Moving to White Mountain Lake, AZ? A Local Resident’s Honest Guide

If you’re thinking about moving to White Mountain Lake, Arizona, you’ve probably got a handful of questions regarding utilities, schools, shopping, and just living in a small town.

This guide is an honest look at living in White Mountain Lake from an actual resident who has lived here since 2018.

We had the usual questions, and made many assumptions based upon our previous big city life, and then we found out there was so much more to know about living in White Mountain Lake that we didn’t even know to ask about!

Where Is White Mountain Lake, Arizona?

White Mountain Lake sits between Show Low to the south and Taylor-Snowflake to the north, giving residents convenient access to shopping, dining, employment, and services in multiple nearby communities.

Travel Times

When traveling to neighboring towns from White Mountain Lake, you can expect the following one way times:

To Taylor-Snowflake – 20-25 minutes
To Show Low – 20-25 minutes
To Lakeside – 25-30 minutes
To Pinetop – 30-35 minutes
To Flagstaff – 2 – 2 1/2 hours
To Phoenix – 3 hours minimum

All of these times are to the main road through town.

The Private Lake

One of White Mountain Lake’s biggest attractions is its private lake, which offers boating, fishing, swimming, and picnicking. However, lake access is tied to specific properties and is one of the most misunderstood aspects of moving here. Before purchasing property, it’s important to verify whether the parcel includes lake privileges.

Learn more in our White Mountain Lake Access Guide.

Internet, Utilities, and Working from Home

Reliable internet connection is another important topic for people living in White Mountain Lake. Thankfully, there are several options for most people, and most are reliable enough for gaming, streaming, and working remotely from home.

Read our Internet Providers Guide for more detailed information on internet services in White Mountain Lake.

Public Water System

The homes and vacant lots in the main area of White Mountain Lake have water provided from our own water company. If you live in outlying areas, however, you will need to have a well or haul water.

Keep in mind, too, that our water is fed from several large water tanks via electric pumps. So… when the power goes out occasionally, you won’t have running water either.

Remember when I said rural living was a lot different than city life? Yup.

Electricity

Homes and lots within White Mountain Lake will have access to electric through APS. Even some of the outlying lots have access to electric through APS, but if you get out to the 40 acre parcels, there may not be electric nearby, so if you don’t want to pay to have power lines run to your lot, alternative power sources will be necessary, such as solar or wind power.

Septic Systems

If you are purchasing vacant land, obtaining a perc test is important. Why? Because White Mountain Lake is situated above many very big, very heavy rocks.

What is it Like Living in White Mountain Lake?

Living in a small town like White Mountain Lake is much different than living in a big city. It’s even different than living in a small town like Show Low or Snowflake or Pinetop, all of which have their own particular living feel.

Dark Skies, Cool Starry Nights

One of the first things you’ll notice, is the sky when you step outdoors at night. It’s dark and it’s starry! Unless it’s cloudy, it’s easy to see so many stars and constellations. (You might even want to invest in a telescope soon!)

Watching the meteor showers is usually as easy as stepping out your front or back door.

Cooler Weather for Many

If you’re coming from southern Arizona like Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, or even parts of California, you’ll notice it’s significantly cooler. Specifically, temperatures in White Mountain Lake are very consistently 20 degrees cooler than Tucson.

Also, if you come from the hotter climate cities, you’ll notice we have four seasons here. FOUR! Spring and Fall are more than just the blink of the eye.

Even in the summer when the temps are in the 90s, you’ll find that a lot of days still have a lightly cool breeze blowing.

But other days there’s no breeze and the sun just beats down on you.

Wind!

It’s not always windy in White Mountain Lake, but when it is, you want to check your yard for potential flyaways.

Usually the windy days come in clusters of a few days each. They happen all year round.

A “breezy” day will have winds of about 10-20 mph. A “windy” day will be 20 – 30 mph winds with gusts up to 40 or so. A really windy day will hit 20 – 40 mph with gusts up to 50 (higher than that is rare, but it happens.)

Dust!

Wind brings dust and many of our roads are dirt roads. If you live on a dirt road, or especially at the busiest part of a dirt road, you will encounter dust in your yard and in your house.

