Christopher Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
| Address: | Christopher Creek Campgrounds Access, Payson, AZ 85541, USA |
| GPS: |
34°18'46.2"N 111°2'19.7"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Arizona |
| Trails/Routes: | 1.1 mi |
Restrooms Rivers Trails Rocks Pet Friendly Fishing Motorized Use
Camp, Canyoneer, Cross Country Ski, Hike, and Swim
Christopher Creek is a popular campground situated just east of Payson, nestled between the Christopher Creek river, and the town of the same name. This site is used for both overnight and day-use stays in the canyon, and has amenities such as picnic tables, pit toilets, grills, campfire rings, and drinking water. There are several swimming holes along the adjacent river, as well as a couple small waterfalls. The creek is stocked with trout each spring, making it and the nearby lakes a great destination for fishing. The site is closed to camping from October until April, but is available for cross-country skiing during the snowy winter.
The campground crosses over the creek, providing some opportunities for swimming and hiking. Other nearby attractions include hiking and canyoneering in the neighboring gorge, or horseback riding at ranches down the road.
Bear activity has been noticed in the area, and the U. S. Forest Service would like to remind any visitors to take necessary precautions, especially when storing food overnight.
Reservations can be made at Recreation.gov, and can be made up to three days or as far as 6 months in advance.
More Information
Aspen Campground at Woods Canyon Lake
Aspen Campground at Woods Canyon Lake, the most popular camping area in the entire state, has much to offer. Virtually every amenity is either available on site or within a few miles. The Aspen Campground set just 1/2 mile back from the lake and has 136 campsites all nicely spaced, you won’t feel too crowded, even for such a large campground. Aspen campground is well shaded by ponderosa pine, oak, aspen and douglas firs.
http://www.camparizona.com/Campsites/PaysonCampsites/Aspen%20WC.htmChristopher Creek Campground | Camping Mama
Posts about Christopher Creek Campground written by campingmama
https://campingmama.wordpress.com/category/reviews/christopher-creek-campground/Christopher Creek, Arizona | Near Payson AZ
Christopher Creek, AZ and Christopher Creek Campground is ideal for those that want to escape the summer heat to high mountain pine country.
https://www.arizona-leisure.com/christopher-creek.htmlswimmingholes.org Arizona Swimming Holes and Hot Springs rivers creek springs falls hiking camping o
THE web site for beautiful, natural places for a cool dip or hot soak.
https://www.swimmingholes.org/az.htmlBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read More
- Plan Ahead and Prepare
- Travel & camp on durable surfaces
- Dispose of waste properly
- Leave what you find
- Minimize campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be considerate of other visitors
Directions
From Payson, Arizona
- Head northeast on AZ-87 N toward E Frontier St (0.7 mi)
- Turn right onto AZ-260 E (19.7 mi)
- Turn right onto Christopher Creek Campgrounds Access (118 ft)
Other Swimming Holes, Hiking Trails, Canyons, and Cross Country Ski Trails Nearby
Christopher Creek Gorge
Payson, Arizona
1.0 miles WCold, clear swimming holes and rappellable waterfalls in a canyon just outside Payson — cold year-round, with a wetsuit recommended in cooler months.
Canyoneer, Hike, Swim 3.3 mi
See Canyon Trail
Payson, Arizona
2.1 miles NEA wooded Arizona trail climbing from Christopher Creek to the Mogollon Rim — easy and flat for the first mile (great for kids), then progressively steeper, with a side trail to See Spring for water.
Hike 0.8 mi
Promontory Butte
Payson, Arizona
3.0 miles NWSpectacularly scenic views from the edge of the Mogollon Rim, reached via old forest roads — a remote destination said to offer the best vantage over the forest below.
Hike
Upper Tonto Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
3.6 miles NWA 9-site first-come-first-served campground at the junction of Tonto and Horton Creeks — with vault toilets, drinking water, and trailheads for Horton Spring and the Highline Trail nearby.
Camp, Hike 1.1-3.5 mi
Horton Springs
Payson, Arizona
3.7 miles NWA spring on the Mogollon Rim where water emerges dramatically from the mountainside — hike the easy Horton Creek Trail through wildflowers and maples, splash in the cold creek, and camp near the spring.
Backpack, Camp, Hike 2.3 mi
Gordon Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
5.3 miles EA secluded ponderosa oasis outside Payson with a seasonal waterfall that gushes in spring or after monsoon rains — dry or muddy when rainfall has been scarce.
Hike, Swim 4.0 mi
Woods Canyon Lake
Payson, Arizona
5.6 miles EA trout-fishing lake near Payson with a scenic loop hike and Mogollon Rim views — swimming is not recommended, but the scenery and fishing make it well worth the visit.
Camp, Hike, Swim 1.7 mi
Meadow Trail #505
Payson, Arizona
5.6 miles EMeadow Trail #505 is a short, paved, wheelchair-accessible path along the rim of Woods Canyon Lake, high on Arizona's Mogollon Rim.
Hike
Hell's Gate
Payson, Arizona
7.2 miles SWHellsgate Wilderness hides deep canyon pools possibly separated by impassable falls in a remote 37,000-acre preserve — a true adventure for spring and fall explorers.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim
Haigler Canyon Campground
Payson, Arizona
7.8 miles SEA 2007-built campground along Haigler Creek with 14 overnight sites, trout fishing stocked April through late August, and chiseled canyon swimming holes nearby.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Sinkhole Campground
Payson, Arizona
8.7 miles ESinkhole Campground sits in cool ponderosa pines atop the Mogollon Rim, a short walk from the trout waters of Willow Springs Lake.
