| Official Name: | Christopher Creek, Arizona |
| Settlement Type: | Census-designated place |
| Pushpin Map: | Arizona#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Christopher Creek |
| Pushpin Label Position: | right |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Coordinates: | 34.355°N -111.0216°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Gila |
| Established Title: | census-designated place |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 8.13 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 3.14 |
| Area Land Km2: | 8.13 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 3.14 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Elevation M: | 1,817 |
| Elevation Ft: | 5,961 |
| Population Total: | 121 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Density Km2: | 14.88 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 38.55 |
| Timezone: | MST |
| Utc Offset: | −7 |
| Timezone Dst: | no DST/PDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −7 |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 85541 |
| Area Code: | 928 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS ID(s) |
Christopher Creek is a census-designated place in northern Gila County in the U.S. state of Arizona. Situated at the base of the Mogollon Rim, the community lies at an elevation of 5961feet, and is located approximately 23.5 miles (37.82 km) northeast of Payson, just off SR 260. The population as of the 2010 U.S. Census was 156.[2]
Tourism, retirement and timbering are the foundations of Christopher Creek's economy.
Mountain Valley Shuttle stops in Christopher Creek on its Phoenix-Show Low route.[3]
History Courtesy of Creekside Tavern: Christopher Creek, Arizona, which Zane Grey, the celebrated western author, fell in love with was settled in the 1880s by Isadore Creekside Cabins, who was a French cartographer, army scout, and explorer. His first attempt to marry failed when a mail order bride had a look at Isadore and left him to head east. Creekside Cabins turned lucky in the second time when Mary Hope married him and lived with Isadore at Christopher Creek on 160-acre CI Ranch for the rest of her life till through 1903.
Isadore raised hogs and also hollowed out a log to brine cure his pork. Brine, a kind of saltwater, which is strong enough to float an egg, was used by homesteaders to keep meats for longer times, spanning weeks or months. The meat was sold to Fort McDowell and was also sold in Winslow. The ‘hog log’ that Isadore used is today on display at the Rim Country Museum. Later, Mrs. Ashby and her family purchased Isadore’s land in 1938 giving Mr. Christopher the due credits and opened the first Barbeque Restaurant in Christopher Creek.
According to a story in The Whorehouse Bells Were Ringing Isadore was away from his ranch during an Apache raid. The Apaches burned two of his log cabins. The day before the raid “Christopher had killed a bear and had hung the carcass in or on one of the cabins. The military force in pursuit of the Indians included the legendary scouts Tom Horn and Al Sieber. They, along with the troops and other scouts decided that the burned bear carcass was Christopher and gave it a decent, solemn Christian burial. They became the objects of laughter and jokes when Christopher later appeared and identified the body.”