At a temperate 5,000 feet, this forest town is your launchpad to the great outdoors. And time is running out to see nearby Tonto Natural Bridge State Park: The state plans to shutter it in September, 2010.
Drive time: 90 minutes from Phoenix.
Lay of the land: Payson sits just below the Mogollon Rim (“the Rim” to locals), a 200-mile stairstep between the low desert and the Colorado Plateau that’s home to the Tonto National Forest.
Best of both worlds: You’ll find buckets of small-town charm in Payson; shady trails and lakes for hiking, fishing, boating, and picnicking on the Rim.
Like a rodeo? Four days of roping and riding kick off on August 19 (from $18; rimcountrychamber.com).
Roadside stop: Poke around for thousand-year-old fossils at Tonto National Forest’s Paleo Site (free; State 260, 151/2 miles east of Payson; 928/474-7900). And, yes, it’s legal to take them with you.
Dig into: A hot brownie sundae at Scoops ($; 201 W. Main St., Payson; 928/474-3957).
Last chance to see a natural wonder
To really take in the grandeur of the 183-foot-high arch in Tonto Natural Bridge State Park (thought to be the largest natural travertine arch in the world), walk down to Pine Creek, then scramble through its 400-foot tunnel. But do it soon: This geologic gem gets mothballed September 27 due to budget cuts. $5; 11 miles north of Payson on State 87.
Explore the forest
Work up a sweat on the 3.8-mile Horton Creek Trail in Tonto National Forest, or fish or picnic at the forest’s 52-acre Woods Canyon Lake. Pick up a fishing license (from $32), then rent a boat (from $40) and reel in dinner. Forest Rd. 300, 3 miles north of State 260; 928/535-7300.
Drive yourself wild
You need a couple of hours to do justice to the views (and washboard sections) along the Rim Road, aka Forest Road 300, that snakes along the Mogollon Rim’s edge. The 50-odd mile dirt trace has spectacular vistas of the Tonto National Forest. Access from State 260, east of Payson, or from State 87, north of Strawberry; 928/535-7300.
Cheese, please
Savor artisanal goat cheese and goat milk fudge at Fossil Creek Creamery, where you can mingle with cutie-pie Nubian and alpine goats, as well as llamas used for guided hikes. $5 guided tours, $65 half-day llama hikes; 10379 W. Fossil Creek Rd., Strawberry.
, as if the author of Riders of the Purple Sage had just left. Grey built his hunting hideout on the Rim in the early 1920s; it burned in a 1990 wildfire. This exact replica—down to the model of typewriter he used—gives you a peek into the writer’s Arizona years. $5; 700 Green Valley Pkwy., Payson.
A roadside classic
Waitresses call you “Sis” or “Hon” as you order corned beef hash and eggs at Beeline Cafe diner, a local institution since 1962. At lunch, go for the burgers or chili and a slice of heavenly blackberry pie. $; 815 S. Beeline Hwy., Payson; 928/474-9960.
Make it a weekend
With all there is to do around Payson, you’ll be itching to stay another day. Book a room at the historic Kohl’s Ranch Lodge—all fireplaces and knotty-pine splendor—and fall asleep to the gurgle of Tonto Creek. From $140.
