staircase waterfall

I just visited the spot in Jun, 2014. It is still there and it is still great place. We arrived Sunday, 2:00 pm and ~20 people were around. Around 4:00 pm majority of them gone. So not that many people for busy, hot Sunday. Unfortunately the trail is not very clean. Somebody should prosecute those ugly morons, that cannot take their own trash with them. But the place is definitely worth to go. Few points: 1. There is a parking fee, $6 per car, cash only, self registry. 2. There is 1.1 mile hike from the parking spot to the waterfall. Not easy hike: you will have to scramble over rocks, cross the river few times. There is no marks or "official trail": you have to follow the river upstream and find the way.3. People are hiking with dogs and kids. Both dogs & kids play around, are loud and friendly. So if you don't like it, go somewhere else.

Although this is a beautiful place it has severely declined in recent years. Mostly due to the publicity it has received and recent closure of Fossil Creek from the Strawberry side. I have been visiting it since 1994 and in recent years the volume of people has increased 100x. I have personally seen trash and dirty diapers left behind at the water's edge. My family was there a while back & there was a group of people there with several semi automatic weapons. REALLY? At the end of last summer I hiked in with my wife and kids, we held back a little because I thought the couple that was there was getting naked. Only to witness the man poop in the water that flows into the waterfall. DISGUSTING! Needless to say we won't visit again due to the threat of E Coli in the water. One last note if you do make the choice to visit beware of the locked gates. They are Forest Service gates and your vehicle will be towed if you block them.

Drive east from 87/Houston Mesa Rd for 8.4 miles (just past Second Crossing Campground). There is a small forest road on the right side. Walk past the locked gate on the forest road for about a mile or so, and there will be a trail down to the East Verde River. (The trail is probably only .25 mile or so). Just follow the river upstream a few minutes and you will come to the log staircase. I hope this helps!

we tried to get to the Staircase Waterfall in payson but the address you provided us took us to a massage therapy salon. We could never find the falls . You might want to recheck the address and the map.

Incredibly beautiful place, nice cool water. Many swimming holes to choose from. I would recommend getting there early in the day to avoid crowds--we went in July and it was busy by 11 (at 9am it was not crowded). My husband, son, and daughter loved jumping off of the log staircase into the deep part of the pool, and we all took a dip to cool off.