Mormon Lake - Arizona

Mormon Lake, located in the historic town of Mormon Lake Village, is the largest natural lake in Arizona —most of the time. Read more...

During times when water is more plentiful, the lake covers 600 acres with an average depth of 10 feet. In dry seasons, the lake has been known to dry up, leaving behind little more than a marsh. The town was established by Mormon settlers who arrived in the 1870s. Many of the homes built by the lake have docks that are now very far from the shoreline, evidence of the lake’s fluctuation in size.
 
The area surrounding the lake is the Coconino National Forest, which is part of the largest continuous stand of ponderosa pine in North America. Visitors come to camp and hike, and when the lake is full, boating, windsurfing, birdwatching, and fishing are common. Fishermen will find bullhead catfish and northern pike, providing the lake is wet enough. Visitors can also go horseback riding and rent recreational equipment such as mountain bikes, snowmobiles, and cross-country skis, depending on the season.