Deer Creek
Deer Creek Trail is a 8.5 miles trail in Tonto National Forest, Arizona. The Forest Service rates it trail class 3, developed. It is open to hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. It enters Mazatzal Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Tonto National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 34.0371, -111.3703 · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 34.0049, -111.4711 · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start. The trail is recorded as 3 segments.
The trail
| Length | 8.5 miles |
| Trail class | 3, developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 12-20 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 45 |
| Forest | Tonto National Forest (unit 0312) |
| States | Arizona |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
| Horse and pack stock | Allowed |
| Mountain biking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Mazatzal Wilderness WildernessFS · about 45% of the line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedD2 Vincent Rx
38 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedD2 Dye Rx
40 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Deer Creek Trail?
8.5 miles, the sum of the 3 segments the Forest Service records under this name in Tonto National Forest.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Deer Creek Trail?
hiking, horse and pack stock and mountain biking. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Deer Creek Trail start?
The line begins at 34.0371, -111.3703 and ends at 34.0049, -111.4711. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Deer Creek Trail in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Mazatzal Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Source: Mazatzal Wilderness Wilderness
Where can I camp near the Deer Creek Trail?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
How developed is the Deer Creek Trail?
Trail class 3, which the Forest Service describes as developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Deer Creek Trail?
The typical grade is 12-20 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Deer Creek Trail?
Tonto National Forest, Forest Service unit 0312. The trail is in Arizona.
Is there a fire near the Deer Creek Trail?
2 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-09-18, the nearest D2 Vincent Rx at 38 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 3 segments named DEER CREEK in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0312. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed September 17, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.