When it starts warming up the valley its time to go up north for hiking and one of my favorite day…read moretrips is headed out by Payson and hitting up See Canyon Trail along Christopher Creek. From Payson head east on Hwy 260 to Christopher Creek Loop, turn left and head to Forest Rd 284, this is a dirt rd and part of it does become one lane, so be mindful of other cars. You don't need a 4x4 . Take the forest rd to the parking area. You start out on the trail and go under a mile you will come to a fork and you can either stay on See Canyon Trail or head off to See Spring. Either hike is great, and there is a sign that point which direction to go. It's apx 7 miles round trip, and a good elevation gain. The views are beautiful, this is one of my favorite hikes. I love that you get to do some creek crossing, some climbing, all within big beautiful trees. If you haven't been, go give it a try!

Nice trail, not too rigorous. Very pretty and lots of shade. Second time doing the trail.read more

Decided on a Sunday drive to Payson. After lunch we drove to Monument Peak Loop Trailhead for an…read moreeasy hike as it was 82 degrees. The parking lot is very small. We shared it was four other vehicles. The trail signage is perfect. The hike is partially shaded but more sun then shade. It is an easy 3.4 miles. If you take the loop counter clockwise, the beauty is in the last mile. We truly enjoyed this hike and recommend it for something easy and close to the city

Horseback (mule) ride right in Strawberry at the Strawberry Trail Head. Excellent forest trail…read morerides, so scenic & Franco was the perfect guide.

I looked for this trail on Yelp and only this listing came up. It hadn't been reviewed even though…read moreit was already created by someone. Not sure why, but either way it's a great trail! The area I started at is located at the end of a street at the cul de sac of a pretty nice Payson neighborhood. I found it through google maps so it's not a secret and not hard to find. There isn't much parking due to signs that say "no parking" on the street so that might be the limiting factor to starting this hike from the Phoenix St entrance. Once on the trail, there are a few options and I just kept waking towards the north boulders path and I would like to go back and keep going but it was getting too hot. It was like 3-4pm when we were out and hottest part of the day. Hot for Payson anyway, still better than the valley temps. I'll be back for sure to explore more.

This place is awesome, out for a walk or just to enjoy a good book, or enjoy a picnic all things…read moreare wonderful to do at Green Valley lake.

Secluded and stunning adventure in Parker Canyon. Our Parker canyon guided tour was truly a…read morebreathtaking and exciting experience. David is amazing, he is very well qualified and super friendly. He loves animals and nature, ask him about his birds! When you go into the canyon you get the feeling that you are alone and on a real adventure. The tower walls almost hypnotize you with their beauty. This tour is strenuous but worth it. You will be exhausted but sublime with happiness at the end. If you are fit and in reasonable shape take this tour. After you are done rappelling the rock scramble out is solid.

I LOVE these guys. I just had the most amazing weekend with them. I stayed two nights in an awesome…read morerugged cabin and one night camping with a group. They did everything! Cooking, set up, breakdown, cleanup, fire, drinks, snacks. I felt absolutely pampered! The first day David and Tye took us canyoneering. I cannot begin to express what an amazing, empowering experience this was. We hiked into the canyon. They provided everything for the trip. Water, lunch, snacks, wetsuit, helmets, gloves, rappelling gear, wet sack and backpack. They both had two priorities: our safety and having the time of our lives. Both were achieved! The next day they took me kayaking. I had never gone and I was very sore and David took me tandem, I felt like a river queen! It was beautiful with just enough rapids to let me know I am ready for more. Tye was a font of information on plants, birds, fish and history while Jess, David's wife, paddle boarded along side us. I could not be happier with my trip and can't wait to go back!!!

The town of Payson is a beautiful small town, about an hour and a half drive from the Phoenix area…read more We enjoyed the hiking, food scene and culture. This is definitely a "tourist trap" type area, and I wouldn't say there's much more than 2-3 days worth of things to do. Any longer, you may get bored. It's significantly cooler than the Valley so that's a plus!!

Cute little town outside of the Phoenix area. It is in the Tonto National Forest at about 4,900 ft…read more elevation. It has summer temperatures in the 80-90's making it a great get away from the heat of the valley below. I came up in December when daytime temperatures are in the mid-to upper 50's and night time in the upper 20's. Almost all of the land around Payson is under the U.S. Forest Service or by tribal governments so much of the land is still natural for hiking, horseback riding, fishing and hunting activities. The Tonto Natural Bridge is the largest known travertine natural bridge in the world, is just northwest of Payson in Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. Payson is also a good place for rock hunters. There are quartz crystals, geodes, agate and onyx. In town, there are so many restaurants and shops to explore. The area has three golf courses, two being private country clubs. Mazatzal Casino, a tribal casino, is on the south end of the city. I'm not sure about other carriers but T-Mobile has decent service in town but sketchy as you travel Payson and beyond for activities. There are lots of places where I have No Service. Payson is a nice town with lots of things for me to do. It has, obviously grown a bit, since the last reviews. It is a nice place to explore and enjoy both beautiful outdoors and fun activities in town.

Let me recommend TUCKTEC to you folks. It's a foldable,lightweight kayak that does well on Rim…read moreLakes. I'm a happy kayaker that can manage getting this great kayak in and out of the back seat of my Jeep! #tucktec