May 2023 – The Granite Dells at Watson Lake near Prescott, Arizona, are a spectacular moonscape of rounded granite boulders that beg to be climbed on and explored. These gorgeous rocks line the shore of the lake and pop up out of the water here and there, forming mini islands. The views from every vantage point are magnificent.

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We have seen The Dells from a distance many times, catching brief glimpses of them as they appeared on the horizon for a split second while we drove to or from Prescott’s historic Courthouse Square.
This year, on an RV trip to nearby Lynx Lake, we had a chance to get a closer look at Watson Lake’s Granite Dells, and what a rewarding experience that turned out to be!

The Granite Dells are a magnificent moonscape of rounded boulders on the shores of Watson Lake.

The Dells are a fabulous place to explore on foot — or by boat!
We climbed and scrambled and followed the narrow hiking trails along the edges of Watson Lake. The trails dodged between the boulders and sometimes vanished to become just white dots painted on the rocks until the trail resumed on the other side of the boulders. It made for fun and easy route finding and gave each hike an amusing twist!

The hiking trails were gravel in some places but became white dots painted on the rocks in others!

Buddy was totally in his element and scampered over the rocks in sheer delight!

Buddy was in his element. We were too!

All smiles!
We made a point to go to Watson Lake at dusk on several afternoons, hoping to catch the Granite Dells in the beautiful soft golden light of late afternoon and then watch a stunning sunset. Mother Nature has its own agenda for sunsets, however!
The boulders seemed to glow as the last rays of sun hit the Dells.

Golden glow.

What a place!
As I began setting up for a shot, I noticed my shadow on the rocks. How cool is that?!

A ghostly figure under a full moon across from me was busy taking photos of the incredible landscape!
Watson Lake is very popular with kayakers, and we saw lots of them out on the water. As the sun began to sink low in the sky, the kayaks came in from all directions to return to the boat ramp.

Exploring the hiking trails was great, but checking out the views from a kayak might be even better!

Kayaks returned to the boat ramp at the end of the day.

A kayaker navigates the island Dells to return to shore after a nice ride.
Every direction we looked we saw a stunning view, and we wandered happily from one dazzling photo op to the next. Some of the trees were standing in the water. They looked quite peaceful and very much at home!

Heavy rains this year raised the water level until the trees were immersed.

The trees didn’t seem to mind this extra drink one bit.

When the sun slipped over the horizon, Mark caught a starburst between the tree branches. Just as he hit the shutter button, Buddy walked right into the picture! But we both love how it turned out.

Buddy photo-bombed this photo at just the right moment.
Buddy then took a seat so as not to photo-bomb any more images, and he kept a close eye on us.

Buddy patiently waited and watched as we took endless photos.
One night, the sunset was more subdued than we would have wished, but the setting was so glorious it didn’t matter. Such beauty!

The Granite Dells at dusk.

Magnificent!
On another night, the brilliant colors in the sky we’d hoped for never appeared at all. But we were in seventh heaven anyway, crawling around on these rocks and savoring the gorgeous views.

I noticed this wonderful dead tree by the side of the trail and Buddy watched me as I got set up. Behind him, Mark was busy creating another beautiful composition.

Watson Lake and the Granite Dells are such a surprise in the high desert and pine forests of Prescott AZ.

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At last we got a sunset to remember. The sky and its reflections in the water went from bright orange to peachy pink to a rich pink and blue.

Lots of people come out to Watson Lake to watch the sunset, and when the sky first lit up on fire, we heard a roar of cheers from somewhere high up in the rocks!

Then the sky turned peach and pink.

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And then it settled into a rich pink and blue. Ahhhh!

“That was such a rush, I’ve gotta rest for a while!”
We will always remember that afternoon!
If you visit Prescott, Arizona, be sure to wander down to Watson Lake Park and explore the Granite Dells. There are lots of trails to choose from. We stayed close to the shore but the Dells fill a huge area that extends all the way from Watson Lake to neighboring Willow Lake a few miles away.
Watson Lake is popular with both locals and visitors, and you’ll have plenty of company to share the experience with. But everyone around you will be grinning from ear to ear and will be very happy to be there. It’s that kind of place!

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Location of The Dells – Google Maps
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