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Ashurst Lake shoreline and San Francisco Peaks
Lake view Camp loop site Boat ramp area Evening light on water Pines and meadow Morning coffee lakeside Road in from Lake Mary Canoe in the water
DevelopedLakesideFamilyBoat RampFishingCoconino NF
Overview

Easy access, real tables, and a wide lake with a personality - calm one minute, whitecaps the next.

Ashurst sits southeast of Flagstaff off Lake Mary Road - pines, open sky, and a cold, wind-fed lake with the Peaks on the horizon. Sites are spread across loops with picnic tables and rings. You still get the forest feel, but you can roll a cooler to the water and be fishing in ten minutes.

It is a developed campground: fees, hosts, vault toilets, and seasonal water. Wind is the variable - stake your tent like you mean it and point the door away from the lake. Sunrise comes clean across the water; evenings pull a crowd to the shore for the last color.

Why go
Lakeside camp near Flagstaff, good stargazing, easy for families, close to Lake Mary and Mormon Lake country.
Watch out for
Wind over the lake, weekend crowding, and mud in the shoulder season after storms.

Pick a site with some tree cover, anchor the corners, then walk your mug to the shore when the light gets good.

At a Glance
Region
SE of Flagstaff - Ashurst / Lake Mary
Elevation
~7,100 ft
Access Road
Paved via Lake Mary Rd; short graded spur to loops
Best Season
Late spring through fall
Campsites
Developed loops w/ tables, rings; mix of reservable & FCFS
Services
Vault toilets; potable water (seasonal)
Fires
In rings only, when restrictions allow
Cell
Spotty to fair - better on higher ground
Coordinates (area)
35.0030° N, 111.4310° W
Getting There

From Flagstaff, take Lake Mary Road (FH 3) south past Upper Lake Mary. Watch for the signed turn for Ashurst Lake and follow the main road toward the campground loops.

  1. Stay on Lake Mary Rd; it is paved and quick. Watch elk at dawn and dusk.
  2. Turn left at the Ashurst Lake sign; follow the graded road toward the campground.
  3. Loop through for wind cover and lake access - sites closer to water get more breeze.

If the forecast shows strong afternoon winds, set early and orient doors away from the lake.

Before You Go
Essential Links
Reminders
  • Cash or card for campground fee.
  • Extra stakes and guy lines - wind off the water.
  • Water containers - spigots are seasonal.
  • Layers - evenings run cool at 7k ft.
  • Trash bags - pack out every scrap.
Camping Info
  • Developed: tables, fire rings, vault toilets; host on site in season.
  • Reservations: many sites reservable; shoulder season may have FCFS.
  • Fires: rings only, obey current restrictions.
  • Wind: stake tents and canopies - gusts roll across the lake.
  • Pets: leash at camp and near the shore.
  • Boats: non-motorized and small motor craft common; watch ramp traffic.
  • Leave No Trace: keep to established pads; do not trench or cut limbs.
My Notes

I like the sites with a few pines between the table and the lake - shade at lunch and a clean line to the water at dusk. Mornings are calm more often than not; coffee steam hangs in the air and the surface goes mirror for ten minutes.

  • Wind etiquette: point your tent door away from the lake; double-guy the fly.
  • Cooking: windscreen for the stove saves fuel; I run a butane single-burner.
  • Fishing: if you are into it, bring a simple spinning setup and a small tackle pouch.
  • Photos: blue hour on the water is the move - tripod if you have it.
Gear I Used

Gear that actually helped on this trip.

Map
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