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Directions: From Fountain Hills, head east on AZ-87N for 62 miles. Continue driving through Payson until you come to Houston Mesa Rd. Turn right and continue for 8 miles until you reach the Wagon Wheel Falls parking lot.
About the hike: This is an easy 1.6-mile trail with a 150-foot elevation gain to the Wagon Wheel Falls. You can continue for an additional mile to reach Ellison Creek Cascades.
I have one word for this hike, incredible. This hike is a little gem hidden away in Payson. I started my walk at 7:00 am with just two other cars in the parking lot. I started early, hoping to avoid the crowds. I was rewarded for my effort. Passing just a handful of hikers as I trekked up to Ellison Creek Cascades.
You will need to pay a $10.00 fee for parking. Look for the envelopes next to this sign.
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The creek ran along the hike's entire pathway, providing me with a musical melody as I went along.
The trailhead starts left of the parking lot if you are facing the creek. At the beginning of my hike, I enjoyed the shade the mesquite, shaggy bark, and pinon pine trees provided.
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Two hundred feet up the path is an antique water wheel. Long ago abandoned, it stands as a reminder of yesteryear. What's fascinating is how far it is from the creek. It makes you wonder what this area was like when the water wheel was running.
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It is located directly across from the picnic area. Just look behind you if you're facing the picnic tables. I'm offering this tip because I spent one and half hours after my hike going up and down the creek looking for the wheel. I made the mistake of assuming it would be in the water.
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I explored the picnic area, where running water caught my attention. I went down towards the shore, capturing my first glimpse of the water flowing over clusters of rocks in the creek bed.
The further I went, the trail grew rockier and rockier as I navigated along the bluff.
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I peaked around the corner and was amazed how tranquil this area of the creek looked. For a moment as I stood admiring the view, I pictured myself as a child riding a water ride through the jungle at Six-Flags over Texas.
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I scrambled through the boulders wondering when would I get my first glimpse of the falls. I could only hear the rushing water but could not see the falls yet.
Then it happened. The waterfalls came into full view.
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I sat enjoying the falls and the surrounding area. There were three yucca's along the mountain ridge in full bloom adding a splash of yellow to the horizon.
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I wandered over to inspect the flowers. The clusters were so beautiful I just had to get a closeup picture of their brilliance.
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A family came by and started navigating across the creek, so I followed them. At the time, I didn't realize I was at Water Wheel Falls; but later learned they were on their way to Ellison Creek Cascade.
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Navigating across the creek proved a little tricky with my camera and phone, but I successfully crossed without getting wet.
Across the creek, the scenery grew more and more impressive. The water flowed gently over the flat rock plateaus.
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I was blown away by the clarity of the water. I could see the river rocks at the bottom of this little lagoon, clear as day.
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I continued walking along the trail, skipping over water puddles until I found this spot. I had to stop and take a break to enjoy the beautiful view for a few minutes.
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The path lead me back into the forest canopy just as the sun was starting to heat things up.
I continued my journey for another half mile when the trail opened up into another outcropping of rocks.
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Ellison Creek Cascades came into view as I finished navigating through the rocks.
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I commented to a couple of other hikers that it was not too busy. He laughed and said it was early yet. Just wait. It gets jam-packed. That was my clue to get going on my way back before the trail got too busy.