Running trails in Payson, AZ
Payson has 13 trails in the directory — 3 on crushed gravel or dirt, 5 loops that return to the trailhead, 3 with a stated distance, 4 shaded, and 3 open 24 hours. 4 of them post opening hours, so you can check the gate before an early start. They're ranked here by rating weighted by review volume, across 2,226 Google reviews. Filter by surface, loop, distance, shade or lighting to get to the run you're actually planning — no made-up difficulty score, just the facts you'd check before driving out.
Water Wheel Falls Hiking Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 883 reviews
Short riverside hike with some rock scrambling to reach a waterfall, popular for family day trips.
Rim Lakes Vista
4.9 ★★★★★ 465 reviews
Paved walkway stretching along the Mogollon Rim, taking in views of the Tonto National Forest.
Horton Creek Trailhead
4.8 ★★★★★ 367 reviews
Popular hiking path (also easy) with waterfalls, trees, creeks and pools of water.
Barnhardt Trail #43 (Eastern Terminus)
4.6 ★★★★★ 132 reviews
Scenic hiking area featuring waterfalls, plus rock formations and views of the valley.
Cypress Trail
4.7 ★★★★★ 127 reviews
Kid-friendly hiking area with a variety of trails that lead to scenic views.
First Crossing Day Use Area
4.6 ★★★★★ 82 reviews
Hiking area with a picnic spot and a creek.
Houston Mesa Nature Trail
4.9 ★★★★★ 20 reviews
No trails match those filters.
How to pick a trail in Payson
- Match the surface to your legs. Payson gives you a choice: 3 natural surface and 2 mixed. Asphalt and concrete are fast, predictable and runnable year-round but the least forgiving; crushed limestone and dirt take the sting out of high mileage; boardwalk is flat and scenic but slick in the wet. If your shins or knees are complaining, the fix that actually works is varying the surface you run on rather than chasing one "best" one. More natural surface trails →
- Loop or out-and-back? 5 trails here are loops, so you finish back at the car with no backtracking — the easiest way to run a set distance without thinking about it. On an out-and-back you turn round at half your target distance, which makes any trail fit any run. The longest stated distance in Payson is Barnhardt Trail #43 (Eastern Terminus) at 16.2 mi. 2 trails are long enough for a 5-mile-plus run without repeating yourself.
- Check the hours before a 6am run. 3 trails in Payson are open 24 hours — the rest can sit inside a park that gates at dusk and doesn't unlock until well after sunrise. 4 of the 13 listings carry posted opening hours — worth a look before you set an alarm. 1 is lit, which is what you want for winter evenings.
- Long run? Check water and restrooms first. 7 have trailhead parking, 3 have restrooms, and 1 has a water fountain in Payson. Anything over an hour and those stop being nice-to-haves — and in summer, shade counts double.
- The small things that decide it. 4 shaded, 2 with mile markers, 3 that runners describe as quiet, 3 dog-friendly, and 1 smooth and wide enough for a stroller or a wheelchair. Busy or quiet isn't a good-or-bad thing here: a busy path is the safer choice for a solo run at dawn, a quiet one is better for intervals.
More on all of this in the trail-running guides.
Browse Payson trails by type
- Natural surface trails
- Mixed trails
- Loop trails
- Long-run trails (5+ mi)
- Shaded trails
- Lit for early & night runs
- Flat & fast
- Hilly trails
- Scenic trails
- Trails with restrooms
- Trails with water fountains
- Trailhead parking
- Trails with mile markers
- Quiet, uncrowded trails
- Dog-friendly
- Stroller & wheelchair-accessible
Running trails near Payson
Worth the short drive — the closest towns with trails in the directory.