Hawley Lake in the White Mountains {Arizona Family Fun}

My family enjoyed Memorial Day weekend in a cabin at Hawley Lake.  I grew up enjoying frequent family camping weekends.  Unfortunately it has been a very long time since my parents, brothers, and I were able to coordinate our schedules to go camping together.  Last weekend my parents, husband, and daughter had some family fun in the White Mountains. 

Hawley Lake

My parents regularly stay in cabins at Hawley Lake and have their preferred favorites when making reservations.  I booked the cabin just two weeks before the holiday and at that time there was only one cabin available.  It worked out perfectly with the right amount of room for our small party of five.

Hawley Lake is just over a four hour drive from the Phoenix area.  We left our home early Friday afternoon and made a few stops on the way.  My daughter was very excited when we saw the sign to enter the campground.

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The weather was in the 70s during the day and we really enjoyed our time outside exploring. 

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My daughter had fun watching chipmunks run through the grass.  She was determined to figure out where they disappeared to.

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We purchased fishing permits and fished several different times over the weekend.  Hawley Lake has plenty of fishing areas including a dam and many nearby lakes.  We didn’t catch any fish but sure had a lot of fun!

We barbecued dinner on our cabin porch just before dark each night.

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Board games provided great entertainment after dark.

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Roasting marshmallows in the wood stove was another fun evening activity.

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A cow wandered up to our cabin and became quick friends with my daughter.

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One of my daughter’s favorite activities over the weekend was catching crayfish with my husband.  She had never seen a crayfish before and happily spent hours looking for them under rocks in the lake’s shallow water.

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Our family had a great time doing some activities together that aren’t part of our normal routine.  Hiking, fishing, following chipmunks, and staying up way past our bedtimes was fun!

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We will definitely plan another visit to Hawley Lake soon.  During the summer months, the Hawley Lake cabin reservations fill quickly.  For the best options, make your reservations early. Hawley Lake cabins have rates starting at just over $100 per night.  With family or friends splitting the nightly rate, this is a great frugal getaway!  Visit the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s Hawley Lake information page to learn more about booking your stay.

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