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On several recent trips to both Horton and Tonto creeks, I have encountered cattle on the trail. You really have to watch where you step
Anybody know where they came from or why?

Yep, me too! After Tonto Creek (going west) there are a couple of ranches that the trail goes through. Maybe the cows are hiking? ;-)

Some of the grazing permits go back for generations. I've noticed that Clover Canyon tends to be but not this year for some reason, an every other year grazing. Grazing permits, like mining and water rights are age old in the west. But just case you are interested....
http://www.fs.fed.us/rangeland-manageme ... mits.shtml

Interesting to note that some are difficult to get since they have been permitted long ago.

I ran into a rancher just east of Tonto Creek recently who was out riding and checking fences. He's does this every year in an effort to keep cattle away from the creek during the busy summer months. They just didn't do too well at preventing that this year. If you go West from the Hatchery TH, the first few miles is all grazing land as well.

Plenty of cow pies in the lower section of Babe Haught as well.

While fishing Tonto up by the hatchery heard rustling in the bushes and thought it was a big bear! Yes cattle were distructive in this area.

I was up there this weekend and there are fresh patties all along the Highline from the hatchery to Horton spring, but did not see any cows.

@ALMAL
They go in their holes during the daylight hours.

@The_Eagle
From what I've read about the Highline, they've probably all been shot.

Derrick trail had plenty of cow pies, too, this weekend.

The amazing thing is that the FS is grazing cattle in areas thinned for fire prevention. This is beyond moronic. Cows reduce grass cover and increase cover of shrubs and trees. Faster growth of shrubs and trees makes the area more fire-prone and means that the area will have to be thinned or burned again sooner than it might be otherwise. Any money they are making in grazing fees will surely being lost in increased fire prevention expenses.

Our Forest Service: profiles in idiocy.

chumley wrote:From what I've read about the Highline, they've probably all been shot.

or stampeded to death by elk...

I'm waiting for the time they become protected wild bovines descended down from the first Spanish bovines.