Tonto Creek forms as a runoff stream in the high elevations of the Sierra Ancha Mountains of Tonto National Forest near SH 260, then flows south by southwest to Roosevelt Lake, running parallel and in close proximity to SH 188 from southeast of Payson to the lake. Normally, the creek does not flow, but during the fall monsoons, or after a significant rainfall in teh surrounding mountains, this dusty, rocky creek can quickly transform into a raging torrrent of Class IV to V whitewater rapids and drops where boaters have died in recent years. Below the SH 188 turn-off from SH 87 is Rye Creek, which feeds Tonto Creek just above a 2-mile box canyon of considerable difficulty, where paddlers sometimes encounter barbed wire fences strung across the creek to contain cows. This section is particularly dangerous because of boulder garden rapids, moderate drops of 8-10 feet, keeper holes, dead-fall strainers, a constricted channel, sticky pourovers, few places for good portages and difficult access, just to name a few reasons why most paddlers would avoid this place like they would the plague.
A couple of USFS campgrounds are located between Tonto Creek and SH 260 just east of Payson, and just below the first access point where SH 260 crosses the creek about 2 hours northeast of Phoenix. To be sure, thi is a kayaker-only stream that is not well-suited for canoes and rafts due to difficult access and the tight, twisting channel that demands quick and effective boat control at all times. With adequate water Tonto Creek can be paddled about 50 miles from its headwaters to Roosevelt Lake, but not in a single day unless it is so high that you should not be there anyway. It falls about as quickly as it rises, and getting out on foot would be a formidable task. Watch for rattlesnakes and copperheads in the rocks along the creek. Watch for natural and man-made hazards in the creek. Watch for a psychiatrist if you are thinking about running Tonto Creek in high water.
In the Tonto National Forest of Gila and Maricopa Counties of central Arizona. Phoenix is about 2 hours to the southwest of the headwaters, and Flagstaff is about 3 hours to the northwest. Payson, the near town, is about 20 miles to the west.
Phoenix 95 miles; Tucson 212 miles; Flagstaff 100 miles; Salt Lake City 622 miles; Albuquerque 553 miles; Denver 755 miles; Dallas 1,097 miles; Austin 1,116 miles; San Antonio 1,097 miles; Houston 1,302 miles; Oklahoma City 969 miles; Little Rock 1,308 miles; Kansas City 1,294 miles (all distances are approximate and depend upon starting point, destination point on the river and route taken.)
Water quality, when it flows, is generally good to very good, though muddy and gritty due to the large volume of sand being carried along. Flow is tradiitonally non-existent except during periods of high runoff in the fall monsoon season or after a significant local rain even near its drainage basin in the Sierra Ancha Mountains.
The best time to run Tonto Creek is right after it peaks following a heavy rainfall in its drainage basin. The creek drops about as quickly as it rises, so there is a short window of opportunity unless in the midst of a prolonged period of rainfall.
For the most part, everything about Tonto Creek is a hazard to boats and boaters. It begins rather tamely on modest Class I to II rapids, then gets progressively more technical and difficult as it approaches the box canyon a few miles above Roosevelt Lake. Hazards may include, but not be limited to, barbed wire fences strung across the creek, dead-fall strainers in the channel, live tree strainers overhanging the creek along its banks, boulder garden rapids dropping into keeper holes, ample opportunities for pinning and wrapping, narrow slot drops of 8-10 feet, or more, rattlesnakes and copperheads hiding in the rocks alongside the creek, and very difficult access for emergency personnel in the event of an accident.
SH 260 crossing just east of Payson; Rye Creek confluence just east of the SH 188/SH 87 intersection; Any USFS park on the banks of Roosevelt Lake
Christopher Creek (USFS) and Ponderosa (USFS) Campgrounds, both primitive forest campsites, are located between Tonto Creek and SH 260 just east of Payson. There are no other campgrounds located along or near Tonto Creek.
There are no liveries or outfitters located along Tonto Creek. Take everything you need, and arrange to run your own shuttles.
Tonto Creek is one of those playgrounds for hairboat kayakers only, and as such, will never be a major paddling destination, as if it usually had a navigable flow anyway. This is a very seasonal stream where major rain events are necessary to raise it to boatable levels, but when it flows the creek becomes a challenging and potentially dangerous place where those of at least strong advanced level whitewater kayaking abilities can ply their skills in a very remote area of Tonto National Forest, where few others will ever come. Most boaters will forego the upper 30+ miles, putting in off SH 188 and SH 87 northeast of Phoenix, along Rye Creek, which then feeds into Tonto Creek just above the box canyon where the most technical part of the creek will be found. Be sure to go with a group of other paddlers, all of whom are experienced hairboat paddlers, most of whom are swiftwater rescue trained, and at least one of whom has substantial First Aid training.
