Chevelon Creek

River Map

About Chevelon Creek

A tributary of the Little Colorado River cutting north through a remote Navajo County canyon off the Mogollon Rim, Chevelon Creek offers seasonal wild trout fishing in its upper perennial reaches near the Mogollon Rim escarpment. The creek flows intermittently through much of its length but the spring-fed upper canyon sections hold rainbow and brown trout in isolated pools surrounded by dramatic sandstone walls. This is genuine off-the-beaten-path fishing requiring backcountry skills and self-sufficiency.

Regulations

Standard AZGFD trout regulations apply. Chevelon Creek is highly seasonal and intermittent — upper sections can be completely dry in drought years. Access roads into the upper canyon are primitive and may require 4WD. No active USGS gauge on the trout-bearing sections — the former USGS gauge was discontinued. Check with local fly shops in Show Low or Payson, or use the Waterline app for current conditions.

Learn More

Guides to help you fish Chevelon Creek with more confidence.

• Arizona Fishing Regulations for Fly Anglers

  Licenses (no separate trout stamp), the year-round default season, the Apache Trout catch-and-release statewide rule, the West Fork Oak Creek…

• Trout Species of Arizona

  Arizona's only native trout — the Apache Trout, the state fish and one of the great Western recovery success stories — alongside wild brown trout on…

• How Barometric Pressure Affects Fishing (And How to Use It)

  That gorgeous bluebird day after a cold front? Worst fishing of the year. Here's the data behind why pressure changes matter more than the weather…