Went for the morning and it was relatively quiet, towards the lunch hour became very busy…read more Lots of places to camp and have a picnic. Some great waterside hiking trails and views of the lake. Apparently a great place to go fishing or boating as well. Didn't see too much wildlife, but maybe that's a good thing. Great views, worth the visit, but keep in mind here is an admission fee.

1st time visitor Nice little walk around the lake…read moreUnfortunately the water was really low to the point where you could walk on the area Worth visiting I am sure with the water at full level, it is a beautiful view. Look forward to visiting again

This 260 acre lake is located on the White Mountains Apache Indian Reservation near Pinetop…read moreLakeside. It is in Arizona's White Mountains at a high altitude of about 8,200 feet. The lake is 300 acres with and average depth of 40 feet and a maximum depth of 100 feet. White Mountain Apache Permit is required to fish, as well as, a tribe boat stamp if you plan to fish from a boat. You also need a regular fishing license from the Game and Fish Department. Thanks to Phoenix area Community Ambassador Joyce W., who recommended Hawley Lake! So my husband and I went on a reconnaissance mission to see the lake and check out the facilities. Hawley Lake is simply beautiful. It is surrounded by high mountain peaks covered with thick forests of spruce, pine and aspen. The lake has Brown, Brook, Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout. You will see wildlife at Hawley Lake and likely hear squirrels running around, owls and possibly wolves howling, roaming the distant, closed areas of the reservation. On the drive in we passed cattle grazing and we even passed a bear on our drive in to the lake. I love Hawley lake. It is rustic and natural and beautiful. They do not allow swimming or gas motors on the lake-electric only-keeping the lake pristine, as possible. Fishing and boating is more expensive because if the special permits. Camping is basic, no hookups; picnic tables are at most campsites, potable water faucets, and vault toilets are what you get. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Facilities like a store or marina are not available here. You have quiet, beautiful sights and dark skies at night.

We have rented from Ted & Nancy for years and there is definitely a reason why. They are super nice…read more& accommodating every year. Cabins are super clean and cozy. So many fun family memories at these cabins. We have rented all of the Big 10 cabins and the Little Ponderosa as well over the years. Each have something unique.

What a great place to relax for a few days. It's tough to get a rental in Greer this time of year…read moreif you do not book in advance. Cabin was clean and well appointed. Note, there are only two resaurants in town. One open for breakfast and lunch called Rendevous Diner. Molly Butler's Lodge is open part of the week for lunch and every night for dinner. The cabin has a propane grill if you decide to stay in. There is one small market in town called Lazy Trout Market if you need anything. Lots of places to fish or hike. We relaxed at the cabin and played cards. There was hand sanitizer inside. Soap and shampoo provided. The check in process was smooth. They email you a code for the front door. There's a TV with Dish Network. It's very quiet here. Nice front porch to relax. Bedrooms and bathroom were on the small side, but it is a cabin and they were adequate for a couple of nights. We enjoyed our short stay.

Everything from start to finish went well & exceeded expectations ! Jeff was very responsive from…read morethe beginning! Very easy to connect with via phone or text , answered any questions I threw his way . I was looking for a boat plus kayak rental business for our Memorial Day weekend escape with two teens . This company very reasonable! Jeff met us at the dock with gassed up boat & 2 kayaks . We used the lil Bentley & what a treat for the day on Rainbow Lake . The boat is well cared for , clean , canopy was a plus , easy to operate & bring drink / snacks along . Great day on the water with the ability for everyone to do what they wanted! Jeff is very accommodating with end of day closure, quick call & he's there to trailer it all away ! We definitely will use him again in the future. Super find in Pinetop area!

Jeff is a great guy renting was so easy. Will rent from him again next time we are in Pinetop/…read moreRainbow lake

We are upping our rating because we love the staff so much and feel home away from home and safe…read morewith them around. We have made so many memories so far this summer just coming here the last 2.5 weeks (2 separate camping trips). Met so many nice folks around here and my boys love it here too and the lake. It's just a shame there are some sad activities happening- like Kayaks getting stolen and some rando showed up last night and popped up his camp on a reserved space- and there was a guy who had a fire pit going and was being crazy about that and Fire dept had to be called. These Hosts def do their job but I'm glad they have city support when people are crazy around here.

