Beautiful lake with a 5 miles or so loop. Not too hard, some ups and downs among boulders. The last mile is more on a path with shades from the trees.Parking is $3 to access and they do have camping available for $20/tent.You can also rent kayaks or bring your own if you like.Weather was beautiful, a good escape from Phoenix.

We were hoping to kayak on the Watson lake but they had closed up for the season; we were there on November4 and 5th.. Its a beautiful rock/lake with spectacular rock formations.We found a big marathon going on and hiked in windy conditions. You need patience to traverse the rocks but totally worth it. Ill definitely return to kayak and hike.

Magical place. The colors were beautiful. Love Watson Lake with fall colors.

First time here and I will definitely be coming back! Did the Watson Lake Loop trail and there were some beautiful views throughout. Would recommend for getting out of Phoenix for a day.

Cool scenery, great place to explore the different landscapes. Nice facility

I would consider this lake, one of Arizonas Natural Wonders. The Park is well maintained and clean, plus the views from the top are breathtaking.

Its a simple lake for kayaking or paddle-boarding. Not a swimming lake. Nice natural surroundings. Can get hot, so protect yourself and bring water. Ive camped here once, but it seems to be only night camping and break camp during day.

Very nice place with beautiful scenery. However, the trails around the lake are not marked very well. Not being from the area, we thought when the trail said it was a loop around the lake they were talking about the main trail. This was not the case. To make a loop around the lake you had to take some rock climbing trails with a much higher degree of difficulty. What should have been a 2 hr walk turned into a 5 hr ordeal to get back to where we started.

Wonderful spot with unique vistas. The Granite Dells are a brilliant addition to the landscape. Clean and tidy with nice restrooms. Lots of kayakers and a good launch point.

This was a very beautiful lake. It was very clean and easy to get to. I wish it had more trees to sit under but other than that, it was such a beautiful stop and we will definitely go back. It was easy to climb the rock trails. The water was really low.

Amazing view only $3 to visit nice little getaway

Beautiful lake . First time here and the beauty of this place is amazing. Love the rocks. So much to see and we brought a picnic theres plenty of tables or you can just bring a blanket. So many ducks swimming and even a bird not sure what kind is it. You can walk the trails but is not good to swim.

Amazing views and great hikes I always end up here a few times a month either hiking or kayaking!

Moderate 5 mile loop hike around the lake and within the granite boulders of the surrounding area. Loved the scenery, the weather was perfect this time of year and the lake was gorgeous. For all hiking skill levels. I recommend at least 1/2 gallon of water, good hiking shoes and sun screen. Minimal shade areas but places to sit down and soak in the views. Enjoy!

Always such a pleasure to visit this lake! Stunning rock features, and even better to explore by kayak or paddle board. The facilities were clean and well kept. I saw little to no trash around the walking areas, which is always great! There is a 3 dollar parking fee, but Wednesday’s are free

Beautiful lake!$3 to get in and Wednesday’s are free!I asked the lady at the gate if there was benches and a great place to see the view. She said go straight all the way up, don’t turn and that’s what I did and saw a beautiful view!There’s grass and a little kids park as well.If you want to sit on the grass you can bring your own chairs.

This lake is not for swimming, we had the idea but didnt look more into it because we believed it was ok to swim. One we arrived we noticed no swimming signs. Just an FyI for anyone looking into this lake. Overall a beautiful lake for kayaking and boats.

Stunning rock formation. Nice park area. Bathrooms extremely clean. Great hicking.

Free parking Wednesday. Fun to take a non-motorized boat! Nice playground for kids

Great multi-use park great for trails (hiking and biking), disc golf, photography (very scenic), kayaks, fishing and even just sitting. Highly recommend!

Beautiful and scenic. The grill stations are cordoned off, probably cause of the pandemic. Nice place to to have a picnic and relax.

Beautiful so sad you cant get in the water because of pollution? But they let you fish? Anyway. Very nice place to look at.

We had such a nice visit the kids wanna go back every week now which unfortunately is not possible since I live in the Phoenix area something for everyone everyone loved scrambling up the rocks . The water was great as was the hiking. I was surprised on a Sunday we had so much privacy meeting that there were not gobs of people . There was somebody getting married that day and what a beautiful backdrop for a wedding. It was a great park there is something for everyone

Loved the Loop! I hiked around the lake & reservoir for a satisfying workout.

