Great views start right away on this easy Payson hike
Note: Mare Czinar is sharing her backlog of pre-pandemic hikes. Please observe all CDC health and safety recommendations and travel advisories while on public land. Ideally, stay close to home and away from congested trails until conditions are improved.
On a mesa 700 feet above the gorge of Pine Creek and Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, a bumpy back road meanders among juniper-dotted meadows, pine-oak woodlands and open rangeland.
The unmarked dirt road that traverses the flat expanse of Buckhead Mesa 10 miles north of Payson in Tonto National Forest is open to hikers, equestrians and motorized vehicles equipped to handle rough conditions. A hike on the short, easy course has many points of interest and options to extend the journey on intersecting 4x4 roads or by visiting the nearby park.
Even when done as a standalone hike, the area’s bucolic air provides a satisfying journey.
The scenery picks up quickly
Epic views begin at the trailhead with glimpses of the northernmost peaks of the Mazatzal Wilderness to the southeast. Within a few yards, the road splits. Take either leg as both converge at a corral complex at the 0.1-mile point.
Constructed of flaky juniper twigs laced together with barbed wire, metal posts and rustic gates, the site is rife with wildflowers and photo opportunities for those attuned to the details hid
den among the weeds.
The road continues to the left, tracing the rickety holding pens through sunny clearings shaded by oaks, cypress and thickets of brambles. A few jogs in the road later, the green swale of Buckhead Tank comes into view. Situated in a shallow depression backed by an earthen dam, the livestock reservoir is an important water source for wildlife and the domestic cattle that graze in the area.
For the best chance to view elk, coyotes, deer and the myriad waterfowl that visit the water hole, arrive early and wait quietly in the tree cover. You won’t be disappointed. Heading out early (before 9 a.m.) will also allow you to avoid the sporadic convoys of OHVs crawling through the rutted route.
Beyond the tank, the road dips and climbs through several drainage areas and a fragrant stretch of ponderosa pines before passing under a power line at the 1.7-mile point for the final uphill haul. Big views of the Mogollon Rim really shine on this final segment.
At 2 miles, the road meets a gate you’ll pass through (be sure to close it) and continue a short distance to the turnaround spot at Crackerjack Road (Forest Road 209).
At the unsigned junction, you may choose to continue hiking in either direction. Head left and it’s just under a mile to state Route 87. Or, head right and follow the narrow jeep road to the edge of the mesa where it switchbacks down into the mineral-rich White Hills where numerous prospects hint at defunct mining operations.
From the junction, it’s a 4.5-mile oneway hike to Crackerjack Mine for those looking for a more ambitious outing.