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Mogollon Rim Country

A viewpoint from the top of the Mogollon Rim.

Overview

The Mogollon (pronounced Muggey-own) Rim is an escarpment defining the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau. In some sections the Rim features an elevation gain from bottom to top of almost 2000 feet. It runs over 200 miles from the south of Williams, Arizona southeast to the border of Arizona and New Mexico. When someone in Arizona talks of the ‘Rim Country’ they are usually talking about the 30 mile-long Payson section of the Rim from Pine/Strawberry Arizona to where Route 260 climbs the Rim on its way to Heber/Overgaard. Payson is the largest city in this area. The majestic Ponderosa Pine is the iconic tree of Rim country, thriving both at the bottom of the Rim at 5000’ elevations and at the top at 7500’ plus elevations. The Mogollon Rim offers many recreational opportunities and is especially appreciated in the summer months where it is much cooler and wetter compared to the lower desert regions.

Weather on the Rim

Ask someone from Fountain Hills or Phoenix what the Mogollon Rim means to them in summer and you will get an answer that can be best summed up as “Heaven on Earth!” June, July and August can be relatively uncomfortable months in the lower desert regions. Although this hot period is a far better alternative to northern winters as the mornings and evenings are often comfortable and the monsoon storms bring relief, it is still enjoyable to completely remove oneself from the heat for a few days at a time. With the Rim only a little more than an hours drive away it is a popular destination for accomplishing this!

Thunderstorms build over the Rim seen from Pine Campground .

Much of the Payson section of the Rim tops out around 7600’ elevation, making it considerably cooler than Fountain Hills even if no clouds are present. With the addition of the shade provided by millions of towering Ponderosa Pines the top of the rim is comfortable even on the hottest days of the year. The geographic nature of the Rim causes it to become a thunderstorm generator in the monsoon months. Moist air streams in from the south during Monsoon season and when the Rim forces this air mass skyward it causes the moisture to condense into clouds. The clouds often build into towering thunderstorms and release rain which allows the lush pine forests to thrive and cools the area down even more than the mere elevation change would provide.

The good news about these monsoon storms is that they are usually short-lived. The clouds build up in early morning and localized thunderstorms usually occur anytime from morning to the afternoon. If the thunderstorms are particularly forceful on any day the rain often dampens the ground enough to kill the buildup of more storms making for a calm, cool evening. Despite the normal brevity of the storms, one must be very alert when recreating in the Rim area as the lightning can be rather intense during a storm.

One of the aspects of the Rim Country that desert-dwellers love is the four distinct seasons the area experiences. Fall can be a particularly enchanting time of year on the rim with changing colors and abundant fresh crisp, cool air. During the winter deep snows can blanket the Rim Country, especially at the top of the Rim. Although this is not the most popular season to enjoy the Rim country it can be quite beautiful! And of course spring offers rebirth of deciduous trees, grasses and flowering plants. Whether you visit the Rim in the middle of summer or winter, you will be amazed at the difference in weather conditions brought about by a drive of a little more than an hour!

Recreational Opportunities

The Mogollon Rim is a paradise for those who like the outdoors. Sightseeing, hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, photography, bird-watching and ATVing are some of the more popular choices.

Rim Road 300 (in red) is a beautiful drive along the top of the Rim!

Driving Tour

If you are interested in seeing the Rim in a day driving trip, Rim Road 300 is just what you are looking for! It connects Route 87 on top of the Rim north of Pine/Strawberry with Route 260 on top of the Rim near Forest Lakes. Rim Road 300 is a winding dirt road that generally sticks close to the edge of the Rim presenting spectacular views along the way at many formal and informal lookouts. Most of the Rim Road is dirt but it is well-maintained and is usually easily drivable for most cars (please check the ranger office for the latest road conditions to be sure.) The Rim road does not have any scary sections that hang over the edge but on busy weekend days be alert for people driving fast in the opposite direction. You can either start your Rim Road journey from the 260 and work your way back to the 87 or go the other way. If you choose the former, there are a number of quaint diners in Pine and Strawberry which you will pass soon after exiting the Rim Road on the 87 side. The Rim Road itself is about 45 miles long and plan for at least 3 hours to traverse it considering you will want to stop and check out the views occasionally!

