Water Wheel Falls is a series of creek-fed cascades and slick-rock chutes on Ellison Creek about 9 miles north of Payson in Tonto National Forest. The short trail involves boulder-hopping and stream crossings and can continue upstream to the Ellison Creek Cascades.
The falls are fed by Ellison Creek. It lies in Gila, Arizona. The site is on public land managed by Tonto National Forest (USFS).
This is a short hike waterfall: reached by a short trail, generally under about a mile each way. The walk in is brief — comfortable shoes are usually all you need. The walk to the main viewpoint runs about 1.6 miles round trip. The nearest town is Payson.
When to go: Spring snowmelt and summer monsoon season. Flow usually peaks after snowmelt and heavy rain and tapers through late summer — a quick look at recent streamflow and the managing agency's conditions page can save a wasted trip.
