White Horse Lake Campground (Tent Camp Experience) | Williams, Arizona

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PROS & CONS OF WHITE HORSE LAKE CAMPGROUND NEAR WILLIAMS, ARIZONA

Looking for ways to escape the Arizona summer or head up north and appreciate the beauty of Northern Arizona? We booked a weekend stay at White Horse Lake Campground near Williams, Arizona for a tent camp experience that offered cool weather, lakeside views, outdoor adventure and quality family time! We put our list of pros and cons of tent camping near Williams, Arizona – check it out below!

THE PROS

  • Lakeside views
  • Watersports (kayaks, paddleboards and canoes welcomed!) 
    • Bring your own or plan to rent from The Bear Shack but definitely plan to get on the water via one of these water vessels. It’s awesome being able to paddle around and explore the lake!
  • The Bear Shack Food Truck with essential items! 
    • Yes there is a food truck grilled up hamburgers and hotdogs, yummy ice cream, treats and the essentials. Whether it’s bug spray, firewood, lighter – whatever it is, they most likely have it. This is also the hub to rent kayals, paddleboards and canoes, as well!
  • Tall pines with lots of shade cover 
  • Firepits at each campsite
    • This campground allows fires in their firepits! That is a big deal at Arizona campgrounds and we were all excited for campfire cooked meals and s’mores, of course!
  • Great fishing! 
    • Bring fishing poles! Yes, even if you aren’t a big fisherman, the fishing is great here and an awesome activity for kids to do the whole weekend. We caught quite a few with hot dogs.
  • Hiking trail all around the lake
    • You can hike all around the lake – or even mountain bike!
  • Awesome Campground Hosts 
  • No cell service
    • We are Team Disconnect on camping trips so we were thrilled to have zero service, but definitely let friends, family and colleagues know you won’t be available.

 

THE CONS

  • Bumpy and long country road into the park 
    • The road is rough. Just expect to go slow and take your time once you get off the main highway and head into the woods towards the lake.
  • Pesky squirrel 
    • Ha! We just had one squirrel who stole one of our breakfast burritos that we left out. It’s more funny than annoying!
  • Can’t swim in the lake 
    • It’s true. You can’t – you can enjoy sports on top of the water, but can’t swim in it due to pollution.
  • Cash only for firewood at campsite hosts 
    • If you miss buying firewood at The Bear Shack, you can buy from campsite hosts but bring cash!
  • Stinky bathrooms and no showers 
    • The bathrooms were clean, but they are a port-o-potty and they stink. Period. They just do and there is usually 1 bathroom in an area so you may have to wait for others. Also, no showers so plan to bring baby wipes if you need to refreshen up.
  • No electrical hookups 

 

 

Look! Williams, Arizona is a blast with plenty of family-friendly things to do. Make it a day trip or enjoy a longer stay but we promise a little escape from the summer heat to enjoy nature, the woods, cooler weather and new adventures is always so refreshing for the soul!

Want to spend more time in Northern Arizona and surrounding states? Plan the ultimate family-friendly southwest camping trip starting in Williams Arizona at one of our all-time favorite Arizona camping sites – Circle Pines KOA.

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