Pinetop-Lakeside: The Coziest Mountain town
- Emily Miner
- Jul 30
- 5 min read
There are so many amazing summer destinations in Northern Arizona but Pinetop-Lakeside has to be my favorite! Nestled in the White Mountains at an elevation of 7,000ft, this is an outdoor lover's paradise. Summer or winter this cute town always has the perfect vibes.
Where to Stay:
I have stayed many times in Pinetop and there are many cabins to choose from but my last stay at Adair Springs Retreat was literal perfection!!
- This is a 3 bedroom (and loft) cozy cabin with EVERYTHING you will need for your visit to Pinetop-Lakeside.
- The service and communication was phenomenal. The home felt so perfectly curated down to the little details which made our stay. Different types of coffee, salt and margarita glasses, and all the little things you might of forget when packing.
(Side note: the bed was so comfy I'm looking into buying the same type of mattress for my home! LOL)
- Fireplace, full kitchen, grill, fire pit, outdoor patio, front porch, back porch, laundry, games for kids, puzzles, xbox, pack n play, backyard playground, pickleball paddles AND EVEN kayaks! Including two kid kayaks!
-One of the reasons I love Pinetop so much is how quiet it is and this neighborhood did not disappoint. We always walk after dinner and this was such a charming neighborhood which brings me to my next point:
THE BEST PART:
Did I mention this is only 20 minutes walking to Woodlake Reservoir? My FAVVEE lake in Pinetop and I'll explain why later.
This is perfect Airbnb for a family or even just a couple like us! You can book on Airbnb or directly with them on their site. You won't regret it!!
Activities to Do:
Besides hiking (because we'll get to that later), there are many other activities in Pinetop:
Sunrise Ski Resort: Winter or Summer there is always something to do here.
This happens to be my favorite Ski resort (sorry Snowbowl). Even though they don't groom a lot of the trails this mountain is much better for beginners in my opinion. Trust me because I've been one of ones who was crying on the slopes at Snowbowl. (It's very steep lol) Also, prices are much more reasonable This truly is a hidden gem, I have skied when I felt I was the only one on the mountain!
Now Summer. I highly recommend riding the scenic chair lift at sunset for amazing views. Pinetop is one of the best locations for the sunset in the summer because it seems there are always clouds that the colors bleed into. They also have downhill mountain biking which I have always wanted to try. The alpine coaster is only $19.50 and that is steal because let me tell you, I just visited Breckinridge Colorado and that mountain coaster was $50!! Too steep for me.
They also have zip line, airbag jump, tubing hill, rock climbing wall, 3D archery and disc golf! So many activities you won't be bored here. It almost makes it hard to decide if its better in winter or summer! What do you think?
Fishing: Can you believe there more than 60 lakes and streams in the White Mountains!?
Rainbow lake is a favorite for fishing, there is not much beach area here so kayaking would be good for this one.
My favorite Woodland Reservoir. It can dry up quite a bit before the monsoons roll in, which was the case the last time I visited so Kayaking was a no go, but this is my FAVORITE place to watch the sunset. When the orange light comes through the trees nature just sings. God does some of his best work with the sunsets here. They also have a tennis/pickleball court, paved walking trail that goes all around the lake, disc golf, baseball/football fields.
Showlow Lake is much bigger and great for paddle boarding or kayaking. This is also a great hike around the lake and camping available.
Camping:
Hawley Lake, Fools Hollow Lake, Horseshoe Cienega Lake, Reservation Lake are all amazing lakes for camping! Pinetop, along with Flagstaff are some of the only towns where you'll want to camp during the summer because it never gets too hot. You can book campsites here.
Mountain Biking:
Personally I haven't had a chance to try out the trails here but The White Mountains Trail System is made up of more than 200 miles of non-motorized, multi-use trails-mountain bikers of all skill levels come here to single-track trails and the natural beauty within the pines. For more information, visit the TRACKS website or the Epic Rides website.
Best Hikes in the Area
The part you've all been waiting for! White Mountain Trail system provides more than 180 miles of developed multi-use trails.
I do this one every time: Woodland Lake Trail
Length: 1.1mi Elevation Gain: 16ft Average time: 20hr Difficulty: Easy
This is one of best places to catch the sunset. I love this entire park! There is so much to do here including tennis/pickleball and disc golf. Anyone can do this walking trail. There are ducks, geese and dragonflies. I love that Arizona doesn't have many bugs even when near water. Every time I'm in town I go to Woodland Lake.
A stroll in the Forest: Four Springs Trail
Length: 3.6mi Elevation Gain: 157ft Average time: 1hr 11min Difficulty: Easy
I was pleasantly surprised with this one because normally the harder the hike, the better it is, but I loved this one because you are just walking through the forest and its pretty flat so you can just look through the trees. Whenever I'm driving on the highway and there's trees on the side of the road, I always have a strong desire to just walk into them, and this trail felt like I was doing this.
There is also a creek along the way that was dry when I went so it made for big beautiful meadows. I also saw cows!! While keeping my distance I was able to snap of shot of a momma giving her baby a bath.
This is another easy hike that would be great for any level. I literally only saw 1 other person on this trail!
Only 10min from Pinetop: ShowLow Trail
Length: 2.1mi Elevation Gain: 42ft Average time: 38min Difficulty: Easy
Again another family friendly hike that is mostly shaded the entire way. I enjoyed walking on the waters edge and watching the boats and kayaks go by. I never saw another person on this trail.
Two Trails I have been wanting to try are Government Springs 95A and The Thompson Trail (which was closed the last I visited).
Both of these trails are toward Greer, Arizona about an hour away from the center of Pinetop. You can find information on these hikes on AllTrails and don't forgot to use this link for 30% off premium! I use mine all the time for downloading the maps so even when I don't have service I know where I'm going.
Travel Tips
Check fire restrictions if visiting in summer
Check road closures if traveling in winter
Follow Sunrise Ski resort to know when lifts are open for the season
Conclusion
I hope everyone gets the chance to visit this wonderful mountain town and with it only being 3.5 hours from Phoenix every should!
If you made it this far thank you for reading! :) Let me know what you think!
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