123 official trails lie within 25 miles of Payson — 637 miles in total, 36 rated easy and 47 hard or expert. Every distance and elevation figure below is computed from the agency centerline and a 10 m elevation model, not crowd-sourced.
The biggest climb nearby gains 4,649 ft; the median trail gains 774 ft.
| Trail | Miles | Climb | Difficulty | Drive from town |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hills | 13.6 | 3,284 ft | Expert | 13 mi (straight-line) |
| Verde River Trail #11 | 15.5 | 3,516 ft | Expert | 58 min · 26 mi |
| Verde River | 28.3 | 3,829 ft | Expert | 58 min · 26 mi |
| General Crook | 38.4 | 4,649 ft | Expert | 1 h 31 min · 40 mi |
| Wet Bottom | 9.9 | 2,532 ft | Expert | 16 mi (straight-line) |
| Sheep Creek | 7.7 | 2,493 ft | Expert | 20 mi (straight-line) |
| Davenport Trail #89 | 7.4 | 2,231 ft | Expert | 20 mi (straight-line) |
| Deer Creek | 8.4 | 2,398 ft | Expert | 1 h 24 min · 32 mi |
| Pine Canyon Trail #26 | 10.2 | 1,768 ft | Expert | 41 min · 27 mi |
| Highline | 14.9 | 700 ft | Expert | 38 min · 20 mi |
| Rock Creek Trail #42 | 5.2 | 3,275 ft | Expert | 48 min · 19 mi |
| Hell's Gate | 8.4 | 1,709 ft | Expert | 2 h 43 min · 71 mi |
| Big Ridge | 8.4 | 1,825 ft | Expert | 53 min · 29 mi |
| Rock Creek | 4.0 | 3,120 ft | Expert | 50 min · 19 mi |
| Wet Bottom Trail #269 | 8.1 | 1,900 ft | Expert | 21 mi (straight-line) |
| Gold Ridge | 5.4 | 2,648 ft | Expert | 1 h 13 min · 29 mi |
| Del Shay | 6.3 | 2,168 ft | Expert | 2 h 16 min · 47 mi |
| South Fork | 5.4 | 2,717 ft | Expert | 1 h 14 min · 30 mi |
| Highline Trail #31 | 23.6 | 824 ft | Expert | 38 min · 20 mi |
| Mazatzal | 5.4 | 2,640 ft | Expert | 41 min · 11 mi |
| Y Bar | 5.2 | 2,360 ft | Expert | 38 min · 19 mi |
| Dead Man | 5.6 | 2,011 ft | Expert | 18 mi (straight-line) |
| Towel Creek | 7.8 | 1,632 ft | Expert | 1 h 30 min · 58 mi |
| 8.4 | 1,660 ft | Expert | 54 min · 38 mi |
Summits: Y Bar to Barnhardt Mesa; North Peak to North Peak; Deadman Mesa to Deadman Mesa; Saddle Mountain to Saddle Mountain
Lakes: Verde River Trail #11 to Bull Tank; Verde River to Table Mountain Tank; General Crook to Meadow Tank; Hell's Gate to Smoky Hollow Tank
Viewpoints: Military Sinkhole Trail #179 to Military Sinkhole Observation Site; Military Sink Hole to Military Sinkhole Observation Site; Rim Lakes Vista to Military Sinkhole Observation Site; Meadow to Woods Canyon Vista Point
Mountain passes: Sandy Saddle to Sandy Saddle; Dorens Defeat to Cimarron Saddle
Springs: Red Hills to Fuller Seep; General Crook to Kehl Spring; Wet Bottom to Bull Trap Spring; Sheep Creek to Copper Camp Flat Spring
Nearby towns: Cottonwood (52 mi) · Prescott Valley (62 mi) · Mesa (62 mi) · Phoenix (64 mi)
All Arizona trail guides · Hiking by city · Dispersed camping rules