Entire home

Family Style Guest Home On the Creek in Payson, Arizona

Photo gallery for Family Style Guest Home On the Creek in Payson, Arizona

28db9845 3d76 4079 bc31 7a7718cbbf99
77f0c1a8 db8b 4e63 9d06 955b1b282c38
New kitchen appliances.
Huge wrap around couch in the living room.
391e0e98 ea2d 473f bbeb fbadaefc427c
Reviews
10 out of 10 Exceptional
5 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 10232 sq m

Popular amenities

  • FireplaceFireplaceFireplace
  • Breakfast includedBreakfast includedBreakfast included
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • DryerDryerDryer
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen

Explore the area

Map
Gila County, AZ
  • Popular LocationMazatzal Casino26 min drive
  • Popular LocationPayson Golf Course30 min drive
  • Popular LocationTonto Natural Bridge State Park36 min drive
  • AirportPhoenix, AZ (PHX-Sky Harbor Intl.)111 min drive

Rooms & beds

5 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 1

+2

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden

About this property

Family Style Guest Home On the Creek in Payson, Arizona

Enjoy a completely unique Payson Airbnb experience in a 5-bedroom creekside guest home on a 3 acre mini-ranch situated on the East Verde river. Secluded, beautifully landscaped grounds boast private creek access, massive lawns for outdoor games, exclusive mini-ranch animal experiences, and onsite, guest-exclusive, 4-seat UTV rentals. A perfect launch point for Rim Country adventure: 20 min to Tonto Natural Bridge; 15 min to Washington Park; 4 min from Water Wheel trail. Top 20 Airbnb since '15.


SPACE: 
We offer use of approximately 1.5 acres of the property surrounding the guest house adjacent to the creek. ~100 yards of creek access and private, seasonally available trout fishing immediately behind the guest home.  Nearest neighbor is the host's home, approximately 50 yards from the guest home. This guest cabin is a two story - offering four rooms with queen or king beds and one room with two double beds (all upscale mattresses), and rooms finished with 'black out' curtains and/or shades with central air and heat to upstairs and downstairs.   The house is fully furnished and outfitted as a full time bnb guest home, and as hosts we are a text away if anything is missing or out of order!


ACCESS:
Our guests have access to a little slice of heaven.  As you arrive, a shared drive-way leads you off of Houston Mesa Rd, past the manager's house, to a private guest house with plenty of parking, wrap around decks, and situated right on the creek.  
"Do you allow dogs/pets?"  We get asked over and over - and while we love dogs the answer is a firm "No", sorry, we don't.  Doesn't matter what age, what kind, or how well behaved.  No pets please, and don't try to sneak them in. It's awkward when we have to say something.


Tight restrictions apply to the numbers of people we allow, even visitor access.  Please review the house rules as we are strict with our "human" guest limit - and in spite of AirBNB saying infants are free, we charge for them, too.  We find children are the most impactful visitors we have from a cleaning and maintenance standpoint.


INFO AND OFFERS:


UTV rentals are provided onsite by a third party, first come first serve basis.  If you're interested - speak up right away so we can reserve them for your stay and ensure they're onsite and gassed up.


We offer professional photography sessions for your family during your stay - as Melisa (co-host) is a 25 year photography veteran for family portraits, headshots, etc.  The forested property and creek are perfect backdrops - let us know if interested so we can suggest what to pack/colors for photo sessions.


If you're interested in meeting the animals, just let us know!  We'll bring out min-goats, our mini-horses, tame chickens, and our pony (rides may be available, just ask).  We'll discuss options on check-in, and are happy to host the meet-n-greet and other animal experiences during your stay - free to guests.


We have plums, apples, and other fruit on the property, cherries, black berries, etc. when in season.  While here, help yourselves only to what you can eat immediately - leave fruit for us and others.  We understand there's nothing like picking an apple and just biting right in - and we love to share so long as it's not abused.


We have a 5 burner family size BBQ grill (propane supplied) ready for your use.  Check the photos for a shot of the grill.


The house is on city water.  Given we also have a well - we get asked allot.


Elk and deer are friends from the forest, and they come in often. You'll hear them at night allot and see them sometimes during the day.  Please don't feed them or pet them - it's against the law, and dangerous as hell. 


Woodpeckers sometimes see to it that you're up a little early - be prepared - we do our best to shoo them off and have installed bird deterrents, but you'll experience them first hand sometimes...  Welcome to the woods.


Some years we provide various outdoor games and toys. Please try to keep the parts together - playing with one horse-shoe guarantees you'll loose any bet, and dampens the fun.


We provide an old school porch swing facing the creek - its a 500 lbs. weight limit.  


We provide picnic tables and many chairs.  Please don't take them off site or break them - and keep outside chairs outside, and inside chairs in.


Lastly, we are an operating mini-ranch and we have a rooster named "Doc" who watches over our 25 or so hens.  Roosters crow, which is part of being here with us.  We provide ear plugs for light sleepers, but be aware.


YOU WILL NOT HAVE CELL SERVICE during your stay in our neighborhood and Internet speeds are limited -- but just down the road at the top of the hill by Second Crossing you can pick up service from most national providers. Wifi Internet is provided, and you are welcome to use cellphone over wifi options. Please note, average Internet speed is ~3-5Mbps.

