2021 Map of Payson North

About this map

Tonto National Forest envelopes the high country of Gila County, where the topography is defined by the sharp descent from the Little Diamond Rim and Diamond Rim. The E Verde River carves through the landscape, supporting a series of small residential enclaves such as Whispering Pines and Beaver Valley. To the south, the northern periphery of Payson and Star Valley shows a transition from forest to more developed residential and infrastructure zones, anchored by the Payson Airport. The map documents a complex network of canyons and mesas, including Shoofly Canyon and Houston Mesa, reflecting a landscape where water sources like Flowing Springs and numerous tanks, such as Shoofly Tanks and Racetrack Tank, were critical to both settlement and land management. This survey provides a precise look at the intersection of wildland and community expansion at the start of the 2020s.