Forest Road 502 to East Verde River

FOREST ROAD 502 to EAST VERDE RIVER

A calm bend in the East Verde River near Payson

From sweeping mountain vistas, to rolling, juniper-dotted rangeland and a leafy river canyon, a walk along Forest Road 502 delivers a packed agenda over its short, hilly course. 

View of North Peak from FR 502

Adopted by the Tonto Recreation Alliance, a non-profit, volunteer partner of Tonto National Forest that works to keep hundreds of miles of forest trails open and maintained for motorized off-road use, the dirt two-track a few miles west of downtown Payson offers a quick, lightly trafficked route to the East Verde River.

High desert valley vistas abound on FR 502

Sego lilies bloom Apr - July

Located a few miles south of Tonto Natural Bridge State Park east of Pine Creek, the road, which is open to hikers, equestrians and OHV use is a sweet find for those who appreciate a simple trek peppered with many points of visual interest.

You might encounter livestock on FR 502

 

From a dirt pull out along Doll Baby Ranch Road, the hike begins by passing through a barbed wire gate (close it behind you) where visitors are immediately smacked with breathtaking views of  Mazatzal Wilderness peaks including 7,449-foot North Peak, the northernmost  prominent peak in the Mazatzal Range.

Goodding's verbena blooms Feb - Oct

Barberry shrubs bloom Feb- May

The road veers left at an unsigned fork at the 0.1-mile point. After that, all junctions are signed “502”.  As the road makes an easy push through sunny juniper-pinon open range, views of a landscape rife with landforms with imagination-stoking names like Polles Mesa, Whiterock Mesa, White Hills, Horsethief Bench, Limestone Hills and Pilot Knob roll out in all directions.

Milkvetch is a common spring bloomer

Majestic land forms all around.

The largely unshaded route is flanked by a fringe of flowering shrubs, yucca and a colorful understory of classic high-desert wildflowers including delicate sego lilies, purple Goodding’s verbena, milkvetch, Blackfoot daisies and flame-red paintbrush. 

Velvet ash trees huddle around East Verde River

At just over the one-mile point, the road begins a series of gradual ups-and-downs that land hikers at the East Verde River. The final,  descent into the river canyon is somewhat rocky and steeper, but not too difficult.

Paintbrush bloom Mar - Sep

The road meets the water at 1.8 miles where hikers may explore along the rocky banks and spindly velvet ash trees to spy trout swimming in deep pools.

Trailhead on Doll Baby Ranch Road

Road ups and downs total over 780 feet in elevation change

While the river makes for a good turnaround point, hikers may consult the Tonto Recreation Alliance downloadable maps to extend the trip by way of several connecting roads.

Blackfoot daisies bloom Mar- Dec

LENGTH: 3.6 miles roundtrip (to the river and back)

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 3,717 – 4,058 feet (781 feet of accumulated elevation change)

GETTING THERE:

From State Route 87 in downtown Payson, go 6.3 miles west (go left at the light) on Main Street which will turn into Country Club Road and then Doll Baby Ranch Road (FR 406) to the trailhead on the right.  Park in the dirt turn outs by the gate and the “502” sign.

INFO & MAPS:

Tonto Recreation Alliance

tralaz.org

 

 

Crackerjack Road

CRACKERJACK ROAD

The FR 209 crossing of the East Verde River

From its source on the Mogollon Rim near Washington Park north of Payson, the East Verde River flows southwest through Tonto National Forest, feeding a gorgeous swath of greenery before merging with the Verde River. 

The first part of the hike follows Ash Creek

Over its 34-mile length, the central Arizona waterway cuts through a transitional landscape where the desert creeps up against sheer rock escarpments at the edge of the Colorado Plateau trickling down from an environment of tall pines and forest lakes into high desert scrub and rugged backcountry of the Mazatzal Wilderness.  

Milk vetch is a common bloomer along the hike

Where the tributary stream wraps around Houston Mesa Road at its confluence with Ellison Creek, the Water Wheel group of recreation sites attract anglers, bathers and hikers. 

