South Fork
- 15.0 mi
- round trip
- 3,397 ft
- climb
- 6,082 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Mar–May, Oct
- best months
Is South Fork open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Tonto National Forest. It doesn't name South Fork, 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.
South Fork is a hard hike in the Tonto Basin Ranger District of Tonto National Forest in Arizona, managed by the Forest Service. The route is an out-and-back of about 15 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 3,397 feet. It starts at roughly 3,375 feet and climbs to about 6,082 feet at the high point. 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 lie within a few miles, including Deer Creek about 2.4 miles away and Y Bar and Gold Ridge at about 4.7 miles. Tonto Creek, a canoeing spot, is about 9.8 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Arizona Desert Mountain Jeep Tours27 mi away
- Black Canyon Campground44 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Deer CreekHiking2.4 mi
- Y BarHiking4.5 mi
- Gold RidgeHiking4.7 mi
- BarnhardtHiking4.7 mi
- Davey GowanHiking5 mi
- Shake Tree Trail # 44Hiking5.5 mi
- Half MoonHiking5.5 mi
Tonto CreekCanoeingPhoto: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)9.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
Bolder TrailHiking · ~24 min drivePhoto: cogdogblog, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
DiamondHiking · ~24 min drivePhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Fig SpringHiking · ~32 min drivePhoto: Tanque Verde, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Rock CreekHiking · ~15 min drive
- Saddle Mountain Trail #91Hiking · ~16 min drive
- Shake Tree Trail # 44Hiking · ~9 min drive
- Deer CreekHiking · ~4 min drive
- Arizona TrailHiking · ~26 min drive
- Saddle Mountain Trail #91Hiking · ~18 min drive
- Brody SeepHiking · ~11 min drive
Also worth it near here
- Barnhardt MesaSummit · ~8 min drive
- Tonto CreekCanoeing · ~17 min drivePhoto: Richard N Horne, CC BY-SA 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Tonto ButtressRock climbing · ~22 min drivePhoto: https://www.flickr.com/photos/cogdog/, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- Elephant Head TankLake fishing · ~23 min drive
Best time to visit South Fork
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, 13.4 mi away at 4,850 ft. The station sits about 1,200 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.
