Stewart Pocket Loop Payson • Hike • Arizona • All Triplogs • HikeArizona.COM

Payson, AZ

Hiking		May 11 2025
		pseudalpine • Triplogs 1,290

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2 archives

Oct 04 2022

The_Eagle

Guides 41
Routes 1,626
Photos 14,983
Triplogs 2,760

69 male

Joined Jan 20 2009
Far NE Phoenix,

Cypress - Boulders - Monument Loops, AZ

Hiking		Oct 04 2022
		The_Eagle • Triplogs 2,760

Hiking	9.62 Miles	598 AEG

Hiking	9.62 Miles	3 Hrs 7 Mns		3.09 mph
	598 ft AEG		12 LBS Pack

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Boulders - Monument Peak Figure 8

Stewart Pocket / the Joint

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Route Recorded on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX

Tried out a new area for me.

Cool to start, perfect temps to finish

Cypress Trail is a smooth wide trail with some nice views

The Boulders Loop Trail is made up of Boulders South and Boulders North. These were my two favorites for the day. Great views and tread. This loop would be good for out of town AEG challenged midwestern flatlanders. There are a few steep sections to let them know they are no longer in Kansas.

The Monument Peak Loop is a one and done for me. It looks like the majority of it's traffic comes from motorized traffic. The north side of Monument Peak has some redeeming qualities. It looks pretty nice hiking next to the small Creek.

It'd be best to hit anyone of these trails on a weekday. They appear to be popular and may be be busy on the weekend

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Trail Signs and Markings

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness."
Dave Barry

May 14 2021

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		May 14 2021
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	4.70 Miles	400 AEG

Hiking	4.70 Miles
	400 ft AEG

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Stewart Pocket - Balanced Rock Loop

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Took a visitor on this easy loop

Saw no one else.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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Aug 24 2019

FOTG

Guides 37
Routes 556
Photos 10,872
Triplogs 1,052

43 male

Joined Jan 21 2013
AZ

Payson, AZ

Climbing		Aug 24 2019
		FOTG • Triplogs 1,052

Climbing	1.58 Miles	29 AEG

Climbing	1.58 Miles	47 Mns	2.02 mph
	29 ft AEG

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Pernell and I headed back to the Pocket on Saturday. This time we hit up the Tonto Buttress in an attempt to get some more work in together as we prepare for a big one in the Canyon in October.

Apart from the 5.11- sport route, it was all moderate two pitch trad leads for us on Saturday. We were able to climb until noon along the entirely western facing cliff bands of the Tonto Buttress. This is a pretty cool area, its a bit rugged and the routes are not clean, but we both still enjoyed the area. The climbs have a little bit of an adventure feel to them and I always like that. There are several opportunities for more development in this area too and if the weather ever cools we may head back out there in search of a few FAs.

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Jun 12 2019

markthurman53

Guides 187
Routes 989
Photos 12,068
Triplogs 864

72 male

Joined Jun 27 2015
Tucson, Arizona

Stewart Pocket Loop, AZ

Hiking		Jun 12 2019
		markthurman53 • Triplogs 864

Hiking	5.07 Miles	650 AEG

Hiking	5.07 Miles	2 Hrs 20 Mns		2.72 mph
	650 ft AEG	28 Mns Break	15 LBS Pack

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The second hike for day 2 in Payson was the Stewart Pocket Loop. This loop is made up of an off trail route, the Cypress and North Boulder Trails of the Payson Area Trail System (PATS) and a section along Granite Dells Road. This hike varies from the posted description for the Stewart Pocket Loop in that I stayed on the North Boulder Loop Trail to Granite Dells Road and followed the road back to the start point.

This Loop starts on the Granite Dells Road where the road crosses a creek just south of Monument Peak. There is parking for one car where the Forest Service built 3 rock pillars to block forest access to motorized vehicles which people have bypassed (I guess they figured the forest Service just had extra rocks and decided to build 3 pillars but they put them right in the middle of the road). This first portion is off trail and just follows up the creek to a point at the base of Yerba Senta Butte where it connects up with the Cypress Trail of the PATS. Fairly easy going on this off trail section, just keep taking the creek branch that heads toward Yerba Senta Butte. Once near the butte there is a jeep trail that is the northern portion of the Cypress Trail. This portion of the Cypress Trail to the trail head at the end of Phoenix Road is a jeep trail so it goes straight up and down gullies with very slippery gravel on granite. Granite rock Boulders become more prevalent as you approach the Phoenix Road trail head. This first portion of the hike takes you along the north side of Stewart Ridge and to the south of Yerba Senta Butte.

