|
| | | |
| |
|
| Hiking | 5.60 Miles |
|
| | Hiking | 5.60 Miles | 3 Hrs 30 Mns | | 1.60 mph |
| | | |
| |
| Linked |
|
none
[ show ]
| no linked trail guides |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | We didn't get the memo about forest closures north of Control Road. So we drove all the way out to Payson to hike See Canyon up to Bear Canyon Lake and were really disappointed. We only brought descriptions for this hike. The only other option I was really able to consider was East Webber Creek trail which I had memorized, so we drove the 21 miles back to Payson and continued north up the 87... TO CONTROL ROAD!  After passing trail closure after trail closure heading east to from the 87 on CONTROL ROAD(!) we finally got the hint.
We talked to some folks and they informed us about the goings on. Frustrated at this point Wendi offered up the issue of Phoenix Magazine that we found the above two hikes and we set about trying to find something that would at least get us on the trails. That's how we found this hike and it's only determining qualification is that it was south of Control Road. The catch? It was "25" miles east of Payson off the 260, 4 miles past our original hike. ](https://hikearizona.com/dex2/images/smilies/eusa_wall.gif "Brick wall")
All in all this was nice hike. Largely creek side though the first mile and several areas along the way were a little dry. Oh, and the falls which were the destination of this hike were dry. But it was running nicely, and the meadow near the outset, and pine forest made this a fine hike. The falls area, though as I said dry, is 30 foot 3 tiered dark brown rock face with some really interesting lichen peppering the surface. Wendi and I decided to climb to the top and see what was behind the curtains. Nothing significant but more interesting rock.
Phoenix Magazine's published description of this hike says take 260 25 miles out of Payson to Colcord Rd. turn right and go 0.3 miles to a turn out on the right and park. 40ft south of the parking area is a gate. Head down hill to the creek follow it west/right, making sure to mark the spot you started from so you don't miss your exit. It lists the trail as an informal foot path, that is accurate. The falls are roughly 2.5+ miles down the creek. What they left out is that you have cross 3 barbed wire fences. The first was took some figuring (Mostly if I was breaking the law or gonna get shot, still not sure...didn't get shot). We did see 3 other groups on the trail so I'll take that as confirmation. We only noticed one "Property Boundary" (?) but that was on the way out and just before the final(final if you heading back to the TH) barbed wire crossing. We had noticed a bunch of overgrown/still in use jeep roads which paralleled the creek mostly on the south but sometimes north. This brought us close to where we actually jumped the first fence but we missed the sign coming in. Bare in mind you can cross the fence much closer to the creek than we did to avoid any misunderstandings.
There were a "Lots" of signs of elk and I even spotted one! Just the antler though and a lot of noise as it clamored down the hillside towards the meadow at the end. I was sure we would see more of him because he seemed to be heading right at us but he disappeared. Lots of other wildlife tracks and bones, and feathers. Some scat that I was not familiar with too. The closet we got to the falls area we began seeing crawdads, lots of little ones.
I would probably never drive all the way from Phoenix for this hike, and Phoenix magazine list this hike as a "Double-header" with another nearby hike they are calling "Gordon Creek Falls". Don't know much about that. All in all, in a pinch this worked out nicely. I think I'll give up on Payson for the season though, this day marks the second time I have not been able to do what we set out to do. |
| _____________________
| The Tree of Understanding, dazzling, straight, and simple, sprouts by the spring called Now I Get It. - Wislawa Szymborska, "Utopia" |
| | |
|
|
|
Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
