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Spillway Campground

Woods Canyon Lake from Spillway Campground
Lakeside pines Loop road and pads Table and ring Trail by the water Evening color Morning calm Shore access Lake view through trees
Mogollon Rim Lakeside Developed Fishing Electric-motor only
Overview

The direct Woods Canyon Lake choice: compact sites, fast shoreline access, and the lake loop trail passing beside camp.

Spillway is for people who want Woods Canyon Lake to be the trip, not just a nearby errand. The campground is tucked among ponderosa pine, oak, and Douglas fir, with the lake trail adjacent and fishing or electric-motor boating close by.

The tradeoff is obvious: this is convenient, popular, and compact. Choose Spillway over Sinkhole when water access matters most. Choose Sinkhole instead when you want a smaller Willow Springs base with less lake-edge traffic.

Best for Woods Canyon Lake, fishing, electric-motor boating, the lake loop trail, and compact tent or small-rig setups.
Watch out for Day-use traffic, compressed campground space, 16-foot small-rig limits, and less quiet than Sinkhole.

Best version of the trip: camp for the water, get moving early, and accept that convenience is the reason it gets busy.

At a Glance
Region
Payson - Mogollon Rim
Elevation
~7,500 ft
Access
AZ-260 → FR 300 (Rim Rd) → FR 105
Campsites
Compact sites for tents, trailers, and small motorhomes up to 16 ft
Facilities
Potable water, restrooms, trash service, tables, fire rings
Boating
Electric-motor only on Woods Canyon
Nearby
Woods Canyon Lake loop trail and lake store / rentals
Reservations
Recommended in peak season
Getting There

From AZ-260, turn onto FR 300 near the Rim Visitor Information Station, then follow FR 105 toward Woods Canyon Lake and Spillway. The approach is paved until the campground loop, which uses compacted recycled asphalt gravel.

  1. Watch for elk along 260 and 300 at dawn and dusk.
  2. Arrive early on weekends because campground, day-use, store, and lake traffic stack together.
  3. Do not bring a big rig here; this page should steer longer trailers toward better-fitting Rim options.
Camping Info
  • Pads and size: built for tents, trailers, and small motorhomes up to 16 feet.
  • Roads: paved approach roads with a compacted recycled-asphalt gravel campground loop.
  • Water and toilets: potable water, restrooms, trash service, picnic tables, and campfire grills.
  • Boats: Woods Canyon allows electric trolling motors only; fishing is the main draw.
  • Trails: the Woods Canyon Lake loop trail passes adjacent to the campground.
My Notes

Spillway should be honest about the bargain: it is the convenient Woods Canyon Lake camp, and that means traffic. I would use it when dawn water access matters more than privacy.

  • Choose this over Sinkhole: you want Woods Canyon Lake, the adjacent loop trail, and the shortest path from camp to water.
  • Choose Sinkhole instead: you want Willow Springs, a smaller 26-site campground, and less shoreline traffic around camp.
  • Photo note: this page should show lake access, trail proximity, and compact camp geometry, not generic pine shade.
Choose It / Skip It
Good fit
Woods Canyon Lake, fishing, electric-motor boating, the lake loop trail, and compact tent or small-rig setups.
Bad fit
Day-use traffic, compressed campground space, 16-foot small-rig limits, and less quiet than Sinkhole.
Gear I Used

Gear that actually helped on this trip.

Map
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