Beautiful lake and awesome for the Rock Climber in mind, the Views are beautiful and also great for kayak and canoeing.

Place is kept clean, people are following social distancing and good deals in clearance

Such a beautiful, magical and spectacular place to visit! It recharged my soul. Amazing eye candy to see the rock formations! Coming back to explore more. Thanks lake!

Very unique place in Arizona. The rock formations were really cool and super round. The water is so still its like mirror you can see awesome reflections. Tons of trails to walk on and a decent amount of wild life too, (we saw some cute rabbits and groups of ducks fishing for food)Parking is 3 dollars per vehicle and free on Wednesdays.I highly recommend this place for a date or group for good hiking experience. You can even rent a spot out for camping.

Great location to bring the whole family! And it was only $3.00 per vehicle! (People stop complaining about $3.00 entry. Its a great deal for all they offer. And lets face facts, they dont make that much money for the work they do!) They have a park where the kids could play (Needs more shade though), and huge lawn of grass to play any other activities. You have direct access to a trail entry. Just kinda sucks that there no SHADE WHAT SO EVER! Youd have to come super early to feel the most comfortable with the hike. NEEDS MORE GREENERY, looks super dry in areas. So next time Id probably go to Lynx Lake for shade. But I will say the staff here have beat out any employee near Lynx Lake! The greeting just alone just puts you in a good mood! Id rather pay $5.00 here then at Lynx Lake, if they made some improvements. Lets be real.. were in Arizona and WE LIVE FOR PLACES WITH SHADE. Wish you could do more at the lake, and that they had mini boats to rent (not kayaks). Probably the CLEANEST grounds Ive ever seen.If this was helpful... give a thumbs up!

The dells are nice....amazing place in the middle of the quad cities....

What a gorgeous park!! Many things roped off due to covid, but very well kept. Security and animal control were present which I think is great. Lots of tent camping areas around the lake. Big grassy area park, small RV camping, boat launches, restrooms. Park is well kept and lots of great views of the lake and hiking trails through the dells. Lots of picnic tables scattered around. Brought a picnic lunch with our 3 dogs. Loved it. Will definitely go back

This place is ubelievable I am in love w Arizona.

Nice lake with nice boulder formations with hiking trails havent really fished it much. Still waiting to get my first fish here. No motor boats allowed. Electric motor no wake are ok what Ive been told, kayaks, and paddle boards are also allowed.

This is a great place to go kayaking or canoeing. You cannot swim here.

A must see destination if you are in the Prescott area. Very clean and easily accessible. The rock formations are beautiful and unique. Do yourself a favor a go here!

Gorgeous place, and if you like jumping around on rocks this is where to go.

We camped at the first come first serve campground and had a great night! Watson Lake is so beautiful and a family friendly environment.

Steeped in the legend and lore of the wild west, Prescott is just 2hrs and 30mins north of Phoenix.First inhabited by the Yavapai tribe, Prescott was also the seat of government twice for the territory of Arizona before eventually handing the title over to Phoenix. Prescott was also the home of many famous people like one of the Earp brothers as well as cohort Doc Holiday himself.Geologically, Prescott features the Granite Dells. The Dells are hill size rock formations that have been rounded and weathered over centuries. Superficially, they reminded me of Thunder Mountain in Disneyland. Though it should be noted that Thunder Mountain was actually based on the Hoodoos in Bryce Canyon.I recently came to Prescott, to visit Watson Lake Park and this place is beautiful as well as scenic. Though it features a large man made lake, no swimming is allowed. However, you can kayak, canoe, or fish there. And If that is not your thing, you can hike, rock climb, and camp there as well.Check this place out.

Relaxing kayak, lots of people with their own or renting, rental companies busy! Bald Eagle was out Saturday of Labor Day weekend.

Nice place to come and relax beautiful scenery nice place to take pictures a campground to camp over nite

We will definitely be coming back, great family day outing

Really enjoy this place. Great investment by the city in great facilities.

