Forest Road 414 (Payson to Rye the back way)

This is about a 15 mile one way excursion behind and through the Mazatzal Mountains west of of Town. You’ll pick this trail up in Payson just west of Main Street and wind your way up in elevation to epic long range vistas and spectacular western postcard scenery. Eventually working down the backside of the mountains and down in altitude to the tiny town of Rye, AZ. Here you’ll encounter desert scenes directly out of the movies. Cactus, working cattle ranches and that “old west” feeling abound. Time on this beauty is approximately an hour and a half in each direction and it’s rated in the intermediate category.