There is a tart taste on my tongue as I bite into a blackberry. My mouth waters as I search for another wild blackberry. This was me on our camping trip in August 2022.
Location
Horton Creek Trailhead is located about 17 miles Northeast of Payson, Arizona. Payson is a great town to purchase supplies and refuel.
We drove a 2-wheel drive vehicle to the trailhead. The road was paved and in good condition.
There are many parking spots in the paved parking lot. As you can see there were many cars on this day. This was taken on a Wednesday morning in August.
Consider camping at Upper Tonto Creek Campsite. Then walk over to the trailhead.
Amenities
There is a vault toilet in the parking lot.
There are no picnic tables.
Gear
Wear pants to protect your legs from the thorns on the bushes.
There were snakes around too. Therefore, I had on high-top hiking boots.
It was sunny when we went, so we wore hats and sunscreen.
A few days before we arrived, it had rained and the mosquitos were out. Bring and wear your bug repentant.
I also wear gloves.
Bring a container to collect the berries in.
Blackberry Picking
As you head south from the parking lot, the path follows Tonto Creek. The water was flowing while we were there. We spoke with multiple fly fishermen and they were catching small fish.
Very quickly you will spot the blackberry patches that are quite large. You can follow many different paths between and around the patches. There were so many berries. Many were ripe and came right off the plant. There were many red (getting ready to be ripe), green (still need a few weeks to turn), and flowers to become future berries.
Blackberry Picking at Horton Creek Trail, Arizona
This blackberry experience was not planned. We were camping and went on a hike and found them everywhere. It was a nice treat to have while walking along the stream.
Interested in camping at Upper Tonto Creek Campground? Read about our visit in April 2022 by clicking here.
Love this guide to picking blackberries at Horton Creek Trail in Arizona. And looks so beautiful!
We are glad that you enjoyed it.
I love when you find something cool to do on a trip that you didn’t plan. Picking blackberries on the Horton Creek Trail in Arizona sounds like a cool experience! And delicious!!!
Delicious it was. 🙂
Horton Creek Trail looks like a fun one. And I know what I would do with those blackberries–cobbler!
A blackberries–cobbler would be amazing.
I would love to find blackberries while hiking. That sounds delicious!
It was a nice surprise.
I’ve never been blackberry picking! But going to Horton Creek Trail looks like fun!
Horton Creek Trail is a fun trail to hike.
How fun to find the blackberry bushes while hiking! I love picking my own berries.
Picking our own berries is a treat.
What a fun surprise for you to go blackberry picking at Horton Creek Trail. We love berry picking too.
It was a great surprise.
Horton Creek Trail looks like a fun one. And I know what I would do with those blackberries–cobbler! I LOVE COBBLER!
Yum… blackberries–cobbler!
Horton Creek Trail in Arizona sounds like a fabulous spot to pick blackberries. We love to pick our own, and this is on our list for a future excursion. Thank you for sharing.
You are welcome. Enjoy