Riparian corridor of the East Verde River

Those who don’t mind crowds, noise and hefty day-use fees will have a blast at these splashy, easy-access hot spots.  But for a less congested look at the waterway’s midsection, take a stroll on a nearby back road. 

FR 209 crosses Ash Creek several times

More plod than plunge—don’t bother packing a swimsuit-- this moderate hike follows Forest Road 209 that’s also known as Crackerjack Road.  

Sycamore and chiseled cliffs line FR 209

The dirt track, which is part of the Payson OHV Trails system, begins 3 miles north of town off State Route 87.  From the highway, it’s just over a 3-mile hike to the East Verde, but it’s the stuff in between that makes this walk memorable. 

Crossing at the East Verde River

Seeds of an ash tree

The road traces the course of Ash Creek, crossing it several times as it makes a gentle descent through pine woodlands.  The first mile passes by many campsites used by OHV enthusiasts but soon leaves the party scene behind and enters a stunning, canyon-bound riparian corridor. 

Shaggy, green-white bark of an AZ sycamore

Lined with sycamores, cottonwoods and the eponymous ash trees, the trip unpacks amazing views of sculpted cliffs and scoured ravines.  At the 2-mile point near where some powerlines cross the route, the road emerges from the deep woods around Ash Creek and heads uphill where the gaping gorge of Horton Canyon stand out to the south.  

Fresh sprouts on an ash tree

At the top of a rise, first glimpses of the river’s emerald entrenchment winding past the East Verde Estates community come into view.  To the north, peeks at the distant flat-topped Mogollon Rim barely rise above a terrain of endless gullies, hills and juniper flats.  From this point, the road dips downhill paralleling the river’s flood plains.

Vegetation thrives along Ash Creek

The road heads uphill near Horton Canyon

Corralled by colorful stone embankments rubbed smooth by running water, the East Verde River crossing is a beautiful little place with room to explore along its banks. 

Gregg's ceanothus shrubs smell like lilacs

Still pools, clear cascades and tumbling mini waterfalls reflect russet rock walls and leafy fringes for many perfect photo opps.  

The hike turnaround point is where clumps of reeds and saplings encroach upon a concrete slab that spans the water and a Salt River Project water monitoring station stands near a massive cottonwood tree.  For a longer albeit dryer and hotter hike, follow the road another 4 miles to the Crackerjack Mine site, otherwise, backtrack and enjoy the watershed in reverse.

Peaceful scene along the East Verde River

LENGTH: 6.4 miles round trip to the river and back.

RATING: moderate

ELEVATION: 4,389 – 4,831 feet (1,083 feet of accumulated gain)

GETTING THERE:

From the State Route 87/260 junction in Payson, go 3 miles north on SR 87 to Forest Road 209 at milepost 256 on the left.  Park in the dirt turnout or continue along FR 209 to one of the many parking aprons and campsites along the road.  The road is sedan-friendly for about one mile. 

INFO: https://www.tralaz.org/

 

Shannon Gulch

SHANNON GULCH

FR 74 leads into Shannon Gulch

More than 2,000 feet above where the East Verde River crosses State Route 87 north of Payson, snowmelt and rainwater that will eventually drain into Arizona’s rivers and streams begins with a journey through porous escarpments before spilling through springs at the base of the Mogollon Rim. 

The shrubby folds of Shannon Gulch

Below the Rim’s vertical cliffs that rise to over 7,000 feet and make a 200-mile, east-west stretch through central Arizona, an edgy, almost claustrophobic territory of high mesas, dizzying gorges and backwoods is home to a maze of tributary creeks and drainages that feed into the East Verde River which in turn flows into the Verde and Salt Rivers, two of Arizona’s most important water sources. 

Mogollon Rim vistas from the road's highpoint

A hike through this tangled, geologically and botanically diverse region is as much an origin story as it is a walk in the woods.

Milk Ranch Point, promontory on the Mogollon Rim

While the nearby 50+ mile Highline Trail, which is part of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, clings to the craggy Rim walls, the terrain farther downhill is a more bucolic, less precipitous place.

