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The White Mountains, Arizona
Hiking, Paddling and Exploring
"Yes, this is an Eden, perfect for a car-camping weekend, a hike in the woods or an evening paddle perhaps in view of wandering elk."
Getting Started
WHEN TO GO The Whites are usually snow-free by late May. June is the driest month, with warm stable weather. July and August are fine times to be in the Whites, but expect daily showers or thunderstorms. By mid-September it is drying out and cooling off. October is lovely, but can be chilly. By November the lakes are freezing over.
INFO Apache and Sitgreaves National Forests: www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/
The White Mountains of eastern Arizona are a cornerstone of the Southwest. Rising to over 11,000 feet, the broad blue arc of the Whites offer a centerpiece of geography, linking three deserts and producing the headwaters of a trio of important rivers.
The east slope of the Whites feed the Gila River, a perennial stream that skirts the northern edge of old Mexico's Chihuahua Desert. To the south and west of the White Mountain massif, the dynamic Salt River twists and tumbles into the saguaro-filled landscapes of the Sonoran Desert. The north slope of the Whites feed the Painted Desert and its Little Colorado River - a dryland watercourse with a drainage basin roughly the size of the Susquehana but with the flow of a garden hose.
Despite being flanked by deserts on three sides, the Whites stand as a beacon of greenery and water. In fact, the Whites are partly responsible for the aridity of the Colorado Plateau to the north. Storm systems linger in the Whites, while downwind regions are left with a hollow wind and an unfufilled promise of precipitation.
Approaching the mountains from the endless steppe of northeastern Arizona, travelers are treated to the clean smell of ponderosa pine as they climb onto the basaltic dome of the Whites. Continuing onward toward the south side of the range draws dense forests of spruce, fir and aspen, with a clear stream in every draw. Yes, this is an Eden, perfect for a car-camping weekend, a hike in the woods or an evening paddle perhaps in view of wandering elk. The following paddling destinations provide an introduction to the different environments of the White Mountain area, from the prairies below to the charming spruce-lined meadows above that are the trademark of the Whites.
This is an open reservoir on the Little Colorado River. If you are traveling from the north, this is a good place to get out and take a break before climbing into the mountains. At first glance, Lyman is less than idyllic, with tumbleweeds and mudflats bordering some arms of the lake. With a little perserverance, however, some worthy exploration can be done here. If you brought your fishing rod, the lake is thick with catfish. If you brought your hiking boots, there is a route on the east shoreline called The Ultimate Petroglyph Trail. This title might be a little overblown, but there are indeed some impressive glyphs on the black basaltic boulders that litter the hillsides above the lake.
Getting There: Take Highway 180/191 to Lyman Lake State Park, located about 17 miles north of Springerville, Ariz.
Getting Started
When to go The Whites are usually snow-free by late May. June is the driest month, with warm stable weather. July and August are fine times to be in the Whites, but expect daily showers or thunderstorms. By mid-September it is drying out and cooling off. October is lovely, but can be chilly. By November the lakes are freezing over.
INFO Apache and Sitgreaves National Forests: www.fs.fed.us/r3/asnf/
For getting into the hills and out of town, Carnero Lake is an off-the-beaten-track watering hole on the northern edge of the Whites. With 67 acres of surface water, Carnero is more of a pond than a lake, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in wildlife diversity. Marshy areas along shore provide excellent bird habitat, and the nearby meadows are often filled with herds of elk in the evenings.
Getting There: Take Highway 260 west for 9 miles from Springerville, then follow Road 118 for 7 miles to Road 117A, and continue 3 miles to the lake.
Reservation Lake
As the name implies, this reservoir is on the Apache Indian Reservation, so make sure you secure permits prior to your visit (get them in Springerville, Pinetop or at Sunrise Lodge on Hwy. 260).
Sacred Mt. Baldy, the high point of the White Mountains at 11,400-feet elevation, sits above this popular trout-fishing lake situated below at 9,000 feet elevation. Because of its location, Reservation Lake gets the full brunt of wet winter storms and summer monsoon rains. The resulting forest is a verdant mix of Englemann spruce, aspen, Douglas Fir, corkbark fir, Southwestern white pine and ponderosa pine. Camping in a mossy spruce grove along Reservation Lake gives a feeling more like the northern woods of Canada than eastern Arizona, but that's part of the charm of the Whites.
Getting There: Take the paved, then dirt Route 273 to Forest Road 116, then follow 1116 south for 11 miles to Reservation Lake.
Tyler Williams ekes out a living through his writing, photography and occasional guiding. Between adventures, Tyler lives in Flagstaff with his wife, Lisa, and dog, Kaibab. Check out his guidebooks at www.funhogpress.com.
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