Water Wheel Falls - 8/7/2025
Today was a little bit of a different adventure with a different pace. A friend of mine had asked me to take her out to take photos of waterfalls. It needed to be an easy hike for someone that hasn't hiked in a while. No ten milers or 4000 foot climbs this time. The hike we chose was Water Wheel Falls out near Payson. It's about a two hour drive from North Phoenix. I was little worried about doing a hike on one of the hottest days of the year. The forecast for Phoenix was 118°F, and 94°F for the trail we selected. I figured with a 1.6 mile hike it shouldn't be a problem. We managed to arrive at the trailhead around 7:30 am, and the weather was perfect. It was about 73°F, and the trail was mostly in the shade. It wasn't until the end of the hike on the way out that started feeling the heat. Overall this was a very easy hike, as you can probably tell from the AllTrails map, description, and reviews. The trail wasn't always clearly defined, but we just followed the water, and the canyon, and it was easy enough to not get lost. The rocks were a little slipper, so I recommend bringing shoes with good traction. After the hike we stopped at Delicious! Cafe in Payson for a fantastic breakfast. I highly recommend stopping there for breakfast or lunch if you're ever in Payson.