“Smoking” Juniper Trees

In the spring, the male juniper trees let loose of their pollen and it looks like the trees are letting off smoke.

This is also a whole new allergy for a lot of people.

Fewer Neighbors

Depending on where you live now and where you move to in White Mountain Lake, you may have larger lots and more space between neighbors than you are used to. Many lots here are ¼ acre. Not many are smaller, but quite a few are a bit larger.

You will notice that many lots here are undeveloped. It’s quite possible to find a home or vacant lot without direct neighbors all around you for the time being.

Also, if you do have neighbors, they may be seasonal visitors and not around all year anyhow.

Now, if you want to move on the outskirts of White Mountain Lake (to the north and to the east of us) you will find land parcels ranging from five acres or so, up to 40 acres and occasionally more. .

The Exceptions to Distant Neighbors

There are a few exceptions to larger lots and fewer neighbors than city life.

First, Juniper Ridge Resort and The Villas at Juniper Ridge are 55+ senior living resorts. They have both seasonal and year round residents. Some are site built homes (in The Villas) and some are mobile homes, park models, and RVs (Juniper Ridge Resort).

Also, there are some townhomes right near the lake, some with a great view of the lake!

Also again, there are some newly converted apartment homes, but only a few and really, it’s more of a multi-family townhome situation.

Running Into People You Know

Because White Mountain Lake is so small and there are only a couple thousand people in our community, you will likely run into people you know regularly when you’re out shopping and things, even in Show Low or Taylor-Snowflake.

This certainly helps foster a community feel. When volunteering or attending local events, you’ll certainly see people you know from the community. It’s also easier to get to know people and make friends because the population is so much lower than cities.

Wildlife

We have animals!

First, you need to be careful driving for the deer and elk that run and jump across the roads and highways. If you see one, you can be sure there are more.

You may also see antelope, deer, elk, beavers, raccoons, coyotes, wolves, and bobcats. Even mountain lions and bear have been seen and up here on the golf course and in the neighborhoods.

We also have skunks, as many dog, including ours, will testify to.

And for smaller critters, you may see snakes. I’ve heard of rattlesnake sightings, but all we’ve ever seen were friendly gopher snakes.

Also be ready for spiders, centipedes, and flying insects of many variety in the spring.

No HOAs (mostly)

Another major perk WML residents like is the lack of Home Owners Associations in White Mountain Lake. The exceptions are Juniper Ridge Resort, The Villas at Juniper Ridge, Eagle Crest subdivision which is near the lake and Birdie Ranch Golf Course, and probably the townhomes have HOA or HOA-type rules.

CC&Rs and Deed Restrictions

The lots in White Mountain Lake were divided into 18 sections. Some sections are for site built homes only, while some were designed solely for mobile homes.

Each of these 18 sections has its own set of Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions, or CCR’s. You can purchase copies of any of these sections at our local post office.

Weather in the White Mountains

The White Mountains have four distinct seasons, unlike southern Arizona cities and some other surrounding areas.

In our experience, summer temperatures have not topped 100 degrees, although historical weather records may differ.

Evening and overnight temperatures are very comfortable to be outside in or to leave the windows open overnight if you like that.

Winter days are crisp and nights are usually below freezing, in the teens and 20s.

Snowfall in White Mountain Lake is enjoyable if you like snow and tolerable if you don’t like snow. Usually there are a few snowstorms that accumulate a few inches, but melted away within a day or so.

“Mountain Weather – Predictable Unpredictability”

One thing you can count on with our weather is what we call “mountain weather”. This means simply that you can count on the forecasted weather to change.

If you see a rainstorm in the forecast on Tuesday next week, be assured that Tuesday next week will not have that rainstorm. It will either move out a few days, or dissipate altogether. The same with forecasted snow storms.

But if the forecast says wind, expect the wind.

Jobs and Employment

One thing prospective residents should understand is that White Mountain Lake itself has very few employment opportunities. While there are a handful of local businesses, most residents commute to nearby communities such as Show Low, Taylor-Snowflake, Pinetop-Lakeside, or even beyond for work.

Common local employment sectors include healthcare, education, retail, construction, and trades.

