A half day in Payson: Where to hike and eat

A cow spotted along Horton Creek Trail in Payson. (Jessica Swarner/The Copper Courier)

By Jessica Swarner

October 9, 2025

This story was first published in The Copper Courier’s daily newsletter. Sign up here.

I wanted to spend some time in cooler air last weekend, so I went for a quick hike in Payson.

I drove just under two hours from downtown Phoenix to the Horton Creek trailhead, a hike I’ve done before and always enjoy. There was plenty of parking when I arrived around 11 a.m. on Saturday.

The out-and-back, dog-friendly trail is almost 9 miles long and could take up to six hours to complete, but I turned around at the 2.5-mile point after a short rest by the creek to make my trip a bit quicker.

The trip is rated as “hard,” but you can make it to the creek without much difficulty. The steep elevation gain doesn’t come until the last mile. I lean toward moderate hikes, and the portion of the trail that I did was easy for me.

One part of the hike I enjoyed was seeing three cows—all different colors—roaming through the forest. That’s definitely not a common sight on Arizona hikes!

After the hike, I went to Macky’s Grill for a cheesesteak, potato salad, and an Oreo milkshake, which really hit the spot. The cool breeze on the patio added to the joy of an outdoorsy day.

MORE: Why apple picking in Sedona is the perfect fall afternoon

Author

Jessica Swarner

Jessica Swarner is The Copper Courier’s newsletter editor. She is an Arizona State University alumna and previously worked at KTAR News 92.3 FM in Phoenix.

Have a story tip? Reach Jessica at [email protected]. For local reporting in Arizona that connects the dots, from policy to people, sign up for The Copper Courier's daily newsletter. For Phoenix housing news, renter-friendly design inspo, and real talk about renting, sign up for Rent Check PHX.

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CATEGORIES: THINGS TO DO

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