We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, for much of the information on this page. We share information and images with Wikipedia. Watson Lake is one of two reservoirs at the Granite Dells, outside of Prescott, Arizona, that was formed in the early 1900s when the Chino Valley Irrigation District built a dam on Granite Creek. The City of Prescott bought the reservoir and surrounding land in 1997 to preserve it as recreational land. Local rockclimbers use the granite cliffs above and adjacent to the lake for top-roping and lead climbing. This also the home of TriCity Prep Rowing Crew, a local high school team and only rowing team in Northern Arizona. Largemouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, carp, and sunfish occupy the lake. The area is often called; Watson Lake Park, the name of the park built by the City Of Prescott. Bicycle rentals at Watson Lake allow southbound connection to the Discovery Trail and Prescott Peavine National Recreation Trail (i.e., the former Santa Fe Railroad) that connect to the scenic Granite Dells region. Canoe and kayak rentals are available. For more detailed information, prices, and hours of operation, go to Prescott Outdoors Watson Lake Park Amenities Include: �Two boat launches �Courtesy dock �Fishing �Fish cleaning stations �Picnic ramadas �Showers for campers �Restrooms �Horseshoe pits �Picnic tables �Barbecue grills �Playground equipment �Hiking trails �Overnight camping (summer months only) �Showers for campers Restrictions: �Dogs must be on a leash at all City Parks except the dog park. Please clean up after your pet �No Dogs are allowed on Athletic Fields in the interest of Public Health and Safety, City Ordinance #15-1-15 �Fires are allowed in stoves or barbecues only �Motorized vehicles must stay on maintained roadways. Obey all speed limits and watch for children at play! �Littering is crime punishable with a maximum $2500 fine in the City of Prescott. �Parks generally close at 10 p.m. Overnight camping is available at Watson Lake Park during the summer season. �A permit may be required for beer consumption in some parks. �City trails are for hikers, runners, bicyclists, and equestrian use, unless otherwise noted. Hours & Fees: Summer Hours: (Memorial day-Labor day): * Off-Season hours are from the Tuesday after Labor Day through the Friday before Memorial Day. 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM Winter Hours: ** Winter hours are from the Tuesday after Labor Day through the Friday before Memorial Day. 7:00 AM - Sunset Fees: �A $2.00 parking fee. Directions: Watson Lake Park is four miles north of downtown Prescott, at 3101 Watson Lake Rd. This beautiful park allows access to Watson Lake and the boulders of the Granite Dells. Granite Dells: The Granite Dells is a geological feature north of Prescott, Arizona. The Dells consist of exposed bedrock and large boulders of granite that have eroded into an unusual lumpy, rippled appearance. Watson Lake and Willow Lake are small man-made reservoirs in this formation; these, combined with numerous hiking & biking trails and rockclimbing routes, make it a popular outdoor recreation area in the region. The Peavine National Recreation Trail follows the old railbed of the Santa Fe, Prescott and Phoenix Railway through the Granite Dells. This winding portion of the railroad was known as the "Peavine" because its twisting curves resembled that of a pea vine. It connects to the Iron King Trail, which follows the route of the old Prescott and Eastern Railroad through the eastern Granite Dells. Both are rail to trail conversions. The precambrian Dells' granite has been dated at 1.4 billion years old. Its pluton was intruded at a depth of around one or two miles (1.6 to 3.2 km). These cover rocks have since been eroded away. Weathering along joints produced the rounded boulders and other unusual rock formations that characterize the Granite Dells. This process is called spheroidal weathering, and is common in granitic terrains. The Dells' granite has an unusually high uranium content, and thus homes built over the granite should be checked for radon leaking from the granite. Note: Prescott is the home of three museums that describe the culture of the area. Here are Links to their websites. They are the Phippen Museum, the Sharlot Hall Museum, and the Smoki Museum.

If you are planning to visit Prescott and the Prescott area and you are coming from outside of Arizona, you could fly into Phoenix and then rent a car. Prescott is a little over a 2 hour drive from Phoenix off of the scenic I-17 route by taking Arizona 69. There are hotels and motels all along the way in nearby towns. We have some links to Priceline.com on this page since they can arrange all of your air flights, hotels and car. You may need some outdoor clothing and equipment, if you plan to visit the Prescott or Sedona area. We have some links to Altrec on this page since they are a good online source for outdoor gear. The IHG Link will take you to hotels within the Prescott City Limits. We of course, appreciate your use of the advertising on our pages, since it helps us to keep this page active.

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