Get Out Of Town!

by Tolin Baker 8/30/2000

Let me say right up front…I loved this hike.


There's nothing like a rope swing for fun.

This trail makes for a great day trip out of the heat of Phoenix. Fossil Creek Spring Trail is located just outside of the town of Strawberry which is a small town located north of Payson, about one and a half hours from Phoenix. At an elevation of 6,000 feet, summer temperatures rarely rise above the mid 80’s.

The trail is actually an old jeep trail, which is nice because it allows for side-by-side hiking. After dropping into the canyon for about 2.5 miles, you get to a dry riverbed. Hang a left, and follow the river for another 10 minutes. For your efforts you will be rewarded with a small piece of paradise. A million gallons of spring water gush out of the ground every hour creating a lush environment of trees and swimming holes. While at 72 degrees it is not technically a hot spring, it makes for a great summer cool down. Sitting on the banks of the swimming hole beneath the shade of the trees and watching the people swing on the rope was a great place to have lunch. Luckily, someone had brought along a small set of swimming goggles, because the natural deep pools were full of crystal clear water and lots of fish. After about 2 hours at the bottom, we made our way back to our car.


	View of valley from trailhead.

With a 6 mile round trip, I would not recommend this trail for young children, although I saw a few down at the swimming hole. Another popular way to enjoy this trail is to drive one car to the trailhead 4 miles below the springs, and hike from the top trail to the bottom trail (going downhill all the way).

Getting There: To get to the trail head, head up the Bee Line to Strawberry. Take a left on Fossil Creek Road. The well-marked trailhead is about 4 miles down on the right.