Cabins, Boats, and Fishing. Right on Rainbow Lake.
Stay on the lakefront property in Pinetop-Lakeside, rent a boat from the dock, and spend your White Mountains getaway fishing, resting, and making memories by the water.
Rainbow Lake, 6,700 ft. Twenty degrees cooler. 3 hours up the 260.
Cool air. A lake out the front door.That's the trip you're picturing.
You keep meaning to get the whole family up to the lake before the kids are grown. But a big trip feels like a gamble: a lot of money, and somebody always ends up bored.
Rainbow's End is the one place big enough for everyone, with enough for everyone to do.
Book cottages side by side, so the whole family stays together.
Something for every age. Kids swim and fish, grandparents relax on the dock, everybody piles on the pontoon.
Grills and a firepit to cook and eat together. Bring the dog.
Call Chuck, he plans your first morning. You just show up.
Why you make the drive
Your kids catch their first fish. You finally exhale.
Three slow days on the water. The kids worn out and happy, the phone face-down in a drawer, and nothing on the schedule but the next cast.
Why guests come back
The lake is the whole point.
You're not booking a room near a lake. You're on a property that sits on the water, with the dock at the end of the path and trout swimming under it.
Right on Rainbow Lake
The whole property sits on Rainbow Lake. A row of cottages opens right onto the shoreline. Step outside and you're looking at the water. The rest sit a minute back across the grass. Want to wake up at the water's edge? Ask Chuck for a shoreline cottage when you book.
Boats waiting at the dock
Pontoons, fishing boats, kayaks, paddle boats, canoes. Rent the morning of, no trailer, no driving across town.
Family + dog welcome
Select pet-friendly cottages. Call Chuck and he'll match a unit to your dog.
★★★★★
"The cabin was 1 minute walk from the lake. Plenty for the kids to do with fishing, boating, water-trikes."
— TripAdvisor review
Before you book
This is a fishing camp. Not a luxury resort.
Liz & Chuck EngelhartOwners since 2012
Rainbow's End is built around the water. Clean cottages. Working dock. Real boats. Real fish.
If you're coming up to fish off the porch, run the dog in the grass, and let a campfire do the entertaining, you'll feel at home.
If you're looking for spa towels, valet, or turn-down service, you'll be happier somewhere else. Better to tell you up front than have you check in disappointed.
How it works
Three steps. No hold music.
1
Pick a cottage
Studio for two, larger cottages for the family. A few are pet-friendly.
2
Book direct
Skip the OTA fee. Call if you want help picking the right room. Chuck answers.
3
Slow down
Fish from the dock, take a pontoon out, sit at the community fire pit at sunset, repeat.
13 cottages on a lakefront property
Pick the cottage that fits the trip.
Studios for couples. Larger one and two-bedroom cottages for the family. Select cottages are pet-friendly. Paired duplex layout, each cottage shares one wall with a neighbor, so they're close enough to wave but built so the kids can crash without waking up the next unit.
Every cottage is named, not numbered: Aspen, Maple, Willow, Spruce, Elm, Pinon, Poplar, Cedar, Oak. Hand-painted sign by the door, knotty pine inside. Take the photo tours and see exactly what you're checking into.
Studio Cottages
375-500 sq ft · sleeps 2-5 · kitchen or kitchenette · on the property
Lakefront property
Best for couples. The lake is a short walk from the door.
1-Bedroom Cottages
400-600 sq ft · sleeps 5 · kitchen or kitchenette · grill · fireplace
Select are pet-friendly
Best for small families or a few buddies on a fishing trip.
Pine: the 2-Bedroom
1,200 sq ft · sleeps 7 · full kitchen · grill
Pet-friendly
The only 2-BR on the property. Best for full families and longer stays.
★★★★★
"The accommodations far exceeded my expectations. The unit was extremely clean and nicely decorated."
"The owner, Chuck, went above and beyond. Teaching us how to catch carp, showing us how to tie knots. He made our stay."
★★★★★
Gina, Booking.com, March 2026
4.3 average · 251 Google reviews · 8.8/10 "Very Good" · 369 Booking.com reviews
4.3
Google rating
251
Google reviews
86
TripAdvisor reviews
14+
Years on the lake
On-site boat rentals
Boat rentals at the property dock on Rainbow Lake.
No trailer. No driving. No public ramp lines. Walk down the dock, pick a boat, go fish.
Best for families
Pontoons
Shade, room to move, easy to fish off the side.
$150–1753-hour rental
For the angler
Fishing Boats
14-ft aluminum, electric trolling. Quiet enough to sneak up on bass.
$1253-hour rental
Best at dawn
Kayaks & Canoes
Single or tandem. Glassy water before the wind picks up.
$30–402-hour rental
For the kids
Paddle Boats & Aqua Cycles
They'll be busy for an hour while you read on the dock.
