20 Lake View Trail

This pleasant hike offers expansive views of Mormon Lake and the surrounding ponderosa pine forest.

Location: 28 miles southeast of Flagstaff.

Distance: 2.8 miles out and back.

Approximate hiking time: 2 hours.

Elevation change: 500 feet.

Best seasons: Spring through fall.

Water: None.

Other trail users: Horses and mountain bikes.

Canine compatibility: Dogs are allowed if kept under control.

Permits and restrictions: None.

Maps: USGS Mormon Lake and Mormon Mountain; Coconino National Forest. The trail is not shown on the topographic map.

Trail contacts: Peaks Ranger District, Coconino National Forest, 5075 N. Highway 89, Flagstaff, AZ 86004, (928) 526-0866, www.fs.fed.us/r3/coconino/.

Finding the trailhead: From Flagstaff, drive about 27 miles south on Lake Mary Road (Forest Highway 3), then turn right (west) on the Mormon Lake Road (Forest Road 90). Continue for 5 miles, then turn right (west) into Double Springs Campground. The trailhead is signed and is on the left side of the road along the south side of the campground.

The Hike

The Lake View Trail climbs gradually along a shallow drainage through pine-oak forest for about 1 mile, then switchbacks up a hill to the rim of a rock outcrop. It works along the outcrop for about 0.2 mile to a point at 1.4 miles that has a commanding view of the ponderosa pine forest and the south end of Mormon Lake. The lake is about a mile away, so the view is not as intimate as that from the Ledges Trail, but the location feels more remote.

Miles and Directions

0.0Trailhead at Double Springs Campground.

1.4Reach the viewpoint.

2.8Arrive back at the campground.