of this hike was new to me
was here most recently in 2013 to climb time zone wall with johnr1
missed the approach along the west side of watson lake
thanks for the invite!
nice to get out of phoenix for great weather, new terrain and good company

_____________________

hazhole

230466

Apr 07 2026

LindaAnn

Guides 119
Routes 2,508
Photos 9,795
Triplogs 2,851

45 female

Joined Dec 24 2007
Ahwatukee, AZ

Watson - Willow Lakes loops, AZ

Hiking		Apr 07 2026
		LindaAnn • Triplogs 2,851

Hiking	12.73 Miles	1,113 AEG

Hiking	12.73 Miles	6 Hrs 22 Mns	2.30 mph
	1,113 ft AEG	50 Mns Break

Linked

12 linked trail guides

Discovery Trail - Watson Lake

Secret Cove - Watson Lake

Partners

partners

The_Eagle

trekkin_gecko

Route recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

B, K, and I felt like hiking in some slightly cooler temps and Prescott fit the bill. Got to the trailhead before 0730 and first headed towards Watson Lake. Short road walk to get there, then we looped counter-clockwise around the lake.

Hiking thru the boulders was fun, and we made a few short exploratory side trips. The Flume Trail to the base of the dam was fun, although the water had a strong sulfur-type scent. After the dam, the trail got busier as we approached the main parking areas.

Once done with Watson, we headed over to Willow. While Watson Lake had been nearly full, Willow looked to be about half empty. We again looped counter-clockwise, walking in areas that obviously used to be submerged. The boulders were fun. Less people at Willow. We had lunch near the boat ramp. After that, we were mostly out of the boulders. Much warmer. We passed thru a section of huge cottonwood trees, then one more small area of boulders before finishing the loop.

Fun hike with a lot to see. Good day!

	Watson Lake	76-100% full	76-100% full
	Nearly full

Willow Creek

Dry

	Willow Creek Reservoir	51-75% full	51-75% full
	About half full

_____________________

Stop crying and just go do the hike.

230467

Dec 28 2022

PrestonSands

Guides 170
Routes 148
Photos 5,914
Triplogs 2,097

48 male

Joined Apr 12 2004
Tucson, AZ

Willow Dells Loop

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		Dec 28 2022
		PrestonSands • Triplogs 2,097

Hiking	5.40 Miles	880 AEG

Hiking	5.40 Miles
	880 ft AEG

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Wanted to go someplace not too muddy following a night of heavy rain, so I chose the Willow Dells Trails network, which I hadn’t hiked before. I parked at Heritage Park and traveled east, intending to create as long a loop hike as I could. Storm clouds had parted and the sun came out, although it was quite cold. I first went up Apex Trail to an overlook, then clockwise on Canyon over to Lost Wall on the Constellation trail network. Came back the same way, then took Basin and ECOSA trails east. ECOSA was the best section in my opinion, with a couple of bridges, big walls, and a creek section. At the east end of ECOSA I went off trail southward to Willow Lake Dam, rejoining the trail network, and then made my way back using the Red Bridge loops. I think I hiked the entirety of Willow Dells Trails network, or close to it. The trails and the scenery exceeded my expectations and I deem them worthy of future visits.

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"…you never know when a hike might break out" -Jim Gaffigan

202257

Mar 25 2020

sleepybear929

Triplogs 72

42 female

Joined Feb 14 2017
Prescott Valley,

Prescott Constellation Trails

Willow Dells Loop

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		Mar 25 2020
		sleepybear929 • Triplogs 72

Hiking	2.00 Miles	120 AEG

Hiking	2.00 Miles
	120 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

presumably took memories and left without a trace...

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174747

May 28 2016

The_Eagle

Guides 42
Routes 1,805
Photos 15,483
Triplogs 2,930

70 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Constellation Willow Lake Loop, AZ

Hiking		May 28 2016
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,930

Hiking	9.35 Miles	1,040 AEG

Hiking	9.35 Miles	5 Hrs 5 Mns		2.29 mph
	1,040 ft AEG	1 Hour Break	14 LBS Pack

Linked

11 linked trail guides

Phippen Recon - Constellation

North 40 - Constellation

Rock Wall - Constellation

Ham n Cheese - Constellation

Hole in the Wall - Constellation

Ron James Approach - Prescott

Partners

partners

Ladyeagle

The convocation of Deb and I spent, a portion of the day playin' in the bolder wonderland of The Constellation Trail System and Willow Lake.

