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Woods Canyon Lake

Lakes of Arizona item created by HookedAZ, Oct 1, 2016

Average User Rating:
4/5,
Tags. Please type in a Lake Name, Species of Fish etc:
  • Wood Canyon Lake is a small lake just east of Payson that can have good trout fishing. If your looking for a day trip with the family, Woods Canyon lake has small boats to rent and a recreation area. The lake is stocked regularly throughout the year with Rainbow Trout. You can also catch Brown Trout and Brook Trout at Woods Canyon.
  • GPS:
    34.32861, -110.93917
    Phone Numbers for more information::
    There is not an available phone for the store because there are no phone lines or cell service
    Restrictions/Season of Use:
    May 1 to September 30. Earlier or later depending upon weather
    Road Conditions:
    Paved
    Land Ownership:
    Site Graves National Forest
    Elevation:
    7505 ft
    River Lake Impounds:
    Chevelon Creek
    Average Depth:
    25 ft
    Fishing Allowed:
    Yes
    Boat/Engine Restrictions:
    Small Electric
    Boats to Rent:
    Yes. Small Aluminum boats and kayaks
    Swimming:
    Is allowed although the water will be cold, full of rusty hooks, and a nuisance to other anglers.
    If anyone has the phone number for the Woods Canyon Marina store, can you please post it in the comments. We've been told there is not phone lines or cell service at the lake.
  • Woods Canyon Lake is located about 30 minutes east of Payson. From Phoenix, you can take the Beeline Hwy 87 northeast to the 260 east the take Rim Rd to the lake. Or you can take the I17 to Camp Verde, Ext on General Crook Trail "Hwy 260 east" and then take that east all the way to Rim Rd.
HookedAZ, Oct 1, 2016

Recent User Reports and Reviews

  1. HookedAZ
    4/5,
    ""
    Date:
    May 22, 2017
    Fishing is excellent. Store and boat rentals are open! Tiger Trout were stocked in late April, rainbow trout are stocked every week. The biggest reported Tiger Trout so far has been 14 inches. Green sunfish are easily caught on worms. A 2.5lb rainbow was caught last weekend! Rainbow trout will be stocked this week and tiger trout were stocked in late April. Fish are hungry and biting hooks! Try roostertails with green or copper Kastmasters, PowerBait and worms.
    HookedAZ, May 23, 2017
  2. Jeff k
    4/5,
    ""
    Date:
    Mar 9, 2017
    Inaccessible. Forest Road 300 (the Rim Road) is closed for the winter as of 1/5/2017. Ice is thin and unsafe. There is some open water
    Jeff k, Mar 8, 2017

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  1. AGFD bio
    The concession at Woods Canyon Lake rents both aluminum boats and kayaks. They supply the life jackets.

    There is no phone number for the store there because there are no power lines going there and have no cell service. Rumor is that cell service may be coming to the Rim Lakes area in the next few years, but currently none at Woods Canyon.

