Within
Williams
Historic Downtown: Numerous
restaurants, motels, souvenir and Indian jewelry shops located in
turn-of-the century buildings. The Historic Walking Tour Brochure is
available at most businesses.
Bill
Williams
Monument
Park: Located on
the west end of town. Picnic tables and indoor restrooms available.
Grand Canyon Railway Depot and Museum:
Located west of
Grand Canyon Boulevard, north
of the railroad tracks. Authentic “old west” entertainment held
daily at 9 a.m. at the station prior to the train’s departure.
The museum is filled with
memorabilia on history of the train and depot which was originally
the Fray Marcos Hotel, one of the Harvey Houses at the turn-of-the
century.
Visitor
Center: Located
at
200 West Railroad Ave. The
Forest Service/Williams Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center is open
year-round daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
5-minute Drive
Cataract Lake: From Railroad
Avenue, turn north on Seventh Street; turn left after the railroad
tracks onto Cataract Lake Road; follow road for two miles. Camping,
fishing and restrooms available.
Elephant Rocks Golf Course: Follow directions as above, but
continue on Cataract Lake Road past turnoff, until stop sign; turn
right on Country Club Road and go about 1.5 miles; entrance is on
right. A city-owned, public golf course.
Buckskinner
Park: Located
one mile south of Williams. Take
sixth Street and follow signs.
Picnic tables, campfire grills, volleyball/basketball courts
available. Scenic lake with fishing nearby.
10-minute drive
Kaibab
Lake: Located
four miles east and north of Williams. Take Highway 64 North to the
Kaibab
Lake turnoff (left).
Camping, Fishing, picnic tables, drinking water, restrooms and
outdoor fireplaces. Interpretive programs are held at the
amphitheater weekly during summer months. A new, fully accessible,
fishing pier has been added.
Deer Farm: Head east on I-40 to Exit 171. Turn left and go over
highway. At stop sign, make a sharp left and follow for one half
mile. The Deer Farm is on the right.
20-minute drive
Historic Route 66:
Follow the road that carried millions west, to the land of
dreams. On the National Register of Historic Places, this highway
led from
Chicago to
Los Angeles. Begin tour in downtown
Williams on
Bill Williams Avenue, go east
to I-40 and take
Pittman
Valley exit (171). Go left
over highway and turn right to follow historic highway.
Beale Wagon Road Historic Trail: Built in 1857 as an interstate
road through the heart of new lands on to
California, the
Beale Road was no more than a
10-foot track, which allowed wagons to pass. From
Ft. Smith,
Ark., to the
Colorado River, the road spanned 1,240 miles.
The trail can be followed today and is clearly marked. Take I-40
east to the Parks exit, turn left, and left again at the “t”. Follow
to FR 141 and turn right to Government Prairie (FR 97). One place to
visit is Laws Spring, a major water stop used by men of the original
expedition. Contact the
Visitor
Center for more
information.
Half-hour drive
Sycamore
Canyon Wilderness
Area: Located 14 miles southeast of Williams, the area offers
breath-taking views, deep canyons and streams. Visit Sycamore Canyon
Vista, an overlook of a deep gorge which twists for 21 miles along
the course of Sycamore Creek. Sycamore Point Vista gives you a view
of the lower canyon with
Mingus
Mountain in the background.
Follow FDR
173-Perkinsville Road to
junction of FDR 110 to FR 56 turning south. The road dead-ends about
3.5 miles at a parking loop. From here, walk .25 mile until you come
to Sycamore Rim Trail
Bull Basin Road: This route
provides outstanding views of
Kendrick
Mountain, the highest peak in
Kaibab
National Forest.
Kendrick Wilderness Area offers a variety of recreational
opportunities for hiking, horseback riding or viewing wildlife. Take
I-40 east to the Parks exit (178), cross the overpass and turn left
at the “t” intersection. At the Parks General store turn right on
FDR 144.
White
Horse
Lake:
Take Fourth Street south for
approximately eight miles. Turn left (east) at the sign and follow
signs to the lake. The road to the lake is a well maintained
cindered road. Campsites, drinking water, fishing facilities
Dogtown Reservoir:
Take Fourth Street south and
turn left (east) on forest service cindered road 140; follow signs
to lake. Campsites, restrooms, drinking water and fishing available.
Bill
Williams
Mountain: The mountain offers a
panoramic view from the top, visible are the Grand Canyon,
Verde
Valley and the majestic
San Francisco Peaks. There is plenty of
wildlife and each summer, a phenomenon occurs, the hatching of lady
bugs. Their numbers are so extraordinary that many of the trees turn
orange hue. Take County Road 73 to FDR 111 and turn right. This road
is not suitable for motor homes.
45-minute drive
Museum of Northern
Arizona: Located in
Flagstaff, 32 miles east of
Williams. In
Flagstaff; go north on Hwy. 180
about three miles to sign. Has international reputation with many
Indian artifacts.
Northern
Arizona
University: In
Flagstaff, the north campus of NAU
is an historic landmark. Also on the campus is an Olympic-sized
indoor pool, an observatory, and the J.L. Walkup Skydome, which is
where most athletic events are held.