If you’re moving from a larger city, it’s important to recognize that the White Mountains generally offer fewer job opportunities and a smaller job market than Phoenix, Tucson, or other metropolitan areas. For that reason, many newcomers choose to secure employment before relocating or ensure that remote work is a viable option for their situation.

On the other hand, many residents feel the trade-off is worthwhile. A slower pace of life, shorter and/or quicker commutes than major cities, access to outdoor recreation, and a strong sense of community are often cited as reasons people choose to live here.

Schools and Families

Families moving to White Mountain Lake have several educational options available. Because there are no schools within White Mountain Lake, students have the option to attend Taylor-Snowflake schools, or Show Low schools. Buses for both school districts shuttle kids to and from White Mountain Lake.

For post-secondary school, Northland Pioneer College is a local community college option.

Many homeschooling families live in the White Mountains and many get together regularly for play days at the park and other group activities.

Family Life

One thing many families appreciate is the slower pace of life and the amount of outdoor recreation available to children. Fishing, boating, hiking, camping, hunting, and youth sports are all popular activities in the area.

In both Taylor-Snowflake and Show Low, you’ll find indoor swimming pools, parks, splash pads, and skate parks. You’ll also find teachers of gymnastics, martial arts, music, and more.

And movie theaters are in both Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside.

For many residents, however, the trade-off is worth it. The combination of smaller communities, outdoor recreation, and a slower pace of life is one of the reasons families choose to make the White Mountains home.

Shopping and Restaurants

When it comes to grocery shopping and dining out, White Mountain Lake has only a few options in the community.

Currently we have a locally owned general store (with many more items than you might expect, including an dedicated freezer cooler full of Blue Bunny Ice Cream flavors!) and a Dollar General.

For dining, White Mountain Lake has a local hideaway restaurant, a restaurant at Birdie Ranch Golf Course, a small, but delicious burger shack, and a brewery.

Grocery shopping can be done in Taylor-Snowflake, Show Low, and Pinetop. They have grocery stores and WalMarts, and grocery delivery is available from many of them, which is very convenient.

Home Depot and Lowe’s are across from each other, about 25 minutes away in Show Low.

Restaurants of many kinds are in our surrounding towns: Mexican, pizza, Italian, steak, BBQ and more. You will also find a variety of common, popular fast food restaurants in our surrounding towns.

Healthcare and Medical Services

Healthcare services and Summit Hospital are available in nearby towns, primarily in Show Low. Services include primary care, urgent care, specialists,and hospital services.

One benefit of living in a smaller community is that wait times can sometimes be much shorter than what many people are accustomed to in larger cities.

We’ve personally visited urgent care on more than one occasion and both times nobody else was in the waiting room.

For highly specialized care, advanced procedures, or certain specialists, you may elect, or be required, to travel to larger cities such as Phoenix or Flagstaff.

Is White Mountain Lake Right For You?

You May Not Love White Mountain Lake If:

You want city conveniences
You dislike driving more than a couple miles to get somewhere
You need a lot of nightlife and entertainment
You prefer highly developed neighborhoods
You don’t like freezing temperatures

New to White Mountain Lake?

If you’re considering a move to White Mountain Lake, these additional guides can help answer some of the most common questions from newcomers:

White Mountain Lake Access Guide – Learn how lake privileges work and how to verify whether a property includes access rights.
Internet providers – Compare internet options for streaming, remote work, gaming, and rural properties.
New Resident Checklist – Important things to do after moving to the area.
Buying Land in White Mountain Lake – What to know about vacant land, perc tests, utilities, and building.
Utilities Setup Guide – Information about water, electric, propane, internet, and other essential services.
Cell Phone Coverage Guide – What residents experience with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and other carriers.
Schools and Education Guide – Learn more about local school districts, charter schools, and homeschooling options.
Things to Do in the White Mountains – Explore outdoor recreation, events, hiking, fishing, boating, skiing, and more.

Concluding Thoughts

White Mountain Lake isn’t for everyone, and that’s exactly why many of us love it.

If you’re looking for a quieter lifestyle with room to breathe, access to Arizona’s beautiful White Mountains, and the unique benefit of a private lake community, it’s worth taking a closer look.