About Payson:

At an elevation of 5,000 feet, Payson, Arizona is in Northern Gila County and is the gateway to the Mogollon Rim Country. Payson offers everything from beautiful mountain scenery to breathtaking wildlife, hundreds of miles of trails and other outdoor adventures.

This mountain community is surrounded by the Mazatzal Mountain Range to the west, the Mogollon Rim to the North and the Granite Dells to the east. Its geographical location puts it in the middle of the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world. Hunting, fishing, mountain biking, camping, bird watching and just about every other outdoor adventure can be done here.

Are you ready for some tall tree’s and amazing trails? Do you want to see some of the most far reaching scenery in Arizona? Are you brave enough to stand atop a 2,000-foot drop of the Mogollon Rim? Get ready to take in some truly amazing views spanning from pines to desert.

UTV Offroad Adventures presents Mogollon Mountain UTV Fest. You won’t want to miss this weekend filled with adventure! This event will take you on some of the most scenic trails Arizona has to offer in safe and organized manner. We will provide guided trails, meals, quick draw poker corn hole tournament, raffles and lots of fun and good times. Designed for all age groups and UTV experience. Come and see what we are all about and meet new and old friends. We will take you on a night ride and guided trail rides all while raising money for AZ Kidz Experience, a nonprofit charitable organization that supports Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Stretching 200 miles from Yavapai County to New Mexico, the Mogollon Rim provides breathtaking views overlooking an expansive forest of pine trees. The rim is a true geological wonder hosting sedimentary, volcanic and metamorphic rock dating back to the Precambrian era.

The towns of Payson, Sedona, Show Low, Alpine and Pinetop-Lakeside are all located along the rim. During the Mesozic Age, the earth's crust underwent an upheaval. The vertical wall of rock formed what we now call the Mogollon Rim. Historians say the geological feature is named for Juan Ignacio Flores Mogollon, a Spanish governor of New Mexico from 1712 to 1715.

Included in the area of the Mogollon Rim is an area referred to as “Hellsgate Wilderness’. The Hellsgate Wilderness is on the edge of the Mogollon Rim. The elevation change in the wilderness is 3,480 ft (1,060 m), with the highest point being Horse Mountain in the northeast corner. Tonto Creek is a perennial creek that cuts a 1,000 ft-deep (300 m) canyon through the wilderness. The terrain is subject to steep elevation changes throughout the entire wilderness area.

The Hellsgate Wilderness contains many trails for hiking as well as amazing camping spots. However, the trails can be difficult to reach without 4-wheel-drive capability, and most trails are rated as challenging.