At the Phoenix Road trail head the Cypress Trail changes to an actual trail. The trail now follows along Stewart Creek all the way to the North Boulder Trail and continues on the Creek to Granite Dells Road. This trail now goes through Pine and Cypress forests through a wonderland of granite boulders. This portion of the trail reminded me of the Wilderness Of Rocks Trail on Mount Lemmon near Tucson. I was fascinated by the large Cypress trees along the creek, straight and erect, very organized branch growth. This is very different from it's related cousin, the Juniper Tree, that is a slob with it's any which way it can branch growth. I still have to do more research on Cypress/Juniper because I saw another variation on the bark of some where the bark pealed off and made a very smooth reddish brown surface, very much like the large Manzanita bush bark. Stewart Creek was running on the lower half along the North Boulder Trail.

I enjoyed this hike and it appears it is a favorite of the locals as I ran into a few others that do this as a morning routine. This is also a favorite of mountain bikers although I didn't run into any (or should I say none ran into me). I finished around noon and the temp was 95 degrees so I called it a day for hiking. This might be an interesting hike during the monsoon season because of the creek even though it would still be a bit warm and muggy.

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Feb 28 2016

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Feb 28 2016
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	12.00 Miles	1,200 AEG

Hiking	12.00 Miles	6 Hrs	2.18 mph
	1,200 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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Stewart Pocket - South Loop

Boulders - Monument Peak Figure 8

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Did a triple loop in the Payson trail system. We went in search of 60F temps :lol:

and found them: 60 at the start, 70 at the end! Not many people in the first 10 miles, saw 5 people and 5 squirrels

We saw quite a few people the last couple of miles. Stewart Creek had a nice steady flow.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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2 archives

Aug 03 2015

The_N

Routes 54
Photos 1,508
Triplogs 325

39 male

Joined Mar 18 2015
Payson, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Aug 03 2015
		The_N • Triplogs 325

Hiking	5.49 Miles	502 AEG

Hiking	5.49 Miles	2 Hrs 6 Mns	2.72 mph
	502 ft AEG	5 Mns Break

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First time on the PATS. I'd been reluctant to check this trail system out, but the suggestion of a neighbor swayed me so I looked up a couple of loops in the area. This was the first of two on the day. This hike was mostly off trail and up dry creek beds and washes with the first and last miles on actual trail. Some spots have the feel of seclusion and then around the next bend is an old sofa and a TV full of bullet holes. Pleasantly surprised to not encounter a rattler on such a warm day and in what seemed like ideal rattler territory. At one point I did spook a pair of owls who took off right above my head and swooped into higher trees. This was a cool little hike to get me started but I had my eyes on the ridgeline looming over me and headed for Gibson Peak next.

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If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

2 archives

Apr 05 2015

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 05 2015
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	10.50 Miles	980 AEG

Hiking	10.50 Miles	4 Hrs 50 Mns	2.33 mph
	980 ft AEG	20 Mns Break

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Stewart Pocket - South Loop

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We did 3 loops in the Stewart Pocket area (Stewart Pocket loop South, Cypress :next:

Boulders loop and Monument Peak loop).
Not many folk around we only saw 2 dirt bikes and 2 small ATVs.

Wildflowers Observation Isolated

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1 archive

Apr 20 2014

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Apr 20 2014
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	9.70 Miles	1,560 AEG

Hiking	9.70 Miles	5 Hrs	2.12 mph
	1,560 ft AEG	25 Mns Break

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Stewart Pocket - South Loop

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It doesn't have a remote feel being so close to Payson but this area is really nice with lots of red rock, boulders and formations.

We did two loops:
Gibson connector :next:

Stewart Pocket loop South and then Cypress :next:

Boulders loop. We got rained on for about 10 minutes.

