Horton Springs
Payson, Arizona
| Address: | Zane Gray Hwy, Payson, AZ 85541, USA |
| GPS: |
34°20'23.7"N 111°5'44.0"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Arizona |
| Trails/Routes: | 1.1-3.5 mi |
Waterfalls Streams Trails Wildflowers Fishing
Backpack, Camp, and Hike
Horton Springs is a spring on the Mogollon Rim that leads into Horton Creek. There are campsites near the springs, and several hiking trails in the area that lead to the spring itself. Between the waterfalls, the wildflowers, and the many maples, this is a beautiful destination to hike year round, or to backpack and explore.
Horton Creek Trail is a popular, easy hike that leads directly to the springs. The trailhead is located near the Upper Tonto Creek Campground, and is often frequented, especially on the weekends. At some points, the trail overlaps with the creek bed, so be prepared for your feet to get wet! You won't be able to do much swimming, but there's plenty of water to splash around, and you can still enjoy the refreshingly cold creek. The trail ends at the Highline Trail, at which point the Springs are only a few yards away. The waterfall where the spring emerges from the mountain is a unique sight. There are some dispersed campsites located near the spring, allowing for a potential overnight stay.
The other trail to reach Horton Spring is Horton Springs Trail; This trail begins north of the spring, off of Rim Road (or FR 300) and takes a short but steep 1-mile path down with no switchbacks to the spring. The Horton Spring Trail #292 is rated as "most difficult" and is recommended only to experienced hikers.
More Information
Horton Springs Trail #292 Hiking Trail, Star Valley, Arizona
A steep and scrambly trail that leads straight down to the Horton Springs. Near Star Valley, Arizona.
https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7014852/horton-springs-trail-292Payson, Arizona's Horton Creek Hiking Trail is fresh spring bliss
★★★☆☆ Easy, shady, creekside, Horton Creek Hiking Trail ends at a cool, crystal-clear spring. It's pure summertime bliss.
https://www.azutopia.com/easy-hikes/horton-creek-trail/tripadvisor.com
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https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g31385-d4224683-Reviews-Horton_Springs-Tonto_Basin_Arizona.htmlBe courteous, informed, and prepared. Read trailhead guidelines, stay on the trail, and don't feed the wildlife.
Read MoreDirections
From Payson, Arizona
- Head northeast on AZ-87 N toward E Frontier St (0.7 mi)
- Turn right onto AZ-260 E (16.2 mi)
- Turn left onto Nf-289 (0.8 mi)
Make sure to park in the Horton Springs parking lot, not in the nearby Upper Tonto Creek Campground.
Horton Creek Trail, Payson, Arizona courtesy of davidpinter↗
Horton Creek Trail Payson Arizona Panoramio 55 courtesy of davidpinter↗
Horton Creek Trail Payson Arizona Panoramio 52 courtesy of davidpinter↗
Horton Creek Trail Payson Arizona Panoramio 48 courtesy of davidpinter↗
Horton Creek Trail Payson Arizona Panoramio 58 courtesy of davidpinter↗
Horton Creek Trail Payson Arizona Panoramio 11 courtesy of davidpinter↗
Added by camilledupar
Other Hiking Trails and Backpacking Trails Nearby
Upper Tonto Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
0.3 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 0.8 mi
Promontory Butte
Payson, Arizona
2.0 miles ESpectacularly 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 0.4 mi
Christopher Creek Gorge
Payson, Arizona
2.9 miles SECold, 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
3.7 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 3.3 mi
See Canyon Trail
Payson, Arizona
4.6 miles EA 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
Hell's Gate
Payson, Arizona
8.2 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 4.0 mi
Woods Canyon Lake
Payson, Arizona
8.6 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
8.7 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 2.3 mi
Gordon Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
9.0 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 0.2-0.6 mi
Ellison Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
10.7 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
Haigler Canyon Campground
Payson, Arizona
11.3 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
12.2 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
East Clear Creek
Happy Jack, Arizona
15.1 miles NA 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
16.2 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
22.6 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
22.9 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
23.9 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
27.4 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
27.4 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, Swim 1.1 mi
Fossil Creek Waterfall
Pine, Arizona
29.9 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, SwimNearby Campsites
Upper Tonto Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
0.3 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 1.1 mi
Christopher Creek Campground
Payson, Arizona
3.7 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
Hell's Gate
Payson, Arizona
8.2 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 4.0 mi
Woods Canyon Lake
Payson, Arizona
8.6 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
Aspen Campground
Payson, Arizona
8.6 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
Haigler Canyon Campground
Payson, Arizona
11.3 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
12.2 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
34.3 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
40.1 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
41.9 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
Rimrock, Arizona
42.8 miles NWThis free dispersed camping area sits on the cliffs above Wet Beaver Creek in the Coconino National Forest of central Arizona, in the red-rock and juniper country near Rimrock and Camp Verde, not far...
Camp