If you are looking for a beautiful but easy hike around a very unique lake, this is your trail. The best view is that of the boulders rising out of the water. You almost feel like you are on the set of a star wars movie. The hike itself is not strenuous at all. I did it in the middle of July and there were lots of flying insects of all sizes. Come prepared for it.

Very pretty small lake - NO swimming or wading, but kayak rentals. Lovely picnic areas with great views. It rained briefly in Aug and even some HAIL got us.

I have a fascination for exploring rock formation and a love for being on a paddleboard. This gem in Prescott was a great way to combine both passions.

Incredibly maintained park! It had a beautiful open field in the center with plenty of parking everywhere. Theres even a bit of a lookout you can park at that overlooks the whole lake. The lake is also a good size as well. You cant go swimming in the water, but you definitely can get sunburned there.

Really a big stop worth even for us Swiss tourists.

We stopped to fish for a bit. The $3 entrance fee wasnt bad, but parking spaces were scarce. We didnt catch anything. There was too much water traffic with all the kayaks, boats, and kids playing in the water.

Amazing and awesome $3 to park.. no problem, worth it!!! Only thing is there is no swimming ... bummer i know lol lots of other activities corn hole if you bring your own set, horse shoe, playground, a big grass area, and the trails!!! Camping is $20 for two cars !!!! Great deal i think.

Very beautiful lake. Small but scenic. Only 3 bucks to get into the park.

My boyfriend and I enjoyed our visit - we even went hiking for the first time! Great place, great wildlife. Looking forward to when the construction is complete!

Great location for outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking.

I mean how cant you like this view from the hiking trail!... or you can kayak on the lake. I couldnt leave my dogs at home when they also enjoyed kayaking and hiking with me! Either way you can seriously enjoy a great day feeling mother natures air conditioning from the Watson Lake Wind Shear...

Great looking rocks and lake. $3 parking fee is definitely worth it,especially with the early evening light.

Beautiful location! Dogs loved hiking the granite boulders.

The pevin trail. I took some drone photos of Watson lake. Wish I took more. Very easy trail

Very pretty and peaceful even though the place was fairly crowdedfound a semi public place to sit and enjoy the surroundings

A MUST. This is too gorgeous of a site not to hike the round trip around lake Watson. Set aside a full day, it is definitely worth it. Follow the spray painted white dots on the rocks to help you get around. The views are gorgeous. Theres a nearby place that I hear you can rent kayaks from, it looks like a peaceful glide on lake Watson, the ducks and geese are always performing and it echoes beautifully. Pack a lunch and enjoy the views, I promise its worth it.

Had an extremely fun time playing disc golf, although losing discs is quite a thing at this course, well worth it. This place is beautiful and its really cool how the lake completely changes its look by which side of the Lake you are facing.

Im from Oregon. There is so many beautiful lakes where I live. Watson Lake is absolutely breathtaking! They have lots of trails to hike. Beautiful views from every angle.

People are nice, awesome place to bring your wonderful pets. Fresh air and great view of the lake. They also have kayak rentals. Cool place to chill and save some money.

Too shining during the summer. Maybe better when the weather is cooler. Three dollars admission fee. Adequate parking space for visitors.

It was really pretty but a bit packed and we did have to pay for parking. If thats not an issue then by all means enjoy.

Beautiful park and amazing place to bring kids and explore.

Breathtaking views. It can get busy so expect for photos to be hard to take at times. Hiking is a little dangerous and steep. But all the while enjoyable.

Really cool place to visit! Plenty of trails and things to do.

The sheer beauty of this place will astound you. If you go to Prescott, make sure your stop here

So beautiful! This park is amazing! The bf and I lucked out finding this place just heading into Prescott for fun. Camping spots are perfect. Looks like a popular spot locally. Dog park, frisbee golf, big playground, awesome trails, lots of people kayaking on the water. Well be back to do that soon.

I always enjoy going to this park for its amazing hiking trails and beautiful scenery. If you decide to venture out on Wednesday parking is free.

It nasty, the water is green like sewage. I am guessing a housing development needs to disperse their water prior to draining into the lakes. The frisbee gulf and trails are ok. Needs a cleanup.