    Swimming is not prohibited at Woods Canyon Lake, but I wouldn't recommend it. Woods Canyon Lake is a very busy lake and you will only be impacting someone's fishing experience if you are swimming in the lake. The water is also pretty cold. But I wouldn't do it even if you could stand the cold. There are also likely many rusty hooks on the lake bottom that you might get caught on, and will no doubt impact someone fishing nearby. It is a small lake and very difficult to get far enough away from anglers. If you can see an angler, you are too close to be swimming in this lake. I wouldn't recommend letting your dog swim either. How do you do that with the dog on a leash? Yes, it is a Forest Service regulation that all pets must be on a leash at all times. A swimming dog would just be a nuisance to anglers trying to fish nearby. You can walk your dog just about everywhere, as long as they are on a leash.
    AGFD bio, Jan 9, 2017
      HookedAZ likes this.
  2. sue Schmitt
    I would like to bring a bus of 40 people to walk the paved path on the rim at the entrance of woods canyon lake. I own a tour business from green valley az and work at a rv park there and people only hear about the rim but have never walked on it. this would not be until the middle of march next year before they go home. i would like if possible a ranger to talk about the rim and the area around there. we tell me if this could be possible. we would be staying at the casino in payson for the night and it would be on a this talk would be on a sunday in march about the second or third week because the weather is better then. hoping to hear from you. sue schmitt
    sue Schmitt, Oct 24, 2016
  3. HookedAZ
    I don't know any rangers willing to do this, but I do know a Arizona tour guide that can do a great job. He is very knowledgeable of the Rim and would be a great fit. Send me an email to infohookedaz.com and I will provide you his contact details.
    HookedAZ, Oct 24, 2016
  4. Erin
    Are you sure that we could swim at woods canyon? Every other site says no swimming, but yours says yes. Is there a particular part of the lake that you can? Or can't? We don't want to be fined. Thanks.
    Erin, Oct 24, 2016
    1. Ashly
      From what I've experienced, this isn't a swimming lake.
      Ashly, Oct 24, 2016
    2. HookedAZ
      Most likely its posted no swimming if other sites have that on them. I never considered woods canyon to be much of a swimming destination. I have seen people swim there though in the past. Let us know what you find out. Its probably worth a call up to the sitegreavs forest. the number is listed above.
      HookedAZ, Oct 24, 2016
  5. josh
    Does anyone know if the boat rentals have age restrictions and if they provide life jackets I tried the above numbers all disconnected
    josh, Oct 24, 2016
    1. ray munoz
      life jackets included
      ray munoz, Oct 24, 2016
  6. Cory Caudill
    I'm going to Woods Canyon Lake for the weekend how much are the boat rentals ?
    Cory Caudill, Oct 24, 2016
    1. ray munoz
      last year boat rentals were 75 dollars a day
      ray munoz, Oct 24, 2016
    2. Al Normand
      Really?!! $75 for a rowboat? Are they deliberately trying to drive people away who are on a (tighter) budget and rent only to people with deep pockets? It would be cheaper (and closer to home) to rent at Apache Lake, and those boats have motors! I would love to try Woods Canyon again, but those rates are outrageous (and ridiculous) for just a rowboat!
      Al Normand, Oct 24, 2016
  7. ray munoz
    would like to know if camp grounds are first come first served
    ray munoz, Oct 24, 2016
  8. scott hufford
    may I use my own trolling moter in your row boat rental
    scott hufford, Oct 24, 2016
  9. Cecilia
    What is the phone number to the lake store?
    Cecilia, Oct 24, 2016
  10. Jeff Berry
    How many people can fit in the rental boats at Woods Canyon Lake marina? Would (4) adults and (2) children fit?
    Jeff Berry, Oct 24, 2016
    1. HookedAZ
      The last time I went to Woods Canyon they were only renting small aluminum boats best suited for 2 adults one kid. You would want to rent 2 boats with that many people
      HookedAZ, Oct 24, 2016
  11. Stacy
    I plan on bringing my dog camping at woods canyon lake i know he has to be on a leash at all times but I want to know where he is and is not allowed to go specifically I want to know whether he is allowed on hiking trails and if he can swim in any part of the lake
    Stacy, Oct 24, 2016
    1. Tim Joens
      Wish I could tell you Stacy. I don't remember seeing signs about them needing be on leashes at all times.
      Tim Joens, Oct 24, 2016
  12. gonzomesa
    I would like to fish at woods canyon lake off the bank tomorrow. does anyone know if the roads are open all the way up to the woods canyon lake store ?
    gonzomesa, Oct 24, 2016
  13. jsp
    how is the bass fishing at woods canyon lake
    jsp, Oct 24, 2016
  14. Al Normand
    Does anyone know what the boat rental rates are at the Woods Canyon store? Couldn't find that info anywhere on the net; maybe more people would want to fish there if they could have more information. Most of their amenities are mentioned, but people who may be on a (tighter) budget need to plan their finances well ahead
    Al Normand, Oct 24, 2016
    1. Joe Griffin
      Al, I will be there this weekend camping but I must say, out of the 12 times I have been, I have caught one trout and two crawdads. I have seen the photos in the store of large trout. The rental boats used to be 35 dollars, four years ago.
      Joe Griffin, Oct 24, 2016
  15. jeremy
    My wife and I were there a few weeks ago. It was $40 for a half day and $80 for a whole day.
    jeremy, Oct 24, 2016
  16. Amber
    Heading up there next month and want to know how much boat rentals are and how long we get to keep the boat for. Thanks.
    Amber, Oct 24, 2016
  17. Jackie
    Is there some place you can park your boat if there's not enough room for it at your camp site?
    Jackie, Oct 24, 2016
  18. G.Butters
    I took my 5year daughter to woods canyon, our first time...rented a boat for 4 hours and one hr into our fishing, both batteries where dead.no eyelets for the oars, and the wind was 35, 40 mph...finally after no phone/text service, someone showed u p to tow us in....very, very disgusted. ..the help behind the counter, reminded me of that movie dumb and dumbed....you'll never see me at that half ass lake again...
    G.Butters, Oct 24, 2016
  19. Lisa
    Hi I was wondering what the price for you boat rental? Also how many does it sit? And are life jackets included? And do you have child and infant life jackets? Also do you take reservations for your boats?
    Thanks
    Lisa, Oct 24, 2016
  20. donjuan
    i looked online its about 40 for 4 hrs and 80 doller deposit
    donjuan, Oct 24, 2016
  21. Bertha reyes
    alguien de los que ya tuvieron la oportunidad de hir a ese lugar me podrían facilitar el Num de tel para reservar por favor..gracias...
    Bertha reyes, Oct 24, 2016
    1. Al Normand
      You (Hooked on Az) may need to change your info regarding boat rentals. Your chart states that there are (electric) aluminum fishing boats available. I just went to the "Facebook" site for the Store/Marina and all they showed was single and tandem kayaks. Some of us 'older' folks need a real boat to fish from; we can't sit comfortably in a kayak (or canoe) for extended periods. Are there still boats for rent, or just kayaks?
      Al Normand, Oct 24, 2016
    2. Peggy
      Al, They do have aluminum fishing boats available at Woods Lake. I was there a week ago and they had several. I agree us "oldies need something better than the canoes!
      Peggy, Oct 24, 2016
  22. Bertha reyes
    estoy buscando el numero de teléfono para reservar .alguien me lo pudiera facilitar por favor gracias.
    Bertha reyes, Oct 24, 2016
  23. Ken
    Hello, does anyone have the phone number for the store for boat rentals? I'm not great at Interweb searches...so I can't find the # anywhere. Weird; huh? Thanks in advance for your help. Happy Labor Day to all, Ken
    Ken, Oct 24, 2016