Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

This was a fantastic stop on our trip. The views were amazing and the bathrooms were some of the nicest park restrooms I have ever used. A must see site in Arizona!

Im a fan only b/​c of hearing about it. I am going on Sat with my chihuahua. I noticed that dogs arent allowed on the trails but did anybody see any dogs. I am wondering if I can carry him in his dog backpack on the trails. Thoughts?

Awesome!

My favorite day trip from Phoenix so far this year. The park is beautiful and well kept. There is not a lot of signage to get you here, I’m glad that Siri helped me find it once I made it to Payson. I saw all of the observation points, and even did the hike down which is well worth it. The stairs along the trail down to the observation deck are pretty even, but don’t be foolish like others I saw carrying baby strollers, shake weights and other ridiculous items. Its over 2000 feet down. The deck is well constructed and the views are amazing. Admission price is reasonable at $ 7/​person for the day. Be aware of your surroundings however, I walked past a tree in full bloom and the entire tree had bees in it. Thousands of them. There were so many you could hear them from many feet away from the trees, just like on one of those wildlife specials. Lastly make sure to have decent shoes, and if you have any breathing problems, bring your inhaler, an asthmatic or smoker was wheezing for dear life after finishing the trip down and back from the observation deck below.

Gorgeous! This is a fun little day trip out of Mesa. Its only 1hr and 40 min drive, but you can break it up with a stop by Tonto National Monument and lunch in nearby Payson.
Warning: Steep walk down to the bottom of the canyon. Only good for people with sturdy legs, good balance, and strength to climb back out! Also, be sure your car is in good shape. The roads are paved, but the drive out of the canyon will cause many cars to struggle (4 cyclinders or the like).

There are a few places in the US where the natural wonders have not been overrated in some sense. I felt that way going through Niagara falls for example a few years back. This place however… words don’t quiet do it justice. Compared to other locations in the Sedona and Red Rock area this has really not received much attention and I think most of us prefer it that way. Just an hour and a half from the greater Sedona area this is worth a half day’s trip. At the entrance I saw some families turn around and drive off as we were told that we could not hike all the way through the natural bridge and I guess the $ 7 per adult fee can be a steep for some larger families. It was still totally worth every dime though…
It is a fair steep hike and despite the fact the water levels were too high for us to hike through the natural bridge, you just have to be here to appreciate it. My folks who are in theirs 70s with hip issues had to take a few 10 min breaks on the way back up but still made it without too much hassle. I definitely would not recommend it in the summer. In Feb here it was perfect in the 70s but I can only guess how hot it could get in the summer. Get away from the touristy Red Rock and come here!

Bob and I had a great time enjoying the trails. It was beautiful hiking weather. Waterfall and scenery was majestic. The only negative thing is that they do not allow dogs on the hiking trails. So leave the doggies at home. (Hard for me since I am a dog lover) Highly suggest this place for a day trip.

What a fun little hike! The waterfall trail was short but neat… the trail was cut off and it was a tight space with other visitors. Even though it was a warm day, it was pretty cold under the bridge with the water and wind. I suggest to dress in layers. If you plan on crossing under the bridge, expect to get wet if you have short legs like me!

My wife and I went to payson looking for something to do. This place was the highlight of our trip! There is so much to do and see. They charge you to go in 5 dollars a person (adult) don’t know about kids.

My favorite thing about AZ is that when the weather starts cooling down, heading up north is the perfect getaway from the Phoenix heat. We found Tonto Natural Bridge in our research & were so glad when we got a chance to see it!
When we drove in, we made a stop at the small lodge /​gift shop to pay the $ 5 entrance fee (per person) to go inside. After a short drive down the road, we found there was plenty of parking and a few trails to pick between. We went to the end of the parking lot and on to the first trail; there couple of viewpoints (#3 & #4) from where we could see the observation deck & the general greenery. After a few photos, we decided to hit the trail! There were signs that indicated it was a strenuous hike, however I didn’t find it to be very difficult. I’m not an avid hiker at all but it only took a short while to get to the observation deck which gives you your first good glimpse of the Natural Bridge. Insert time for more photos here & then a climb over large rocks to get to the middle of the bridge! I’d say this part is a bit difficult as some maneuvering skills are needed, the hardest part being that the rocks are really slick with the water. However, as I previously mentioned, none of it was too terribly difficult and it definitely worth the effort!
We took a gander through the Anna Mae Trail & the Waterfall trail, both of which were really short but scenic.
Pictures don’t do enough justice of the entire park. The bridge itself is obviously beautiful however the rest of the park is just the same. Since there’s not much to do there I definitely recommend taking along a picnic so you can enjoy the great outdoors after the mini-​adventure.

Nature at its finest, you could spend several hours, we walked/​hiked/​crawled under the «bridge», so worth it

Very cool State Park. Lots of parking and good facilities. The natural Bridge is awesome to see. Good little hike — as strenuous as you care to be. We took our kids from six years to 15 and they loved it.

Loved this natural bridge in a tiny valley surrounded by a forest of pine trees. Make sure to trek down and do the entire loop, bring good shoes and take friends so y’all can bbq at the park afterwards. This is def worth a visit esp if you make the trek down.