Lowell Observatory: World famous observatory
located in
Flagstaff.
One-hour drive
Walnut
Canyon: Take I-40
east to exit 204; follow signs.
San Francisco Peaks & Snow Bowl: Tallest mountains in
Arizona
at 12,670 feet. Scenic sky ride to 11,500 feet in summer, with
skiing in the winter. From
Flagstaff, take Hwy .180 north, and
follow to snow bowl turnoff.
Slide
Rock
State Park, &
Oak Creek
Canyon: From
Flagstaff, take Hwy. 89A South.
Colorful red rock and sandstone formation, craggy cliffs and trout
streams. Campsites are available, along with picnic tables,
restrooms and grills.
Sedona: Go through
Oak Creek
Canyon (see above) to
Sedona. A haven for artists and craftsmen that is filled with art
galleries and antique shops.
Verde
Valley: The
Perkinsville Highway connects
Williams to the
Verde
Valley, winding through
pine forests to high desert lands. Jerome, a once booming mining
town, sits on the side of
Mingus
Mountain. Various
antique shops and places of interests fill the streets of this
historic town. Red Rock country lies below the mountain, where the
city of
Sedona
lies. Take County Road 73 out of Williams and continue south. Winter
access on this road is limited.
Grand Canyon: Follow Route 66 east which will
turn into Highway 64. Continue north on Hwy. 64 for approximately 57
miles.
Sunset
Crater & Wupatki
National Monument: In
Flagstaff, Take Hwy. 89 North for 10
miles. Colorful Crater formed by volcanic eruptions 900 years ago.
Campsites available. To get to monument, (and various other Indian
ruins) stay on the loop road. Picnic tables are available at
monument.
Grand Canyon IMAX Theatre: Follow signs for
Grand Canyon. Take Hwy. 64 for 52 miles to
Tusayan. Theatre is on the left.
Fishing at Scenic Lakes around the Area
Whether is rainbow
trout, catfish or crappie, the lakes around Williams offer plenty of
Fishing opportunities. The lakes within 18-mile radius of Williams
are well-known statewide for their scenery, serenity, and good
fishing.
Cataract Lake
is about one mile west of Williams. There are 18 campsites with
picnic tables and fire rings. Pit toilets are provided and drinking
water is available, but not during the winter months. There is a
cement boat-launch ramp. Power boats can have single electric motors
or single gasoline engines of 8 horsepower or less.
To get to Cataract Lake
from Interstate 40, take exit 161; turn right onto Country Club
Drive if coming from the east or left if coming from the west. After
passing under the railroad tracks, turn right immediately and go
about one mile.
Kaibab Lake
is about four miles east and north of Williams and limited service
during winter months. There are 70 campsites with fire rings and
picnic tables. Pit toilets and water faucets are scattered
throughout the campground. There is also a barrier-free pier for
fishing and a cinder boat –launch area. Fresh water is not available
during winter months. Power boats are limited to single electric
motors or single gasoline engines of 8 horsepower or less. To get to
Kaibab Lake take I-40 two miles east of Williams and get off on exit
165. Go north two miles on Arizona 64 to the campground entrance on
the west side of the highway. These are paved roads.
Dogtown Lake
is about 6.5 miles south and east of Williams and has limited
services during winter months, there are 51 campsites with picnic
tables and fire rings and one group site. There is a small-boat
launch ramp. Pit toilets and water faucets are scattered throughout
the campground. Power boats are limited to single electric motors of
1 horsepower or less. To get to Dogtown Lake from Williams, turn
south on Fourth Street and drive 3.5 miles to FDR (Forrest Developed
Road) 140. Turn left on FDR 140 and continue for three miles to FDR
132; turn left onto FDR 132 and follow to Dogtown Lake. The roads
are graveled for all-weather sedan use; but are usually closed by
snow during winter months.
J.D. Dam,
located 19.5 miles south and east of Williams, offers abundant
fishing in a beautiful setting. No toilets, tables or drinking water
are available, and power boats are limited to electric motors of 1
horsepower or less. Also, camping is not allowed within one quarter
mile of the lake. To get to J.D. Dam from Williams, turn south on
Fourth Street and go about nine miles to FDR 110. Turn left on FDR
110 and continue 7.5f miles to FDR 109. Turn right onto FDR 109 and
go 2.5 miles to FDR 12. Take FDR 12 south (right) four miles to FDR
110. Turn right and proceed approximately one-tenth of a mile to FDR
105 and go half a mile to the lake.
White horse Lake
is 19 miles south and east of Williams. Constructed in 1935, the
popular site offers solar-powered composting toilets, paved roads,
concrete camp pads and walkways. Power boats are limited to single
electric motors of 1 horsepower or less. There is no water in the
winter time. To get to White Horse Lake from Williams, turn south on
Fourth Street and drive nine miles to FDR 110. Turn left on FDR 110
six miles and turn left again onto FDR 109. Go three miles to the
campground entrance. For more information on fishing sites, call the
visitor center at 520-635-4061
SOURCE: Visitors Guide
