WALKER LAKE

WALKER LAKE

Coconino National Forest

Walker Lake in August

Arizona's own crater lake resides quietly within the bowl of a nondescript volcano north of Hart Prairie.  From a distance, the pine-speckled hill doesn't appear to be anything special.  But a short walk up a closed road reveals a shallow lake filling a vent that spewed lava in its former life.  The road makes an easy climb to the lip of the crater where it transitions into a footpath that follows the fortress-like rim. The high vantage points offer
fantastic views of the San Francisco Peaks, Kendrick Mountain, White Horse Hills and Hochderffer Hills---volcanos all.  The crater forms sort of a  wet "meadow in a bowl" fostering a swale of wild field mint, daisies, silverweed, and New Mexico vervain as well as a herds of thirsty elk that frequent its reliable watering holes.

Water smartweed in Walker Lake

Numerous paths also lead down to the ephemeral lake that in summer shrinks to a patchwork of shallow  puddles besieged by clouds of colorful dragonflies.  

Walker Lake in August

LENGTH: 1-2 mile roundtrip

RATING: easy

ELEVATION:  8,060 - 8,189 feet 

GETTING THERE:

From Flagstaff, go north on US180 for 19 miles to the northern exit for FR151 (Hart Prairie Road) just past milepost 235.  Turn right and continue 1.6 miles on the good dirt road to FR418.  Turn left and go 0.2 mile to the second road on the left which is Forest Road 9007S.   FR9007S is CLOSED TO ALL MOTORIZED USE, but foot and horse travel is permitted. There's limited parking in a dirt turnout---maybe room for 2-3 vehicles and additional roadside parking along FR418, but be respectful of private property in the area and don't block access roads and driveways.

HIKE DIRECTIONS:

From the FR418/9007S parking spot:

• Hike 0.2 mile to a fork 
• Veer right at the fork onto FR 9004S
• Follow FR9004S 0.1 mile to a large road closed sign
• Hike 0.3 mile up the road behind the sign (still 9004S, though not signed) to a 3-way junction which is the start of the rim loop trail
• Take the narrow singletrack on the right which heads up to the crater rim. For reference, the wide central road heads down into the crater and the lake. The path that continues straight ahead is the return leg of the rim loop.