Situated at the base of the Mogollon Rim, Christopher Creek is just outside of Payson and offers cooler temperatures in the summer and loads of outdoor adventure options with kids (in the winter, it’s typically the nearest to snow, if you’re eager to go snow hunting!).
Christopher Creek is part of the largest Ponderosa Pines forest in the world, and it’s less than 90 minutes from the East Valley!
If you’re looking for an unplugged day trip itinerary, this is for you, or if you’re looking to stay a little longer, Christopher Creek offers incredible camping (there’s a few cabins, too, and Kohl’s Ranch is here (see more about our stay there on this blog post).
Read on for a few of our most favorite day trip activities in Christopher Creek!
XO,
Amy
What to load in the car for day exploring Christopher Creek
I highly recommend packing a cooler with snacks, extra water and maybe a snack meal as well. (There’s two restaurants in town, one with an amazing, kid-friendly patio, but there’s also stunning picnicking spots as well, so plan accordingly for your family’s preferences (I’ll share more about the restaurant later in the blog post.)
Encourage play clothes your kids can get dirty and close toed shoes for outdoor exploration.
I always keep some sand/park toys in my car for outdoor adventures like this: a toy shovel, a few buckets and other basic toys to extend play time in nature.
There are ample opportunities for kids to fish or play in the creek and lake, if you have a child’s fishing pole or water toys.
A few camping chairs or a picnic blanket for relaxing creekside (plus a good book for you mama) are helpful, too.
Tonto Fish Hatchery
Newly reopened after being shut down for a few years, the Tonto Fish Hatchery is back open to the public, and best of all, it’s a FREE attraction! They’re open 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., 363 days a year (just closed on Christmas and Thanksgiving).
Run by the U.S. Forest Service, this is where trout and other fish are raised for release into Arizona lakes and ponds for fishing and they’ve turned it into a fun family-friendly attraction!
Kids can see 12 fish raceways, plus a show pond where tiny trouts to huge fish can be observed (and fed for $0.25!).
Kids can feed fish (parents, bring quarters, or at least cash–there is a change machine).
We spent about 30 minutes here actively exploring the actual hatchery offering and visitors center (it’s small!). Also, heads up the only bathrooms here are port-a-potties.
There’s also a small visitors center with some Christopher Creek history and displays for older kids to learn about fish hatching, growing and release programs.
Next, plan time to play at the creek (no fishing allowed!). It’s near the parking lot and easy to spot. We unloaded our camping chairs and played here for about 45 minutes. 2026 update: When we were there on May 24, 2026, this section of the creek that shares a parking lot with the fish hatchery was closed, but less than a mile up the road (heading back towards the 260 highway there are other spots that are still open to the public).
Picnic at Woods Canyon Lake
We drove a few miles to Woods Canyon Lake to picnic lakeside. Their picnic area boasts plenty of picnic tables with great views of the lake, plus clean bathrooms. While we had lunch we saw chipmunks, watched the boaters on the water and observed a few fishers catch pretty big trout!
If you’ve got older kids, this is the perfect lake for kayaking, and they do offer rentals at the marina.
We kept our picnic basic (sandwich fixings, fruit, chips and cookies) but if you’re looking for some unique picnic ideas for traveling with kids, podcast Didn’t I Just Feed You offers fun, easy and realistic inspiration.
Hiking in Christopher Creek with Kids
Here’s two recommendations we have done with toddlers. They’re both really lovely experiences–you can’t go wrong with either option.
See Canyon Trail with kids 
People are often surprised we love See Canyon Trail with kids, as it’s rated as difficult.
However, if you are only going a couple miles (like us, with toddlers who can’t go very far) the first couple miles are pretty easy, and we turn around when it starts to get too challenging.
It is absolutely beautiful hiking along a river. It was a great place to picnic and hike. Almost the whole trail is completely shaded making it an even greater escape from the heat.
Horton Creek Trail with kids
Similarly to See Canyon Trail, Horton Creek Trail goes beyond what you’ll do with a toddler in tow (7 miles is the total trail). If you go 0.8 miles (I timed it and this part took us 20 minutes each way), you’ll get to the beginning of the creek for toddlers to play and feel like they made it to an amazing destination of the trail!
This trail runs along the creek most of the way and it’s too strenuous, so for older kids, yo can follow their lead on how far to go.
I recommend packing a snack spread, a few water toys (and water shoes) and planning on staying here for a while.
Have an early dinner at Creekside Tavern
Creekside Tavern is one of the two restaurants in Christopher Creek. This one has a kid-friendly patio and a fun, rustic charm. The food was quite good–we ordered their special of the day, a bbq platter with ribs, smoked sausage and all the fixings. Standard kids meal fare is $8. If you’re staying for more than a day trip, check out their live music schedule during the summer season!
What hiking kid carrier do you use?