Deer Creek
- 17.2 mi
- round trip
- 3,612 ft
- climb
- 5,601 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Mar–May, Oct
- best months
Is Deer Creek open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Tonto National Forest. It doesn't name Deer Creek, so check the source for the area it covers.
Rattlesnake Cove Developed Recreation Site - Post Flood Recovery and Public Safety Closure
Agency closure covering Tonto National Forest · Order 3-12-01-26-36 · USFS · Tonto National Forest
Canyon Lake Drawdown Public Safety Closure
Agency alert covering Tonto National Forest · Order 03-12-00-26-22 · USFS · Tonto National Forest
No Fire Restrictions
Agency alert covering Tonto National Forest · USFS · Tonto National Forest
Davis Wash Closure Extension
Agency alert covering Tonto Basin Ranger District · Order 03-12-06-24-10 · USFS · Tonto Basin Ranger District
Roosevelt Lake Seasonal Wildlife Closure
Agency alert covering Tonto National Forest · Order 12-16-5 · USFS · Tonto National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Tonto National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Deer Creek is a hard hike in the Tonto Basin Ranger District of Tonto National Forest in Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is an out-and-back route of about 17 miles, with a one-way climb of roughly 3,600 feet from a low point of about 3,200 feet to a high of about 5,600 feet. Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Payson show April highs around 72°F and October highs around 76°F, while July averages about 93°F and August brings the most wet days of the year. Several other hikes sit within a few miles, including South Fork about 2.4 miles away, Shake Tree Trail #44 and Gold Ridge at about 3.2 miles, and Brody Seep at about 4.2 miles.
Local outfitters
- Arizona Desert Mountain Jeep Tours26 mi away
- Black Canyon Campground42 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- South ForkHiking2.4 mi
- Shake Tree Trail # 44Hiking3.2 mi
- Gold RidgeHiking3.2 mi
- Davey GowanHiking3.3 mi
- Y BarHiking3.4 mi
- BarnhardtHiking3.4 mi
- FisherHiking3.5 mi
- Brody SeepHiking4.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
DiamondHiking · ~23 min drivePhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Bolder TrailHiking · ~25 min drivePhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Fig SpringHiking · ~28 min drivePhoto: Tanque Verde, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Rock CreekHiking · ~11 min drive
- Shake Tree Trail # 44Hiking · ~5 min drive
- Saddle Mountain Trail #91Hiking · ~13 min drive
- South ForkHiking · ~4 min drive
- Arizona TrailHiking · ~23 min drive
- Brody SeepHiking · ~7 min drive
- Saddle Mountain Trail #91Hiking · ~15 min drive
Also worth it near here
- Barnhardt MesaSummit · ~6 min drive
Tonto CreekCanoeing · ~21 min drivePhoto: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Elephant Head TankLake fishing · ~24 min drive
Tonto ButtressRock climbing · ~24 min drivePhoto: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Deer Creek
Best months: March–May and October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
56° / 26°
5 wet
Feb
58° / 28°
5 wet
Mar
65° / 32°
5 wet
Apr
72° / 36°
3 wet
May
80° / 43°
2 wet
Jun
90° / 51°
2 wet
Jul
93° / 60°
8 wet
Aug
91° / 59°
11 wet
Sep
86° / 52°
6 wet
Oct
76° / 41°
4 wet
Nov
64° / 31°
4 wet
Dec
55° / 26°
5 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Payson, AZ, 13.6 mi away at 4,850 ft. The station sits about 800 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