Camp, Hike, Mountain Bike
Payson Area
Cornville, Arizona
13.8 miles WThe Payson area northeast of Phoenix offers numerous swimming holes in the Tonto National Forest rivers, including Ellison Creek Falls, Christopher Creek Gorge, Fossil Creek, and Verde Hot Springs.
Swim 0.2-0.6 mi
Ellison Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
14.2 miles WFour waterfalls, multiple swimming holes, and trout fishing along Ellison Creek near Payson — the most popular stop is a short walk from the parking lot.
Dive, Hike, Swim
East Clear Creek
Happy Jack, Arizona
17.9 miles NWA Wild and Scenic river winding through the Mogollon Rim with canyon views, cliff-scaling canyoneers, trout fishing, and deep swimming holes for a full adventure day.
Canyoneer, Hike, Swim 0.8-1.8 mi
Kinder Crossing Trail #19
Happy Jack, Arizona
18.8 miles NA short but steep 0.75-mile hike dropping 500 feet to beautiful East Clear Creek — high-clearance vehicle required on FR 95T, no motorized vehicles past the trailhead, closed in winter snow.
Hike, Swim
Bearfoot Trail
Strawberry, Arizona
26.2 miles WBearfoot Trail (#13) is a mellow, shady Mogollon Rim hike and mountain-bike ride linking Strawberry to Pine Creek, near Pine, Arizona.
Hike, Mountain Bike 1.0 mi
Maxwell Trail No. 37
Happy Jack, Arizona
26.5 miles NWMaxwell Trail drops from the Mogollon Rim down into West Clear Creek, ending at shaded swimming holes, small caves, and great fishing — water shoes required.
Hike, Swim 0.6-2.9 mi
Tramway Trail No. 32
Happy Jack, Arizona
27.6 miles NWA steep, rock-scrambling descent through the Mogollon Rim to West Clear Creek, with deep fishing and swimming holes waiting at the bottom — not for beginners.
Hike, Rock Climb, Swim 1.1-4.6 mi
Fossil Creek Dam (Toilet Bowl)
Pine, Arizona
30.9 miles WA waterfall over an old Fossil Creek dam with a spinning natural rock slide that launches swimmers into the main pool — plus a shallow cave for shade on hot Arizona days.
Dive, Hike, Swim 0.1-3.8 mi
Fossil Springs Trail No. 18
Pine, Arizona
30.9 miles WA 4.75-mile desert canyon trail to the springs and an old dam in the Fossil Springs Wilderness — little shade and a brutal uphill return make summer visits genuinely dangerous.
Hike, Horseback, SwimNearby Campsites
Upper Tonto Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
3.6 miles NWA 9-site first-come-first-served campground at the junction of Tonto and Horton Creeks — with vault toilets, drinking water, and trailheads for Horton Spring and the Highline Trail nearby.
Camp, Hike 1.1-3.5 mi
Horton Springs
Payson, Arizona
3.7 miles NWA spring on the Mogollon Rim where water emerges dramatically from the mountainside — hike the easy Horton Creek Trail through wildflowers and maples, splash in the cold creek, and camp near the spring.
Backpack, Camp, Hike
Aspen Campground
Payson, Arizona
5.4 miles EA large, popular campground near Woods Canyon Lake in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest — note that Rim Road closes in winter, so the site is inaccessible during that time.
Camp 4.0 mi
Woods Canyon Lake
Payson, Arizona
5.6 miles EA trout-fishing lake near Payson with a scenic loop hike and Mogollon Rim views — swimming is not recommended, but the scenery and fishing make it well worth the visit.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Hell's Gate
Payson, Arizona
7.2 miles SWHellsgate Wilderness hides deep canyon pools possibly separated by impassable falls in a remote 37,000-acre preserve — a true adventure for spring and fall explorers.
Backpack, Camp, Hike, Swim
Haigler Canyon Campground
Payson, Arizona
7.8 miles SEA 2007-built campground along Haigler Creek with 14 overnight sites, trout fishing stocked April through late August, and chiseled canyon swimming holes nearby.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Sinkhole Campground
Payson, Arizona
8.7 miles ESinkhole Campground sits in cool ponderosa pines atop the Mogollon Rim, a short walk from the trout waters of Willow Springs Lake.
Camp, Hike, Mountain Bike
Verde Hot Springs
Camp Verde, Arizona
37.7 miles WNatural hot spring pools beside the Verde River — the remnants of an old resort — reached by wading upstream from a dispersed camping area with no amenities near Sedona.
Camp, Hike, Hot Springs 0.4 mi
Clear Creek Campground
Camp Verde, Arizona
43.8 miles WA grassy creekside campground shaded by tall cottonwoods on West Clear Creek — ideal for hiking, swimming, fishing for smallmouth bass and sunfish, and wildlife watching in a desert canyon oasis.
Camp, Hike, Swim
Beaver Creek Campground
Camp Verde, Arizona
45.6 miles NWBeaver Creek is a refreshing creekside oasis in the high desert of central Arizona, where the cool, clear waters of Wet Beaver Creek wind beneath big cottonwoods and sycamores in the Coconino...
Camp, Canoe, Kayak, Swim
Beaver Creek Dispersed Camping
46.5 miles NW
Free dispersed camping on the cliffs above Beaver Creek.
Camp
