Ashurst Lake, near Flagstaff, Arizona, is a charming spot for those looking to enjoy a lakeside camping experience. With designated sites that come equipped with fire rings and picnic tables, it’s a solid choice for both tent and RV campers.

The campground is known for its proximity to the water, making it easy to fish or paddle around. Visitors have mentioned that the lake is a fishing spot, though catching anything can be hit or miss. The area is also great for hanging hammocks, thanks to the trees scattered throughout, although some campers have noted that shade can be a bit limited.

If you’re planning to visit, be prepared for a bumpy ride on the dirt road leading in. It’s not the smoothest drive, but once you arrive, you’ll find a picturesque setting with stunning skies that look like they’re straight out of a painting. Campers have enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, especially during off-peak times when the stars shine bright at night.

While the campground has its quirks, like a few rocky spots and some nearby noise from other campers, the overall vibe is friendly and welcoming. Plus, you’re just a short drive from Flagstaff, where you can explore local attractions or grab a bite to eat after a day of outdoor fun.

## Recreation

 In addition to fishing and board sailing, the lake offers excellent opportunities for birdwatching during the spring waterfowl migration. For a special treat look for white-faced ibises grazing in the shallows along with the cinnamon teal, pintails and other ducks. Bald eagles and osprey can also be seen in the area, along with a number of species of hawks and songbirds. A graveled road to the lake and graveled road that surrounds most of the lake provides convenient access for most passenger vehicles and bicycles. Rustic gravel and \_ two-track \_ roads in the area offer some great opportunities to mountain bike or walk out into the surrounding juniper/ponderosa mixed forest for some wildlife viewing and open spaces. The San Francisco Peaks stand majestically on the horizon providing a grand display of Arizonas volcanic past. 
## Contact Info

 For facility specific information, please call (928) 774-9671.

Ashurst Lake — Coconino National Forest Recreation

Mormon Lake is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Mormon Lake and user-submitted reviews.

Mormon Lake

The Best Camping Near Mormon Lake, Arizona

Although it was a holiday weekend and there were a whole lot of people there it was a beautiful spot and we had an amazing weekend highly recommend the dispersed camping in northern,arizona

Dispersed camping at ashurst lake 

This is one of my favorite places to go when I only have a few days to get away.  I love to kayak and fish on the lake.  Waking to elk bugling is icing on the cake for me, can't wait to go back again. 

One of my favorites 

I recently went for a weekend camping trip to Ashurst Lake. It is only 20 miles from my home so that made it even better! It is an absolutely beautiful area. Campsites are clean and some offer semi-privacy. Staff is friendly and helpful. The water is a mesmerizing blue. While there I saw my first Bald Eagle! There were 2 of them fighting over a fish! Amazing sight to see! My dogs had a blast too! We plan on returning soon!

Camping and hiking at Ashurst lake

We showed up pretty late but had a blast trying to light a non traditional fire, come up with clever ways to roast marshmallows and cooking on the fire.

Loved that we went off season we made friends with a puppy. Over all great experience a little cold but the stars were worth it

Beautiful scenic lake

The road in can usually be traveled without 4x4 but it doesn't hurt. The campground is small but there's another just by if it's full. This is a fishing lake not a swimming one so leave your suits at home and enjoy a nature walk or campfire in peace and quiet. Campsites are decent size and just enough privacy but all a short walk to restroom. Beware of the steep boat ramp. The skies when you're out there look like a painting!

Small, quiet and picturesque skies

The reviews I read of Ashurst had me pretty excited about enjoying a calm, quiet, lakeside campsite. We brought the canoe, arrived around 11:30 and found the place packed. There is a decent 5-7 mile stretch of washboard road to get there, you can get there in a car, its not like off-roading but it may rattle some bolts loose! The sites before the actual lake campgrounds were super packed, full of RVs with toys from off-road buggies to dirt bikes. We happened to catch a spot just as one family was beginning to leave. It was a short walk to the water, but not ON the water's edge and many of the sites were not, they were on the other side of the road you drive in on. There were all kinds of campers, from the casual tent and a few supplies kinda campers to people with three truck loads and a trailer of everything they could fit in a campsite and set up a full patio and grill. 

Once you find a campsite the ranger comes by and you pay them for your spot, $19 for the site, $8 for an additional vehicle on the site, there are 5 of us. We ended up in spot 8, which actually had three good tent spots! The firepit is awesome, well surrounded by rocks and there is a solid picnic table included too. It's July and campfires are currently allowed. Site 8 is right by a row of port-a-potty's and bit drinkable water tank. 

We canoed and fished in the evening, the people fishing next to us caught 5 fairly small fish from the shore and I never caught a thing. By the time we got back to the tent for the evening there was a fairly constant noise from surrounding campsites, from kids screaming to dogs barking, to the continuous hum of the offered buggies dusting the campsites as they drove in and out. 

I think for a campsite as a whole it has everything you need, its pretty clean, the porte-potties weren't terrible and were stocked with TP, but it wasn't what I was looking for in terms of secluded, quiet wilderness. Everyone else was a little too close for comfort.

  

If you forget your firewood, cash (they only accept cash), drinks etc. there is a little country store just by the entrance to the lower- Lake Mary entrance day-use area. We went down there for cash and firewood.

Okay lakeside camping

Went climbing out at the Pit in Flagstaff for the day, then we came and camped out not too far away! The site had plenty of trees for hammocks, as well as tent sites. It was easy to access for not just 4x4 vehicles and was a nice and quick drive from the main road.

Had a blast out in Flagstaff

Really close to the lake. Smaller sites. 

Small campground 

This campground needs some updates and some TLC. That’s the best I could say. Each site has a concrete table and fire ring. The shade is limited. The dirt road is pretty wash board and a lot of traffic there and back. 

The lake is super close but the sites are only suitable for tents. There are maybe 3 spots that a trailer could get into. There is trash, portable water tank and bathrooms. Boat ramp and day use area. 

Not great 

Wish there were more trees to make shade. It was dusty and windy. 

We were told that there are trouts in the lake but none of us were able to catch anything. 

Needs some improvements

Went tent camping here the last weekend of the actual season. It’s a bit pricey at $20 a night, but it was worth it to be right on the water with the dog rather than make the drive from the disperse campsites. It was completely full at the campgrounds and disperse around it was pretty full, but we didn’t have any issues finding our own spot to hang out on multiple parts of the lake. I’m pretty sure our campsite was still available so late due to its inability to house an RV. Most spots would fit an RV, but ours was much more comfortable with just a tent. Multiple RVs ran their generators but we could only hear them at the water fill up and bathroom. There were trees to hang hammocks. We only had one neighbor, who was a bit close in terms of our tables, but tents and everything else had plenty of distance. 

Oct 9-12, 2020

We thought this site was surprisingly busy for how secluded it is. 

The trees don’t offer much shade either. I wish we had brought a pop up canopy. 

Having the vault toilets and trash was nice and we brought in our own water and supplies. There were lots of spiders in the trees. 

The road back to the campsite was rocky so be prepared for a shakey ride on loose rocks. 

Photos of Ashurst Lake — Coconino National Forest Recreation

Real photos from real campers