Willow Springs loop trail invigorating, beautiful
Although it’s best known as one of the top mountain-bike trails on the Mogollon Rim, the Willow Springs Lake Trail also provides an invigorating trek for those who prefer to hoof it.
Located 30 miles east of Payson with easy-to-find trailheads along State Route 260, the route is made of closed doubletrack dirt roads and lakeside footpaths that ramble through ponderosa pine forests and boggy backwaters above the spring-fed fishing hole.
Blue diamond tree blazes and generic bike signs mark the way. Some turns are easy to miss, so be sure to spot the next marker at each junction.
The loop swings through prime wildlife habitat where there’s always a good chance of spotting deer, elk and waterfowl. Black bears also inhabit the pineaspen woodlands but are much more elusive.
Where the forest is thickest, you’ll notice orange and blue bands on some pine trees. These markings indicate areas prepped for thinning projects that will improve forest health, biodiversity and wildlife environments while reducing the chance of catastrophic wildfires.
Near the halfway mark, the route passes several shallow ponds and marshes before meeting the shores of the lake. Slabs of limestone that line the 150-acre lake serve as convenient seating to take a break and watch for ospreys gliding above and diving for trout.
The trail parallels the water for about a quarter-mile before it turns uphill and heads back into the forest. The return leg of the loop climbs up a shaded ridge where bright blue Western day lilies and brilliant red paintbrush flowers blossom in the cool sheets of spring water that cascade over the trail and into the lake below.
Length: 7.9 miles. Rating: Easy.
Elevation: 7,600-7,300 feet.
Getting there: Horse Trap Trailhead: From the intersection of State Route 86 and State Route 260 in Payson, go 31 miles east on SR 260 to the Horse Trap trailhead on the left between mile markers 284 and 285 (across from Young-Heber Road). Follow the short access path and head right at the first junction. Larson Ridge Trailhead: From the SR 87/260 intersection, go east on SR 260 to Larson Ridge Road (Forest Road 237). Turn left on FR 237 and continue a short distance to the parking area with restroom on the left just south of FR 237A. The trail starts a few yards up the road from the parking area at an unmarked gate on the left.
Details: Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests, www.fs.usda.gov/asnf.