I was surprised to still see the Cormorants in the Huge Cottonwood tree, on the Cottonwood Spur trail. I counted at least 8 nests in that tree with 16+. The roosting noises they make are a cross between the oinking of a pig and the noises penguins make. Kind of eerie actually.

There are endless possibilities out here, with the two lakes in close proximity to each other and all the bolder exploring you could do.

It got a little warmer than the forecast high I believe, but the breezes kept it tolerable.

Prescott Constellation Trails

51-75% full

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

131631

Apr 16 2016

The_Eagle

Guides 42
Routes 1,805
Photos 15,483
Triplogs 2,930

70 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Constellation Willow-Watson Loop, AZ

Hiking		Apr 16 2016
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,930

Hiking	16.19 Miles	1,756 AEG

Hiking	16.19 Miles	7 Hrs 38 Mns		2.54 mph
	1,756 ft AEG	1 Hour 15 Mns Break	14 LBS Pack

Linked

17 linked trail guides

Phippen Recon - Constellation

North 40 - Constellation

Lost Wall - Constellation

Ron James Approach - Prescott

Dam Trail - Watson Lake

Rock Wall - Constellation

[ checklist ] Granite Creek Dam Granite Dells Granite Mountain Watson Lake Willow Creek Reservoir Willow Lake Park

Partners

partners

joebartels

rayhuston

Joe through a dart at the Constellation Trail system and said, come up with something. I didn't know anything about this "Little Gem" so I started downloading stuff. There are 11 trails in the Constellation Trail system, totaling less than 5 miles. So that wasn't going to make the drive to Prescott worth it. I'd looped Watson lake before and enjoyed the heck out of it. I'd always wanted to loop Willow Lake also, so it was on.

The Constellation Trail System is a wonderful group of of short trails through a boulder wonderland. Officially it's a self-enclosed system. But as we found on the way back, there is a trail that connects this with the Willow Dells system and Willow Lake. The Ron James Approach Trail does not show to connect on the maps, but it does. There is no signage and it's not obvious though.

All but the east side of Willow Lake looked like just a means to connect the loop, but then we stumbled on the Cottonwood Spur. Some of the biggest Cottonwood stands I've seen. `

Willow Lake Video https://youtube.com ... YbKg
Back on the Jan Alfano Trail and then we jumped over to Watson Lake, to do the loop there.

Watson Lake Video https://youtube.com ... CTBU

The highlight on this loop is the Lakeshore Trail and the Over The Hill Trail, taking you to the Granite Creek Dam.

Granite Creek Dam, Watson Lake Video https://youtube.com ... nVp0
A little road walk got us back over to the Willow Dells Trails.

Once again the hiking was great, except for 1/2 hour bug storm we ran through.

I really enjoyed looping these two Granite infested lakes, and the weather was perfect!

A great time out with the Squad.

On the day....A Gopher snake, Squirrels, Cottontail rabbits, Cormorants, all sorts of Ducks, Bluejays, Blue Herons, A hawk diving out of the sky right in front of us snagging a bird.

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

Watson Lake

51-75% full

Willow Creek

Pools to trickle

51-75% full

_____________________

There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

1 archive

130202

Oct 07 2015

mazatzal

Routes 36
Photos 2,677
Triplogs 1,391

68 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Watson & Willow, AZ

Hiking		Oct 07 2015
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,391

Hiking	12.00 Miles	1,100 AEG

Hiking	12.00 Miles	5 Hrs 5 Mns	2.53 mph
	1,100 ft AEG	20 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

14 linked trail guides

Dam Trail - Watson Lake

Discovery Trail - Watson Lake

Secret Cove - Watson Lake

Tree House Loop - Watson Lake

Embry-Riddle & Jan Alfano Trails - PCT

Partners

none

no partners

Watson Lake Circle Trail should be renamed “Links (not Lynx) Lake Circle Trail” :lol:

I did Watson clockwise and Willow counterclockwise. These loops are okay but in both cases the part in the Granite Dells is very cool while the rest is a bit monotonous. I saw very few people on either loop. Weather was great, a bit cool at the beginning but very pleasant later.

