WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE LOOP TRAIL
WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE LOOP TRAIL Aspens and pines around Willow Springs Lake Although it�s best known as one of the best 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 up of closed double-track 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. Willow Springs Lake 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 during the hike. Black bears also inhabit the pine-aspen woodlands but are much more elusive. Hikers take a break at the lake Where the forest is thickest, you�ll notice orange and blue b...