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The Tour:
To begin the driving tour from
Flagstaff, take Lake Mary Rd and
travel south. You will come
first to
Lower Lake Mary. Forest
Service day-use areas are great
for picnicking or shore fishing,
or simply use the well developed
pull outs, get out your
binoculars, and start scanning
the skies for eagles and osprey
or the water for ducks and
shorebirds. Near the dam at
Lower Lake Mary is one of the
best spots to see eagles and
water birds. Interpretive signs
provide tips for viewing – there
are more signs to come, so stay
tuned!
Upper
Lake Mary is the next body
of water along the tour. Boating
access and restrooms generally
require a small fee in summer,
but refer to all posted signs in
the parking area. Again,
turnouts along Lake Mary Road
can provide great opportunities
for viewing as you travel.
Next, you
will come to the Mormon Lake
Loop road. Continue straight
past the turnoff to
Mormon Lake and you will
travel the edge of Anderson
Mesa, a vast grassland to your
left that is some of our most
important pronghorn habitat.
Note the openness of the Mesa
compared to the ponderosa pine
forest you just left. Pronghorn
rely on their speed and
excellent vision to escape
predators, so this open view
suits them well. To your right,
the Mesa drops off and Mormon
Lake dominates the view. Two
very well developed parking
areas allow you to look out
across the lake, photograph the
Peaks and Mormon Mountain, and
just soak up some quiet. If you
have a spotting scope, this is
the place to set up shop
Continue
the loop road around to the town
of Mormon Lake Village. The
Lodge and General Store are
great options for a midday meal.
Or if elk viewing is your
objective, consider dinner at
the lodge and driving out at
sunset to increase your odds of
a sighting. To your right, the
Mesa drops off and Mormon Lake
dominates the view. Two very
well developed parking areas
with overlooks of Mormon Lake
allow you to look out across the
lake, photograph the Peaks and
Mormon Mountain, and just soak
up some quiet. If you have a
spotting scope, this is the
place to set up shop
Taking your
time to carefully search will
often pay off with sightings of
wildlife. In summer these
overlooks are a great place to
see elk, although the elk are
often out toward the middle of
the lake and binoculars or
spotting scopes are needed for a
good view. Continue the loop
road around to the town of
Mormon Lake Village. The Lodge
and General Store are great
options for a midday meal. Watch
for waterfowl and even osprey at
the ponds by the fire station
and by the general Store. Or if
elk viewing is your objective,
consider dinner and the lodge
and driving back at sunset to
increase your odds of a
sighting. |
![Pronghorn at Mormon Lake outside of Flagstaff, Arizona. [Photo Courtesy of the Arizona Game & Fish Department]](MormonLakepronghorn-700pix.jpg)
![Mormon Lake View - This is a great place to see all sorts of waterfowl. [Photo Courtesy of the Arizona Game & Fish Department]](MormonLakeview-700pix.jpg)