Very noise from the road between the lake and tent camp area.all night long. The camp gound next to…read morethe tent area has a huge security light that lit up my entire site. High in and out traffic all day and night. Picnic table was unsafe very wobbly. The bath room was DIRTY. The toilet seat had dried urine on the seat, the floor was very dirty. The check sheet for cleaning indicated last cleaned 6/28/25 and when I checked out 2 days later still had not been cleaned. Plus was the lake and staff were nice. Resturants highly recommend The North and Monica's for breakfast. My favorite was the Brewery 10 minutes away Pinetop Brewing company. All 3 are dog friendly. I will definitely go.back to the area, but will stay elsewhere.

The pictures don't do this park justice. Super clean and peaceful, with plenty of wildlife. This…read morepark is great for a morning or afternoon stroll with a loop that goes right around the lake. Plenty of parking and places for a picnic. This is actually one of my favorite parks in the Pinetop area.

July 2026 Great trails and activities...no lake…read more Need tons of rain to bring the lake back

This was a really nice place to relax at. While my husband fished on the shore, I did some paddle…read moreboarding. There were lots of people fishing in boats and also in kayaks! The lake water was really calm despite all the activities taking place. There were a few different locations that had lake access. We went to the one opposite the campground, and the parking lot was a little small and packed at 1030a on Saturday. There was a bathroom at this location, near the boat launch ramp. A nice place to visit, I would definitely come back!

100%, hands down, my most favorite place to camp and fish in AZ since I was a kid. This is my Happy…read morePlace that takes all the stress in life away! Every year I take myself to Big Lake for a few days to camp and fish by myself to decompress. I sleep in my Jeep, rent a boat and fish from 6am to 6pm. Honestly, I could care less if I even catch fish (although that has never been a problem, the fishing is great if you know the right spots :) ). The staff in the marina store are always knowledgeable, friendly and super helpful. You can mix it up a bit and hit the West Fork of the Little Colorado River and East Fork of the Black River while there, both have breathtaking hikes along them. On a scale of 1 to 10, if I die tomorrow I'd want to visit Big Lake one more time as my last wish.

You can't access the entire lake from the shore. Mostly a place to fish but not great to bring your…read moredogs as they can get hooks in their feet.

Small area for parking and it was a dirty boat ramp side with no trash bins even. The lake is also…read morenot very well maintained at least from the side we went. Might be other sides are in better condition. However, it can be a quick stop when you visit Pine-top for serene natural beauty.

I like how this trail was so well maintained and had markers making it easy to navigate. The…read morescenery is stunning as your surrounded by towering pines and oaks and there's even water on the trail. It's about 2 miles to get to the Ice Cave which was cool (pun intended) to check out, but it was a little underwhelming. Still awesome to see an entrance of a collapsed lava tube where cool air creates a natural refrigerator even if it didn't have that wow factor. There's pretty wildflowers alongside cactus which is cool to see. We didn't see much wildlife but there are horseback riders that use the trail that you may come across. Overall, it was a good easy to moderate trail good for families and with some really beautiful scenery and I enjoyed the trail.

Don't expect too much for the ice cave. It's a hole in the ground with cold air, which is nice once…read moreyou've sweated in the sun for 2 miles. Use sunscreen, as it's not shaded. There is a geocache in the area if you geocache.

Overcrowded. People leaving trash and playing loud music. No chance of relaxing. Parking is $10…read morefor day use. Kids swimming next to people fishing. Every inch of southern shoreline is packed. Get a tetanus shot. No chance of going barefoot.

Have not been here for many years. Enjoyed an early morning weekday fishing trip. Lots of camping…read moresites available. Parked near the boat ramp and convenience store that has reopened. Got some tips on bait and purchased a few more lures. A couple of small snow packs still visible, and a few snow flakes in the morning. Caught and released a nice rainbow trout. Saw a bald eagle fly by and enjoyed the scenery. Had lunch near a scenic outlook. Place is likely crowded on weekends but that is expected, given the location and beauty of this place.