Gordon Creek Falls
Payson, Arizona
| Address: | E Colcord Rd, Payson, AZ 85541, USA |
| GPS: |
34°17'13.4"N 110°57'7.0"W Maps | Directions |
| State: | Arizona |
| Trails/Routes: | 4.6 mi |
Rivers Waterfalls Trails
Hike and Swim
Gordon Creek Falls is a relatively unknown little oasis in the middle of the Arizona desert--specifically, outside of the city of Payson. The falls come from Gordon Creek, which winds its way through the ponderosa pine filled landscape of the Tonto National Forest. Depending on the time of year, the falls could be gushing, or a mere trickle over the rocks into the pool below. The water may be stagnant or muddy if the location has not seen rain in some time--the best times for a gushing falls experience would be early spring, with mountain runoff, or at the end of monsoon season. The falls can be reached by hiking along an unnamed trail until reaching the creek bed, and following that to the cliff walls of the waterfall. If the creek is dry, or only has some pools along the way, this is likely an indication of a weak flow at the falls.
Be sure to bring plenty of your own water for the hike, as the only water source along the trail is at the falls or the creek, which may not be suitable for drinking. Take care when visiting in or around a rainstorm, especially in monsoon season, as this location is at risk of flash flooding.
More Information
Be 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 (24.3 mi)
- Turn right onto E Colcord Rd (1.3 mi)
From Payson go 24.3mi on AZ-260. Turn right onto Colcord Rd and go southeast for 1.3 miles. Parking where the telephone line crosses the road, about 50 yards west of the trailhead. There are cattle in the area, near Colcord Rd, so beware. Courtesy of hikearizona.com
Trails
Distance ?
4.6 miles Round TripElevation Gain ?
-375 feetReal Ascent ?
167 feetReal Descent ?
542 feetAvg Grade (-2°)
-3%Grade (-28° to 19°)
-54% to 34%Elevation differences are scaled for emphasis. While the numbers are accurate, the cut-away shown here is not to scale.
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