Autumn Foliage Observation Isolated

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3 archives

122687

Apr 27 2013

AndreyP

Guides 9
Routes 98
Triplogs 284

45 male

Joined Feb 17 2010
Moscow, RU

Willow Dells Loop

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		Apr 27 2013
		AndreyP • Triplogs 284

Hiking	4.60 Miles	630 AEG

Hiking	4.60 Miles	2 Hrs 20 Mns	1.97 mph
	630 ft AEG

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Completed Willow Dells loop with most side trails.

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97906

Mar 17 2013

black_toes

Guides 4
Routes 51
Photos 1,545
Triplogs 348

87 male

Joined Sep 24 2004
Phoenix, AZ

Willow Dells Loop

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		Mar 17 2013
		black_toes • Triplogs 348

Hiking	2.51 Miles	17 AEG

Hiking	2.51 Miles	2 Hrs 25 Mns	1.88 mph
	17 ft AEG	1 Hour 5 Mns Break

no routes

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Paid the $2 fee, parked at the western lot on the lake's north end and traversed to the Approach Trail via the Willow Lake Archaeological Site with the fancy ramadas protecting the excavations. My partner, Mary Jo, is a strong hiker but recently developed a knee cartilage tear and we were looking for a fairly level trail and a short jaunt before heading home to Phoenix. At almost 5,200 feet el, it's still winter up here and drab compared to the greenery of the low desert two hours away. Did see a blooming manzanita in the middle of the boulder field. Followed the dots of white paint over the rock and out to a high point that offered a good view of the placid lake but did not do the entire loop. Doubt I'd come back to this trail to boulder hop thru scrub oak. If a flat trail, bird life and touch of beauty are the goals, I much prefer nearby Lake Watson and the Peavine Trail that we took yesterday. Strangely, the archaeological site was closed on a Sunday when you would think visitors would be plentiful.

Flora

Flora [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Whipple Cholla

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Willow Lake Park

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87055

Jul 21 2012

AndreyP

Guides 9
Routes 98
Triplogs 284

45 male

Joined Feb 17 2010
Moscow, RU

Willow Dells Loop

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		Jul 21 2012
		AndreyP • Triplogs 284

Hiking	1.30 Miles	80 AEG

Hiking	1.30 Miles	1 Hour	1.30 mph
	80 ft AEG

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

Went towards Spillway / Willow Loop with the guy from work, but didn't make it all the way due to limited time. He took lots of photos and I noticed that the lake level is quite low.

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77549

Jun 29 2009

chadzaneis

Triplogs 1

55 male

Joined Jun 30 2009
Phoenix, AZ

Willow Dells Loop

Prescott, AZ

Hiking		Jun 29 2009
		chadzaneis • Triplogs 1

Hiking	2.00 Miles	120 AEG

Hiking	2.00 Miles	56 Mns	2.14 mph
	120 ft AEG

no routes

no photosets

Linked

none

no linked trail guides

Partners

none

no partners

This is a nice easy hike, but you can certainly make it a little longer and a much tougher workout by taking side hikes and climbing the huge boulders. Id say its a 1-1.5 (out of 5) but with the extra rock climbing you can easily make it a 2-2.5 or more. We probably would have finished in about 40 minutes had we stuck just to the trail (we took the larger loop, there is a shorter option as well which you could probably do in about 25 min). You can get pretty high up on the rock formations and there are gorgeous views of the surrounding area and the lake. The trails are very well marked. Parking is ample. You cannot swim in the lake. There are restrooms (flushers, not porta-pottys). There are rotundas for bbq, etc near the parking lot. The paid parking is on the honor system, but it was only $2 so we were happy to pay it! You can also mountain bike this trail, but no motorized vehicles allowed. Same with the lake. No gas motors. There was 1 kayaker there the day we hiked. No other hikers were seen (Tuesday late morning).

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44466

Nov 21 2008

TwoWeims

Routes 35
Photos 136
Triplogs 70

62 male

Joined Aug 28 2008
Prescott, AZ