Several rough dirt roads venture into this scenic slice of hilly watershed.

Oak, cypress and junipers line FR 74

One to try is Forest Road 74 which makes a dive into the green folds of Shannon Gulch to explore a cloistered pocket of backcountry east of the popular Water Wheel recreation sites on Houston Mesa in Tonto National Forest.

The downhill section of FR 74 feature great views

The trek begins at a dirt turnout on Control Road (Forest Road 64), a historical route that traces the base of the rim for 23 miles between State Route 87 and just south of the town of Pine and State Route near Christopher Creek.  From the small parking area, the hike heads south following FR 74. The road is open to motorized vehicles capable of handling its rocky, twisted course, but hikers have the advantage of savoring the many natural features that unwind along the way.  

The backroads below the Mogollon Rim are scenic treasures

Cedar Mesa dominates the horizon on FR 74

Wide and easy to follow, the road hike begins with an easy walk through junipers and scrub oaks with the impressive bluff of Milk Ranch Point jutting skyward to the north and views of the Rim extending to the eastern horizon.  Over the first half-mile of hiking, the road inches up it to its highpoint where a short spur leads to a lookout mound with far-reaching views.  The panoramic vistas are swallowed up as the road begins a 500-foot descent along the edge of Shannon Gulch.

A grove of cypress trees grow near the bottom of Shannon Gulch

Making an abrupt cut in the landscape 12 miles north of Payson, the gulch is lodged between the hulking flattop of Cedar Mesa (5,542 feet) to the west and the Diamond Rim and the ragged valley cut by Webber Creek and to the east.  The rough-cut road spirals downhill passing root-tangled eroded cliffs and patches of tight-packed manzanita shrubs. 

See-forever vistas from the road to Shannon Gulch

After rounding a couple of bends, dramatic views of the Mazatzal Mountains open up to the south while the imposing nose of Cedar Mesa looms overhead.  At the 2-mile point, the road meets a junction with Forest Road 1582. This makes for a good turnaround point, but to ad length, veer right to stay on FR 74 which continues another 3.2 miles briefly following the course of Webber Creek over Deer Flat and hopping the jumbled cut of Cherry Creek before ending at a barely there turnout on State Route 87 just north of the East Verde River.

LENGTH:  5.2 miles one way or 4 miles round trip to FR 1582.

RATING:  moderate

ELEVATION:  5,400- 4,800 or 5,400 – 4,916 to FR 1582

GETTING THERE:

From the State Route 87/260 junction in Payson, go 12 miles north on SR 87 to milepost 265 (2 miles north of the turnoff for Tonto Natural Bridge State Park to Control Road (Forest Road 64).

Turn right and continue 3.3 miles to Forest Road 74 on the right. Park in the dirt turnout.  Control Road is maintained dirt suitable for all vehicles.  

INFO: Tonto Recreation Alliance

https://www.tralaz.org/

COLONEL DEVIN TRAIL #290

COLONEL DEVIN TRAIL #290

View from near the top of Col. Devin Trail.

For casual travelers, the East Verde River is synonymous with water play destinations along Houston Mesa Road north of Payson. The Water Wheel, First, Second and Third Crossing recreation sites offer walk-up access to the canyon-bound water course.

The trail ascends through the E. Verde River watershed.

A tributary of the mighty Verde River, the slim waterway begins as trickling springs that emanate from rugged escarpments below the Mogollon Rim.

Boxelder trees thrive along the E. Verde River.

Bigtooth maple leafs float in the E. Verde River

The river’s enchanting watershed area can be explored by way of the Colonel Devin Trail #290 that follows its course from Washington Park to the springs that feed it.

Named for Colonel Thomas C. Devin who used the route for military endeavors in the 1880s, the dirt trail that alternates between a rutted two track and slender path also makes up the last two miles of Highline Passage of the Arizona Trail.

A typical scene on the lower part of Col. Devin Trail.

Col. Devin Trail is part of the Arizona Trail.

The route’s proximity to the river and its drainages makes for a shady trek best done in fall or spring when water levels peak and foliage is at its most beautiful.