This sat in my bookmarks list for a while. And, with a visit planned that would skirt the region, I took Lindsey D’s advice and made a point of driving in.
The extra 40 minutes out of my way was well worth it.
Tonto is stunning. It is magnificent and spectacular. You want to feel like an ant? This is how you feel like an ant. And the feeling of standing before this behemoth is nothing like standing in the shadow of a skyscraper, no matter how impressive.
The site was absolutely amazing. And bonus: There were a couple of families of javelinas moving through during my trip. They even had wee ones.
Here’s the 411:
Word on the street is that the Bridge is one of the largest natural travertine bridge worldwide. Looking over from the top is more than 180 feet down. The tunnel is more than 400 feet long. A rare sight, indeed.
The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry at 4 p.m. You can come an take a hike or just enjoy the view. There are wide open grass lands for picnics, picnic tables and even a few ramada areas for large parties.
Good news — all trails are now open at the Bridge. You have the Pine Creek Trail, which is about ½ mile long; Waterfall Trail is about 300 feet long; Gowan Trail is about 2,200 feet long and is steep and rough (I took this one); and Anna Mae Trail, which is about 500 feet long.
Pets are not allowed on any of the trails.
Swimming is not allowed in the Bridge. But you can swim in Pine Creek.
If you have mobility issues, or do not want to take the hike, you can view the Bridge from several lookout points.
Check the event page:
. You can find educational events occurring sometimes.
There’s a gift shop on site.

Super cool and short hike with a small elevation change to get the heart pumping. The result at the bottom is a beautiful travertine arch!

I’ve been here more than a half dozen times in last 10 years but never made it here in winter.
It’s been so cold last week and snowed everywhere in Arizona. The first day after warmed up a little, I decided to visit the park to see the bridge and snow.
It cost $ 5 per person to enter this state park. it worth more than $ 5 you pay for entrance fee as this place is so magnificent. Nature’s beauty offers breathtaking view from so many places inside the park.
I normally spend 1 – 3 hours at this park. Bring plenty of water if you plan to hike down to under the bridge. Hiking trail is closed during winter due to snow but it still gives you plenty of amazing views of the natural bridge.
In summer I like to bring picnic lunch to enjoy cooler weather. This time around, I saw many family with kids enjoying sledding and making snowman.
There is no cell signal at the park. I changed it to airplane mode so my battery doesn’t drain… (I made a mistake once).
Highly recommend everyone to visit this park at least once. (View is still beautiful without hiking down).

Not a bad hike. You get to walk/​climb on dirt, steps and rocks. To get to the hole, you have to take steps on huge slippery rocks but it’s worth it. If you have short legs, I recommend bringing a tall friend or a pogo stick… leave the stripper shoes at home.
Bring a small towel or a change of clothes — there’s a great chance you’ll get wet. The view is beautiful!

Such an amazing place! About 10 miles out of Payson, it makes a great afternoon trip.
Entry cost is $ 5 and they have multiple trails for the outdoor and hiking lovers, or the ones who just want to get down to the grotto beneath the natural bridge.
Wear shoes with good grip and be careful when stepping as some places are well worn and slick. But to the wise it is all easily accessible. Beneath the natural bridge the temperature drops and you can get out of the Arizona summer heat.
For flora and fauna lovers the Park has also added numerous informational plaques about the local plants and animals.
I have been numerous times and for $ 5 it really can’t be beat.

I am an Arizona native and today was the first time I visited the natural bridge. One word, AMAZING!
$ 5 per person to enter, park and pay in gift shop. Bathrooms are very clean! I was impressed. Where good shoes for the trails! The water is surprisingly very cold under the bridge even with this Summer heat, enter/​fall in if you dare. Bring a lunch, there’s picnic tables!

This is a must see if you live in Arizona. They have easy hikes and hard hikes. You can take kids, go with friends, groups, or even solo. It’s cheap to get in and the scenery is beautiful.
I only suggest a few things to make your trip more enjoyable as I’m use to going here many many times throughout my life. One, make sure you take an extra change of socks, shoes, shorts, and a top in case. There is a waterfall you can look up at and take pictures but every once in a while the wind blows and you just happen to be that lucky person that looks like someone threw a bucket of water at you. Do you really want to drive back home soaking wet and cold?
Let’s face it, people trip and fall, they fall in water or mud, and sometimes they catch themselves but in order to do so they just shoved their foot in a puddle of water. Now you have soaking shoes and soaking socks. Take a backpack with a few bottles of water if you’re planning on really exploring the area. Leave a towel in your car in case you need to sit on it while driving home.
Watch for snakes, not that I’ve seen one but others have. And don’t chase the javelina because it’s mean… plus they chase you back. If you take your cellphone, put it in a plastic bag if you’re shoving it in your pocket. I don’t know how many times I can say the rocks are slippery and you can easily fall in the water. And wear sneakers not flip flops. Not everyone has common sense so I have to say it just in case.
MOST IMPORTANTLY TAKE CASH!!! I forgot one time and had to pay ATM fees to pull out a simple $ 10 to get into the park and none of my friends had cash either. It was like the kind of ATM fee you see in Vegas. But ya know what, it was my fault, I’ve been there enough times to know I should have taken cash.