You cant swim here but its a great place to kayak.There are biking trials and many hiking trails. I love to do the loop which is about 5 mikes round trip. You end up below the dam and climbing over the rocks! Its all so beautiful and fun.Bring extra water in the summer as it can be a bit warm.The 3 dollar day pass is more than worth it. Camping is available as well... I think its like $15 a day but Im not totally sure.Play area for kids. Large grass area for lounging. Covered areas with grills. Disk golf! Etc etc.Definitely a great way to spend a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday.

Beautiful area for hiking and a nice walk. They only allow small fishing craft limited horsepower and speed on lake. Itd be a great lake for water skiing but its not allowed.

3 stars because campsites are not near water. The park has good facilities and is well kept. Beautiful setting with the lake surrounded by large rock formations.

You want stunning views? This is one of the prettiest lakes and rocks in the area. If you like kayaking this is one of the places to go. Take a picnic there, fly kites, hike on the gorgeous rocks and just enjoy the peace and quiet.

Awesome place. Tons of stuff to do for everyone.

Such a fun place to explore and my 4 year old had a blast climbing on the rocks!

This park has a small overnight camping section, a day use area, a hiking trail, and water access for boats, canoes, and kayaks. The day use areas have picnic benches and also a very big green field with plenty of shade. There is also a playground. Great place, definitely a family favorite.

I really love this place! Its so beautiful and peaceful place. Great for hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, picnic, meditation, etc. And a big field for kids and families play all games. Clean park at all! Must visit again!

Beautiful lake. Perfect for pictures during the Golden hour.

From gentle scenic trails complete with a frisbee golf course, to big rocks to climb on and explore near the waters edge; this place has something for everybody! You can do the entire loop which is about 5 miles or you can just stroll along the water to a nice picnic spot. Some people go straight for the rocks as they are fun to climb on.

Walked the trail fro different directions on two days. Great place to hike whether you want the easier part on the south or harder on the north. For us non locals not used to the altitude, bring lots of water. Great park and hiking trails

Watson Lake is Mother Nature at her best! $3 to park all day is well worth it for all the beautiful photos you will take! Take a hike, enjoy the wildlife and sweeping views.

One of my absolute favorite outdoor places in the Prescott area! Always feel at home hiking around the lake.

It was a beautiful and relaxing place to be. Didnt have much time that day. Will definitely go back and kayak someday.

The lake is beautiful! The park is clean and the staff are incredibly knowledgeable and caring.

Unique scenery

Beautiful lake! We camped in at an rv park right beside this park and enjoyed the short walk to the lake as well as great trails around the lake to hike. Really beautiful scenery with the rocks in the lake.

The park was beautiful. The bathrooms were clean too. Its $3 to get in and you can use a Visa card. Dog park was very nice and clean.

No Swimming at all in Watson lake. I was informed its the towns drinking supply. Totally dashed my youngsters dreams of getting wet. There should be a BIG sign at the park entrance informing the public about this.$3 for all day parking, electronic machine takes dollars or credit card and issues parking passes. Trails are nice to hike, big grassy recreation area, small playground. Bathrooms too. All in all a nice place to hang out and maybe star gaze. ......but swimming? No no no!

Beautiful scenery, wildlife and disc golf course.

Great kayaking trip was the only one on the water. Kinda dirty, but its right in town too.

Ive never seen a lake that was completely surrounded with rocks. Very cool. Had a lot of fun climbing the rocks.

Besutiful lake in the Dells. Really enjoyed the rock climbing.

Great fun. Beautiful scenery. Very nice hiking trails. Nice lake to kayak. There is also nice camping as well as picnic areas.

Free. But full of people and water is not clean...But the view is cool!!

Please see pix; no words can do this place justice

The lake had a lot of algae when we visit. The views were pretty. The parking was really sparse and it was difficult to find a spot. I wish there was a park map. They have one posted at the trail head, but we didnt know where that was. I searched online and could not find one.

I love this place, when we moved here years ago we specifically bought a house close by. Now I visit every time I am back in town. Its a great place to hike and explore. Come on Wednesday parking is free; otherwise its $3

Great weather, clean and well maintained camp grounds.

I really enjoyed the lake.