Although the forest service rates this hike as difficult, just about anybody can manage the first mile. Adding to the hike’s many natural attractions, the trail is bookended with tributes the area’s human history.  At the Washington Park trailhead, the hike begins at an informational kiosk with plaques that describe  past military operations, pioneers and economic development.

Trail sign near Rim Road.

White watercress grow in a drainage that feeds the E. Verde.

Take a moment to read the posters to gain an appreciation for the storied past of the territory you’re about to walk through. Beyond the kiosk, the path crosses the first of 4 bridges---two metal spanners constructed by the Arizona Trail Association and two split-log catwalks—that take the jump out of creek crossings.

The trail climbs more than 1000 feet to the top of the Rim.

Railroad Tunnel is an optional & difficult side trip. 

Boxelder trees turn lemony-yellow in autumn.

Tracing the waterway through forests of mixed conifers, maples, boxelders, Gambel oaks and an understory of canyon grape vines and blooming shrubs, the first segment of the hike is a not-too-difficult, visual delight. The sound of waterfalls and cascading rivulets adds a pleasant soundtrack to this leafy stroll. One mile from the trailhead, the route merges with the decommissioned military road and begins its 1000-foot climb to the top of the Mogollon Rim.  The next half-mile is defined by a moderate ascent on the banks above the river where dribbling feeder streams and spring water tumble down to join the main channel. Where water glides across the trail, a smattering of aspens and Arizona sycamores sprout from moist soils and sandy washes.

Deep woods define the first mile.

A bridge built by the AZT Assoc. spans the E. Verde River.

The demanding work begins where the trail makes a sharp right at the Tunnel Trail #390 junction. Enter the elephant in the room: Railroad Tunnel. An optional quarter-mile difficult side trip to a much-hyped, graffiti-spoiled excavation site can be an interesting diversion for history buffs and hikers who enjoy an off-the-wall diversion. Unlike the ore it was to have hauled from the copper-rich mines around the town of Globe, plans by the Arizona Mineral Belt Railroad to bore through the Mogollon Rim for quick transport of the goods to Flagstaff didn’t pan out. The futile 1880s tunnel project went bust and was abandoned, leaving behind mounds of rubble and a dank, 70-foot-deep stone cave that’s been defaced by modern-day vandals. 

The upper trail is steep and rocky.

Unless you’re into visiting quirky bits of Arizona history; skip the gritty climb and continue uphill instead. The final ascent up to Rim Road (Forest Road 300) creeps up a steep, rocky bench passing by some of the springs and seeps that are the source of the East Verde River. These inconspicuous trickles eventually funnel into the Verde and Salt Rivers that converge more than 100 miles south just a few miles east of Phoenix.

The sound of rushing water augments the hike.

AZ sycamore trees thrive in moist areas along the trail.

Major climbing ends at a pair of trail signs just below the road. Although the great views here might make for a satisfying turnaround point, the hike ends a few steps farther up to the road at the Battle of Big Dry Wash historical monument that marks an 1882 clash between the U.S. Army and the Apache Tribe. 

The E. Verde River originates below the Mogollon Rim.

Use this bookend to a scenic and historically-significant trek to either double back or continue north on the Blue Ridge Passage of the Arizona Trail.

Bigtooth maple leaves glow in the sun.

LENGTH: 2 miles one way

RATING: difficult

ELEVATION: 6097 – 7280 feet

GETTING THERE:

Washington Park Trailhead:

From Payson, go 1.7 miles north on State Route 87 to Houston Mesa Road (Forest Road 199), turn right and continue 10 miles the “T” intersection at Control Road (Forest Road 64) in the Whispering Pines community. Turn left, go 0.6-mile and take a right on Forest Road 32.  Go 3.2 miles to Forest Road 32A (sometimes signed as Belluzzi Blvd), turn right and continue 1 mile to the trailhead. From the big Arizona Trail sign, cross the bridge, head left and go right at the trail #290 sign. Roads are maintained dirt suitable for all vehicles. No fees or facilities at the trailhead.

INFO: Tonto National Forest
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/tonto/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=35617&actid=50