“head for the outcroppings of Watson Lake”
Watson Lake is one of two reservoirs at the Granite Dells, outside of Prescott, Arizona, that was formed in the early 1900s when the Chino Valley Irrigation District built a dam on Granite Creek. The City of Prescott bought the reservoir and surrounding land in 1997 to preserve it as recreational land. Local rockclimbers use the granite cliffs above and adjacent to the lake for top-roping and lead climbing. This also the home of TriCity Prep Rowing Crew, a local high school team and only rowing team in Northern Arizona. With challenging canyons and soaring mountains, adventure-seekers can pick from an exciting menu of rock climbing options. In Prescott, rock climbers head for the outcroppings of Watson Lake.
Reviews of Watson Lake Park Campground
8 people have reviewed this location
Ratings Summary
Cell Coverage
Verizon 4G
Confirmed by 2 users | Last reported on May 23, 2023AT&T 4G
Confirmed by 1 users | Last reported on July 25, 2016Really an amazing hidden gem IMO. Great boulders and rock formations with beautiful blue water. Great for photographers (especially drones). Only about a 90 min drive from N Phoenix
Highly recommend!
Amazing
I went up on a last minute camping trip with my son and went to several areas which was full. I ended up here in the last spot left. I normally do not pick paid camp sites I prefer to camp in the forest away from others. However this was very pleasant grounds. The sites are right next to eachother very close together so you must love your neighbor. There is a strict curfew for noise. These grounds are very well kept and the ranger is aways around making sure everything is good. Their are full stall flushing toilets and showers. The camp site is walking distance to the lake. It also has a very large grassy area for picnics and playing. A nice playground and tons of bunnies hopping around. The lake is stunning with all the cliffs around. You can paddle board and fish, but be aware that you can NOT swim in this lake.
Nightly Rate: $15.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: 4
Cell Coverage Rating
AT&T 4G
A short walk to a spectacular lake. Boats for rent at reasonable prices (kayaks, SUP’s and canoes). No wake 5mph limit so you don’t see motorized boats. Hot, clean showers.
Pros- great hike around lake and many other superb hikes in area,
Spacious FCFS campsites,
Close to charming downtown Prescott,
Free dump station at Affinity RV, w/ propane and rv supplies available,
Close to Walmart and Trader Joe’s.
Cons - camping is seasonal, April-Oct, Thur-Mon only
Traffic noise
Nightly Rate: $20.00
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: 31
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
While we love the amenities: cool lake to paddle on when the wind isn't up, 18 hole disc golf course, horseshoes, local hiking, and proximity to downtown Prescott, this is really a city park with some campsites crammed in.
The campsite we stayed in (tent only), was so close to the next site we could hear them snoring at night. The biggest sites are #5 - #9.
It's a park, so the bathrooms for campers are there for the public too - open from 6a - 10p during the summer. Twice my girlfriend walked into the women's bathroom to find a homeless person hanging out in there. Not dissing homeless people, but if your'e looking for seclusion, this isn't it.
Check out a quick look at what we thought were the pros and cons.
Pros:
Watson Lake is beautiful and uncrowded.
Lots of cool things to do like kayak, disc golf, and hiking.
Reasonably priced.
Cons:
Camp sites are way too close together (read - Prescott trying to maximize profits).
Municipal park open to anyone - not secluded at all.
Super loud - highway just outside the campsites.
Virtually no support for campers - there is no security here. We asked one of the guys working (driving a tractor) who to call if there's a problem and he said "call 911". Also, we had to ask the same guy what the code was for the showers. We arrived on Thursday and the entry station was closed, so we called the Prescott rec office about checking in, and they said we were supposed to print out our online reservations and put it in our car window. Lame. It didn't say that anywhere in their instructions and the office people weren't very nice.
Oh, and there's no campground store, ice, or anything.
Nightly Rate: $20.00
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: 1
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
This is one of my favorite places in Arizona! I love to go for a picnic, hiking, photo shoots, etc! There is a playground for kids, restrooms, tons of parking, picnic tables, trash cans, very dog friendly, easy hiking trails, hard hiking trails, tons of off trail options (my favorite), and several boat ramps. There is even a parking area right up against the lake solely for handicapped access. The lake is no-wake, so perfect for kayaking and paddle boarding. Would not go swimming though. Water is beautiful, but no clean.
Gorgeous place. A little out of the way, but so worth it. If you aren’t spending the night it only cost $3 per car to get in. A good place to spend an afternoon. It wasn’t crowded either!
Be the first to add a review to the Watson Lake Park Campground.
Watson Lake Park Campground
Hours
Problem with this listing? Let us know.
Has RV parking changed? Let us know.
-
Parking
-
Pets Allowed
-
Restrooms
-
Wifi
-
Wheelchair Accessible
-
Credit Cards Accepted
- Affiliation
- Other public land (TVA, DOD, county parks with campgrounds)
- Back In RV Sites Count
- 25
- Last Nightly Rate
- 20.0
- Longest Vehicle Length Reported
- 16.0
- Lowest Nightly Rate
- 15.0
- Season End
- Oct.
- Season Start
- April
- Sites Count
- 35
-
Paved Sites
-
Fifty Amp
-
Full Hookup
-
Pull Through
-
Tent Sites
-
Dump Station
-
Big Rigs
-
Open Seasonally
-
Age Restricted
-
Back In RV Sites
-
Boondock
-
Cabin Sites
-
Dispersed Sites
-
Firewood
-
Fulltime Residents
-
Group Tent Sites
-
Laundry
-
Mobile Homes
-
Permit Required
-
Potable Water
-
Propane
-
Public Water
-
Pull Through RV Sites
-
Reservations
-
Sewer Hookup
-
Showers
-
Sites
-
Standard Tent Sites
-
Vehicle Wash Permitted
-
Water Hookup
- Check In
- 12PM
- Check Out
- 12PM
-
Adult Only
Campground, Amenities, Restrooms
Nearby Hotels
Related Trip Guides
The top things to do on an I-40 road trip
- 35 Places
- 49:44
- 2,851 mi
The top things to do on an I-10 road trip
- 55 Places
- 56:13
- 3,026 mi