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Sep 06 2013

BEEBEE

Guides 13
Routes 100
Photos 1,794
Triplogs 372

51 male

Joined Jul 27 2011
Mesa AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Sep 06 2013
		BEEBEE • Triplogs 372

Hiking	4.62 Miles	294 AEG

Hiking	4.62 Miles	1 Hour 30 Mns		3.08 mph
	294 ft AEG		10 LBS Pack

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Got out of work early today and decided to get out of the heat found myself in Payson with a co-worker and knocked this one out quick. We ran into 2 Deer and a hawk. Nice easy one after work

Stewart Creek

Pools to trickle

_____________________

"I hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: as government expands, liberty contracts."

Jul 13 2013

kingsnake

Guides 116
Routes 337
Photos 11,399
Triplogs 894

63 male

Joined Dec 20 2010
Sunnyslope, PHX

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Jul 13 2013
		kingsnake • Triplogs 894

Hiking	6.02 Miles	679 AEG

Hiking	6.02 Miles	2 Hrs 21 Mns	2.56 mph
	679 ft AEG

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Thnkfully the Hwy 87 brushfire was quickly extinguished ( http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2013/ ... es-hwy-87/ ), allowing me and my wife to head back up to rim country for a hike. (I had considered a hike near Wilhoit, but thought it too soon to drive through Yarnell.) This area seemed like it would be easy enough that my wife should be able to do a few miles of it, while allowing me to go a bit further.

The designated trail is braided with ATV/dirt bike trails, but if you pay attention to the many signs, you need not worry about straying. Plus, even if you get off trail, the hiking is relatively clear. (There was a prescribed burn there in 2008: http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=350106 ). The trail is wide and mostly free of obstacles; you can safely spend most of your time gazing at the scenery rather than your footing. The sand can be a bit deep in spots, though. The washes are not much different than the trails, and the most pleasant wash walking one could possibly hope for. In the few spots blocked by rocks or deadfall, the slope of the washes is a mild angle of only 5-20 feet ( http://hikearizona.com/photo.php?ZIP=350104 ).

Wow, the rocks are awesome!

And the way they are stacked on top of each other, really makes you wonder how they got that way. :-k

My personal theory is alien overlords, like in "2001: A Space Odyssey".

The west-east wash ends at the local shooting gallery, by the large caged cairns on FR 435. There's a dead critter there, whose proximity to the shooting gallery I thought suspicious.

After the hike, my wife and I ate at the Buffalo Bar & Grill in Payson. PBR is the perfect post-hike beer: light and refreshing without an excess of flavor. My wife loved her Asian chicken salad, and my buffalo burger was mighty tasty as well.

I'll definitely return to explore more of that south/southeast Payson area ...

Culture

Culture [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Inscriptions Trail Signs and Markings

Named place

Named place [ checklist ]

[ checklist ] Monument Peak

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http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored.

Oct 28 2012

Routes 36
Photos 2,658
Triplogs 1,347

67 male

Joined Jul 28 2004
Scottsdale, AZ

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Oct 28 2012
		mazatzal • Triplogs 1,347

Hiking	11.00 Miles	1,570 AEG

Hiking	11.00 Miles	6 Hrs 10 Mns	2.10 mph
	1,570 ft AEG	55 Mns Break

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First time here - found it here - another first.
:thanx:

HAZ
We did a couple of loops - easy trails and very scenic area. Worth a visit and looks to have some interesting areas to explore further.

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1 archive

Nov 23 2011

donqcryer

Guides 8
Routes 19
Photos 304
Triplogs 51

76 male

Joined Oct 06 2011
Payson, AZ &

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Nov 23 2011
		donqcryer • Triplogs 51

Hiking	4.62 Miles	294 AEG

Hiking	4.62 Miles	2 Hrs	2.92 mph
	294 ft AEG	25 Mns Break

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aspen still holding on to their yellow leaves, as are the willows and cottonwood

Autumn Foliage Observation Light

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Oct 18 2011

donqcryer

Guides 8
Routes 19
Photos 304
Triplogs 51

76 male

Joined Oct 06 2011
Payson, AZ &

Payson, AZ

Hiking		Oct 18 2011
		donqcryer • Triplogs 51

Hiking	8.00 Miles	500 AEG

Hiking	8.00 Miles	5 Hrs	1.78 mph
	500 ft AEG	30 Mns Break

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