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Is there anywhere in Payson were I can do an easy hike and backpack over night at a lake? I want to fish at a lake but not stay in any of the forest service campgrounds. Also hike for a few miles to get the feel of a new backpack

Check out Mike's Chevelon Canyon to give you an idea of the area.

You can park just about anywhere along the FS roads where there's a suitable spot and dart into the woods.
Bear Lake is pretty cool as far as a foresty feel goes too.

about 45 minutes north of Payson (near clints well) is blue ridge resevoir which has plenty of opportunities for short hikes or backpacks and fishing.

I do a lot of fly fishing not to much backing anymore, but chevelon would be a good area

hellsgate might be a good area also. it would be a six mile backpack and I hear the fly fishing is fantastic (I don't fish...). There is also a way in from the young side and that's only a two or three mile hike.

I park my jeep at Woods Canyon Lake and backpack or mtn. bike camp from there. You can explore downstream from Woods Canyon or hike to nearby Willow Springs Lake and camp along/ near the north shore. Last year some idiot came in by boat and started a camp fire. The law enforcement folks came in a set up a beach head nearby and came sneaking thru the woods and came across my camp site (no campfire) and told me that I could not camp. I checked with the forest service and they said it was ok.

joe bartels wrote:Check out Mike's Chevelon Canyon to give you an idea of the area.

You can park just about anywhere along the FS roads where there's a suitable spot and dart into the woods.

Agree with Joe about Chevelon~~~great area!

I hiked into Chevlon before, Is the trail you are talking about start around a forest service campsite and then follow and rough dirt road down to the water. At the bottom is the dam and tied up canoes. Or does this trail start from another place?