$30–502-hour rental
Boats are weather-dependent and non-cancellable once reserved. Cabin guests get first pick. Walk-ups can rent if there is inventory left. Call the morning of: (928) 368-9004.
Fishing on Rainbow Lake
Stocked trout, bass, catfish, and walleye.
Arizona Game and Fish stocks rainbow trout March through July. The lake also holds brook trout, largemouth bass, channel catfish, sunfish, and walleye.
116
Acres of lake
14 ft
Max depth
6,700 ft
Elevation
7+
Fish species
License required age 10+ from azgfd.gov. Buy before you arrive. Saves a trip to town.
★★★★★
"Wow, I was totally impressed. Much nicer than I expected… Fishing was excellent. 2 pound bass off the dock."
— Bob M, TripAdvisor
Liz & Chuck on the dock. Owners since 2012.
A good host matters
You came up for the lake. Chuck just helps you get to it.
You're the one taking the trip. When you check in, Chuck walks you to your cottage, points to where the trout are biting that week, shows you the boats, and gets out of your way. No hold music. No front-desk runaround. Just a host who lives on the property and knows the lake.
"This isn't a corporate resort. It's our home, and you're a guest in it." Chuck Engelhart, owner since 2012
Liz and Chuck took over Rainbow's End in January 2012 and have been rebuilding it ever since: new beds, new roofs, stocked kitchens. They'll help you pick the right cottage before you book, and they'll tell you up front: this is a fishing camp on a lake, not a polished hotel. If that's the trip you wanted, you'll feel at home.
Before you book anywhere
Five questions to ask any cabin rental on Rainbow Lake.
Ask these before you put a deposit down, here or anywhere else. Here's how Rainbow's End answers, straight.
Is the cabin actually on the lake?
The whole property sits on Rainbow Lake, and a row of cottages opens right onto the shoreline. The rest are a minute's walk across the grass. Ask Chuck for a shoreline cottage when you book. "Lakeside" down the road can mean a quarter-mile walk to the water.
Can you fish without leaving the property?
Yes. Off the property pier or right from the shoreline. Trout swim under the dock. First cast before coffee.
Do they rent boats, and from where?
Pontoons, fishing boats, kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats, rented at the property dock. No trailer, no public ramp lines, no driving across town. See the fleet →
Who answers when you call?
Chuck or Liz. The owners. They live on the property. No call center, no hold music. Try it: (928) 368-9004.
Can you see the exact cabin before you book?
Yes. Every named cottage has a real photo tour, shot on the property, nothing staged from a catalog. Look inside →
13cottages on the lake property
Whole propertyon Rainbow Lake
Pontoons, kayaks, paddle boats, canoesrented at the dock
Owner-runsince 2012
4.3 ★ · 251 reviewson Google
Ask those five anywhere you're considering. Rainbow's End is the place where you stay on the lake, fish off it, and rent the boat at the same dock.
Yes. The whole resort sits on Rainbow Lake. You can fish off the pier or right from the shoreline. Boats help you reach the better spots and rent on-site.
Are pets allowed?
Yes, in select pet-friendly cottages. $19 per pet per stay, two pet max. Pets must be leashed outside and supervised. Call (928) 368-9004 to match a pet-friendly unit to your dog.
Do I need a fishing license?
Anyone 10 and older needs a current Arizona Game and Fish license. Buy it online at azgfd.gov before you come up. Saves a trip to town.
What fish are in Rainbow Lake?
Rainbow trout (stocked March-July by AZGFD), brook trout, largemouth bass, channel catfish, sunfish, and walleye. Trout is the easy one. Bass takes more patience.
Can I rent a boat if I'm not staying here?
Cabin guests get first pick. If there are boats left over, walk-ups can rent too. Call the morning of: (928) 368-9004.
What's the cell signal like?
Verizon works fine. AT&T is spotty in spots. Wi-Fi in every cottage if you need to check in with work.
Is the kitchen stocked?
Pots, pans, plates, silverware, coffee maker. Bring your own coffee, oil, salt, and pepper. Grocery store is 8 minutes away in Show Low.
How far from Phoenix?
About 175 miles, 3 hours up SR-260. Easy drive, scenic. You'll feel 20° cooler when you get out of the truck.
No pressure, no hold music
Rather not call? Chuck will call you.
Leave your info and Chuck will personally call you back, the same day. For a faster answer, call (928) 368-9004. Ask about dates, cottages, boats, or whether the trout are biting.
Got it.
Chuck will call you back the same day. For faster help, call him direct.
He'll be calling from (928) 368-9004. Save the number so you know it's him.
"Wonderful staff, primo location and again right on the water." That's a real guest, and that's the trip. Check availability or call. Booking direct skips the booking-site fees. Chuck will help you pick the right cottage for your group and your dog.
