Woods Canyon Lake Question (Gilbert: unemployment, school, camping)

[MeridithJill]

hello, my husband and I are heading up to woods canyon lake area and have a question. We are going up Early sunday morning and just hanging out and spending the night and leaving sometime on Monday. I know it is in season right now and the little kidlings are out of school. Is wood canyons lake gonna be really really packed? I know there are other rim lakes up there that we could go to...its just that woods canyon seemed most accessible and I am 8+ mos. preg. (but feeling very well) We were just looking to get out of the valley one last time and take a scenic drive before i have baby and we both like to camp. Any recommendations?

[azcater]

It seems most weekends up there are pretty busy... my best advice would to be just get to the lake early (maybe before 9am), get a parking spot and then hang out. We got there shortly after 9 one weekend in Sept and the parking was almost full. Parking is really the only issue, it never felt crowded next to the lake, etc. Woods Canyon is perfect with you being pregnant and wanting something close and not too far off the beaten path. :-)

[dookieboy]

Getting there early on a Sunday may not help much with the crowd factor as most spots will be gone as of Friday afternoon/evening. If you can and have the time, either go up on Sunday afternoon as the crowds will be thinning out by then and stay till Tuesday. Or just go up early Monday. Yes it is summer so you won't have the place to yourself, but you will have less than half the traffic as on a weekend. Hope you have a nice relaxing time.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by MeridithJill

its just that woods canyon seemed most accessible

..and that's the problem. It'll be marginally OK by late Sunday afternoon when all the worker bees have to go home. Although with all the unemployment, places seem crowded now when they were not last year.

BTW, you can still camp with a baby. I took my kids out within weeks of their birth. They're not that fragile. Humanity did not evolve in a McMansion in Gilbert

[rambrush]

the only other alternative would be willow springs, but it will probably be packed as well.

[MeridithJill]

well, I only have monday off. we'll find something, maybe at a diff. lake. Yeah, we plan on camping with baby...however this will be the last time for awhile that we will be alone and I need need need to get out of the valley and we have other stuff going on this month so this will be our last chance. Thanks for all your input.

[snowthedirtbub]

I have a question, me and my friends are planning going camping this tuesday through thursday and we are looking for a good camping spot. We want it to be kind of secluded without a lot of people, and near a lake/river so we can fish. I was thinking about Knoll lake because I have been there before and enjoyed it, but this is the first time my friend has been camping and he wants to have easy access in case of emergency, and Knoll lake is kind of in there. Any suggestions? How is Willow Springs lake and woods lake? I haven't been there, are they busy, and how far are the campsites from the lake?

[rambrush]

Willow springs used to be a decent lake, u r going in the middle of the week so that is a good thing. Fishing next to the dam was good spot. there was bass in there as well though it was not advertised.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by MeridithJill

well, I only have monday off. we'll find something, maybe at a diff. lake. Yeah, we plan on camping with baby...however this will be the last time for awhile that we will be alone and I need need need to get out of the valley and we have other stuff going on this month so this will be our last chance. Thanks for all your input.

A very long while. Enjoy your trip!!!

[snowthedirtbub]

Any word of fire restrictions? I called and all I got was recorded message that didn't help much.

We decided on woods canyon lake also. NVM found my own answer, currently no fire restrictions if anyone is wondering.