Property manager

Melisa Chandler

Languages

English

Amenities

Breakfast included
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 12:00 PM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts cash
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

About the area

Payson

Located in Payson, this vacation home is on the waterfront. Rim Country Museum and Myra's Art Gallery are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Payson Golf Course and Rock Creek Trailhead. Rancho Tonto Catch-A-Trout and Tonto Creek Fish Hatchery are also worth visiting.
Map
Gila County, AZ

What's nearby

  • Banner Payson Medical Center - 25 min drive
  • Mazatzal Casino - 26 min drive
  • Rancho Tonto Catch-A-Trout - 26 min drive
  • Payson Golf Course - 30 min drive
  • Tonto Natural Bridge State Park - 36 min drive

Getting around

  • Scottsdale, AZ (SCF) - 114 min drive

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 14 out of 14 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 0 out of 14 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 14 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 14 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 14 reviews" "

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Geoff M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place to bring your family.
Property was well maintained, beautiful sounds of the creek during morning coffee. My girls being able to take a pony ride was the icing on the cake. Thank you so much for allowing us to stay at your beautiful place.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer L., Phoenix, AZ

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Truly Magical
This was hands down our top favorite Arizona stay and experience. Tim was so welcoming from the moment we arrived. We felt completely at home in the cozy, yet spacious home that has such and warm and positive energy. The love that has gone into every inch of the property is seen and felt. My 7 year old twins and 11 year old son spent hours exploring the beautiful property, playing in the river, running around in the beautifully manicured lawn, and visiting the animals. The horse trainer, Myndi, and Tim gave my children the most wonderful experience with the horses. We also did a 2 mile hike on the breathtaking Washington Park trail only minutes from the property. My only regret, is that I wish we had booked the trip for at least one more day. We can’t wait to go back! *If you bring your kids in warmer weather don’t forget to pack crocs or water shoes and swimsuits for river play!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Darcy K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Our favorite place to visit
This was our second stay and we had a great time. The house is clean and well-stocked. The owner is helpful and friendly. The property is gorgeous! We played corn hole and pool, and went to nearby Water Wheel Falls. We will definitely be back again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gerardo C., Gilbert AZ

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place to stay
Everything about the home was amazing. The host was super helpful. The house was clean, organized, well equiped, and had plenty of amenities available. I plan on making this home a regular yearly visit.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2023

10/10 Excellent

derek h.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Summer/Winter Haven
Large, clean, quiet property right on the small East Verde River. About 9 miles north of Payson in the shadow of the Rim. We got some good snow to play in. The hosts Tim and Melissa were great. Friendly and eager to make our stay the best. We scheduled to meet/pet their farm animals and got good advice on local things to do. We went for the snow, but plan to go again to beat the Phoenix heat this summer and play in the river some. 5 Stars all day.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2023

About the host

Hosted by Melisa Chandler

Host profile image
Melisa and Tim call Whispering Pines, Payson, AZ their full time home base. They live year round on the property in a separate, small, 'country blue' house that's about 40 yards away from where you'll stay, which they call "the big cabin". Tim works as a technology consultant from his office cabin at the top of the property, which is the historical Whispering Pines general store. Melisa is a 25 year photography veteran who now runs the bnb home full time, and shoots photos of guests and locals throughout Rim Country.

Why they chose this property

The property is 3 beautifully groomed and landscaped acres on the banks of the East Verde river in the heart of Arizona's Tonto National Forest. Off the road in the valley by the creek, the land is heavily treed with Ponderosa pine, Juniper, Poplars, Maples, and Sycamores as well as boasting 3 varieties of apple, a plum, two cherry, an almond, and walnut trees dotted all over the property. Combined with wild blackberries growing by the creek and stocked rainbow and Gila trout in the stream, it's a veritable feast just wandering the grounds on any given afternoon. At an elevation of 5400 ft, it's cooler in the summer and offers a snowy playground in the winter, with wonderful, rich yellow and red fall colors in between. Surrounded by the coniferous beauty of the Tonto National Forest and literally miles of accessible public forest lands and trails, the property is a hiking, fishing, and off-roading heaven for those who love the outdoors.

What makes this property unique

Catering to groups and families, the large, creekside home offers 100 yards of private access to the East Verde river, with two great fishing holes on the property. While water levels vary, the house is below the local springs and has water running in all but the driest of years. Arizona fish and game stock the creek with rainbow or Gila trout, and when the fishing is on it's a spectacular set up!

The home is on an operating mini-ranch with American Mini-horses in residence, a beautiful pony, mini-goats, and chickens that produce fresh eggs provided to guests on arrival and during their stay. The Chandlers (owners) enjoy hosting animal experiences for children which include everything from feeding, grooming, walking/leading, and round-pen training activities to hiking forest trails with arguably the nicest and most well behaved mini-horses in Rim Country. Combined with wild elk and other forest animals that visit the property almost daily and a massive variety of local birds from bald eagles to finches and hummingbirds - this is an animal lovers paradise with experiences that last a lifetime.

For the adventurous, the Chandlers offer 4-seater UTV rentals during the spring through fall depending on forest conditions. Ask to reserve one to two off-road vehicles for your group, and Tim is available to provide a full safety kit/emergency beacon and instruction on local trails, even guided experiences if you're looking for the best Rim Country trails and views.

Lastly - why not capture the moment and have your family or group portraits done on the property or in the forest during your stay. Finding the time to capture family pictures is difficult, and Melisa's 25 years experience combined with the convenience of your own home to shower/get ready sitting in the middle of the most beautiful outdoor studio in Payson is an opportunity you should totally take advantage of!

Languages:

English
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback