AMERICAN GULCH
Three Ways to Explore Payson's American Gulch End of American Gulch South Trail American Gulch is a tributary gorge of the East Verde River that encompasses an area of juniper-studded hills and riparian corridors on the west side of Payson. Replete with natural springs, stock tanks and a maze of dirt roads, the rugged terrain offers a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities. Juniper-shaded South Trail Three disjointed but thematically cohesive trails---all named American Gulch--- explore this strip of high desert and chaparral. The American Gulch North, South and Loop Trails anchor the western edge of the 20-plus-mile Payson Area Trails System ( PATS) network of interconnected city and forest service paths. Together, the name-sharing threesome are like a flyover of the area's natural history and the town's efforts to restore and protect its sensitive fringe habitats. North Trail follows Forest Road 508 All three can be easily hiked in an afternoon and a good way to ta...