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Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
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| Chevelon Creek flows north on the Mogollon Rim |
It's a long, dizzying hike
from the top of Telephone Ridge down to Chevelon Creek. The
1.25-mile, cliff-hugging trail plunges 700 feet to reach the pristine
waterway coveted by anglers and beloved by hikers seeking solitude in
this otherwise congested area of the Mogollon Rim south of Chevelon
Canyon Lake. Although the Telephone Ridge Trail #103 was built only
as a path from the rim to the creek, it's possible to continue hiking
up or downstream. Just follow the water and be prepared for creek
crossings and bush
whacking. Even if all you do is trek down trail
#103 to the creek and back, the trip is a satisfying adventure. Not recommended for the directionally challenged or
faint-of-heart, the narrow route snakes down the canyon wall through
a mix of pine-oak woodlands and precariously exposed ridges. In some
spots, social trails leave the true route heading straight down the
cliffs. The official trail makes much safer, long climb turns, so if
you find yourself going dangerously vertical, backtrack and scope out
the better (and more sustainable) path. At the bottom of Chevelon
Canyon, a field of deadfall from an old wildfire obscures the trail,
so make a mental note of your entry point before exploring the
alternating patches of open meadows, willow-cluttered bogs and deep
pools along the creek.
LENGTH: 1.25 miles one way on trail.
RATING: moderate-difficult
ELEVATION: 6,450' - 7,225'
GETTING THERE:
From Payson, go 29 miles
east on State Route 260 to Rim Road (FR300, signed for Woods Canyon
Lake). Turn left and continue 8.4 miles to FR 169, turn right and go
7.4 miles to FR 119. Follow FR119 1.5 miles to the FR 180 junction.
From here, the road degrades into a very rough, narrow 2-track suitable only for high clearance vehicles. At this point you can park in
the turnouts and hike or carefully drive the last 1.5 miles on FR 119
to the trailhead.
INFO:
Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/asnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=62790&actid=50
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/asnf/recreation/recarea/?recid=62790&actid=50
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