A few of the best viewpoints on the rim are a few miles west of the 260 on Rim Road 300. These viewpoints feature parking lots, shady Ponderosa pines, large blocks of stone to sit on and spectacular views! Bring a picnic lunch and a camera!

A popular tourist attraction just 10 miles north of Payson on Route 87 is Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. It features the largest natural travertine bridge in the world at 183 feet high. This park has greatly reduced hours due to state budget cuts as of summer 2009, so please check the official website listed below for more information.

Hiking

There are a number of trails on the bottom and top of the rim, as well as trails that climb the Rim itself. The main trail that runs through Rim Country is the Highline Trail #31. This trail contours the base of the rim and runs a little over 50 miles from the Pine Trailhead located on Route 87 just south of the town of Pine and ends at the Two-Sixty Trailhead located right off Route 260 as it climbs the Rim to Heber. Dozens of Trails connect to the Highline Trail from the south and north. One of the most popular and beautiful trails below the rim is the Horton Creek Trail. This trail offers a gentle climb along a perennial creek and takes you to Horton Spring, the source of Horton Creek.

Horton Springs gushes from the Rim.

The trails on the top section of the Rim that go north are generally not as interesting as the trails below, but some go to lakes and streams on the top and can be quite beautiful. The trails on the bottom can peek out of the pines at times and give you stunning views of the Rim rising to the north.

Camping

The Mogollon Rim is great for camping of all kinds! There are a number of actual campgrounds, some of which are near streams and lakes, such as Horton Creek and Woods Canyon Lake. If you are looking for a more serene, back-to-nature experience why not consider free-camping? On the top of the Rim there are dozens of roads connecting to Rim Road 300 and traveling north. From these roads there are many more dirt logging roads branching off. In general, camping is allowed off of any of these roads unless otherwise posted. It is wise to drive around a bit and look for preexisting sites that have a fire ring made by the last campers that visited the site. Many of the sites on the rim also have a free supply of firewood if you are willing to do a little walking. During monsoon season it is recommended you bring at least a few dry starter logs to get the fire going. Please make sure to always put your fire dead out by shoveling dirt over it and watering it down when you are going to leave or go to bed. Many recreational enthusiasts bring their RVs and pop-up campers with them and camp on the rim roads also.

The Rim country is home to three different National Forests: Tonto National Forest, Coconino National Forest, and Sitgreaves National Forest. Before camping it is wise to check which area you will be camping in and check with the proper National Forest ranger’s office for fire restrictions or any other rules in effect.

Hunting & Fishing

The Rim is a popular place to hunt. Elk is the most desirable prey in Rim Country, but Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, Black Bear, Mountain Lion, Bobcat, Turkey, Javelina, Grouse, Quail, Coyote and more are hunted during various seasons. Most hunting takes place in the fall, however some spring hunting is available also.

Woods Canyon Lake is one of many lakes in Rim Country.

A number of lakes and streams on top of and below the rim provide anglers with opportunities to land a big catch. Many of the waterways are stocked by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The most common fish caught are Rainbow and Brown Trout. Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Sunfish, catfish and other species can be caught in various lakes and streams also. If you are taking a young or impatient person fishing, Rancho Tonto Catch-a-Trout makes the probability of catching a trout quite a bit better than the other lakes!

How to Get There

From Fountain Hills take Route 87 (aka Beeline Highway) northeast 62 miles to the center of Payson to the intersection of Route 260. From this intersection you can either continue north on 87 or take the 260 east. As mentioned above in the Driving Tour section, an excellent way to see a good part of the Rim country in one day is to take the 260 east for 30 miles to Rim Road 300. Take Rim Road 300 west for 43 miles until you intersect with the 87 and take Route 87 26 miles south through Strawberry and Pine and finally back to Payson.

There is a visitor center across the 260 from the entrance to Rim Road 300.