39 Hiking Trails near East Clear Creek
first prev 1 2 next lastShowing Hiking Trails within 50 miles Distance miles of Forest Service Rd 95, Happy Jack, AZ 86024, USA City, Zip, or Address
Kinder Crossing Trail #19
Happy Jack, Arizona
1.6 miles NEA 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 1.0 mi
Maxwell Trail No. 37
Happy Jack, Arizona
13.2 miles WMaxwell 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
14.7 miles WA 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 0.8 mi
Promontory Butte
Payson, Arizona
14.9 miles SSpectacularly 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 0.2-0.6 mi
Ellison Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
15.0 miles SWFour 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 1.1-3.5 mi
Horton Springs
Payson, Arizona
15.1 miles SA 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
Upper Tonto Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
15.3 miles SA 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 3.3 mi
See Canyon Trail
Payson, Arizona
17.1 miles SEA 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 0.4 mi
Christopher Creek Gorge
Payson, Arizona
17.5 miles SCold, 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 1.1 mi
Christopher Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
17.9 miles SEA creekside campground east of Payson with swimming holes, small waterfalls, spring trout stocking, and cross-country skiing in winter — open for day-use and overnight camping spring through fall.
Camp, Canyoneer, Cross-country Ski, Hike, Swim 4.0 mi
Woods Canyon Lake
Payson, Arizona
19.4 miles SEA 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
19.6 miles SEMeadow Trail #505 is a short, paved, wheelchair-accessible path along the rim of Woods Canyon Lake, high on Arizona's Mogollon Rim.
Hike
Bearfoot Trail
Strawberry, Arizona
20.8 miles SWBearfoot Trail (#13) is a mellow, shady Mogollon Rim hike and mountain-bike ride linking Strawberry to Pine Creek, near Pine, Arizona.
Hike, Mountain Bike 2.3 mi
Gordon Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
21.8 miles SEA 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
Hell's Gate
Payson, Arizona
23.1 miles SHellsgate 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
Sinkhole Campground
Payson, Arizona
23.2 miles SESinkhole 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 0.1-3.8 mi
Fossil Springs Trail No. 18
Pine, Arizona
25.2 miles SWA 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, Swim 1.1-4.6 mi
Fossil Creek Dam (Toilet Bowl)
Pine, Arizona
25.2 miles SWA 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
Haigler Canyon Campground
Payson, Arizona
25.6 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 1.1 mi
Fossil Creek Waterfall
Pine, Arizona
27.6 miles WOne of Arizona's two Wild and Scenic rivers, with a short hike from a dirt-road parking area to a deep pool at the base of the falls — watch for snakes on the trail.
Hike, Swim
