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Tour the trail. Waterfall Trail is about 300 feet long, ends at waterfall cave. Uneven steps. Allow 15–20 minutes. Tour the trail. Gowan Trail is about 2,200 feet long, down and back leading to an observation deck in the creek bottom. The trail is steep and rough.
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Latest possible park entry is 4:00 p.m. Anna Mae, Gowan,...
- Area Attractions
Marked trail through the ruins with great views of the rim....
- Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. Latest possible park entry...
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Check out this 1.4-mile loop trail near Payson, Arizona. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 43 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.
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- Payson, Arizona, United States
The Waterfall Trail is located 9.8 miles from Payson, Arizona (AZ) in Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. Download the PDF Buckhead Mesa topo map. Compare elevation, range, calories and other trail metrics.
- Waterfall Trailhead, AZ
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- Tips For Your Visit
The Tonto bridge is made of travertine, which is a form of limestone typically made by hot springs. The bridge itself is 183 feet high and it's formed on top of a cavernous tunnel that stretches on for nearly 400 feet. Hiking on, around, and under the bridge is the main activity at the park, and scrambling around the rocks is especially fun for kid...
There are only four trails within the state park and the longest one is only a half-mile. However, even the shortest trails that are only a few hundred feet involve steep descents, uneven stairs, and sometimes climbing over slippery rocks. Make sure you have the right footwear before starting any of the hikes and factor in more time than you think ...
There's no camping allowed in the state park, but there is an on-site lodge for travelers who want to spend the night without going to another city. The nearest towns are Pine and Payson, which are about 15 minutes to the north and south, respectively. If you're just stopping by Tonto Natural Bridge on your way to one of Arizona's bigger cities, th...
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is about halfway between Phoenix and Flagstaff, roughly two hours away from either city by car. Interstate 17 is the highway that connects the two cities and you have to turn off onto Highway 260 heading east for about an hour until you reach the entrance for the state park.
The visitors' center at Goodfellow Lodge is accessible to all travelers and one of the guestrooms is fully ADA-compliant. There are viewpoints to see the Tonto Bridge near the parking lot that are paved and fully accessible that don't require hiking down one of the trails.
The park is open every day of the year except Christmas, and there is an admission fee that all visitors aged 7 and older have to pay.The best time to visit the park is in the spring or fall when temperatures are mild and you can enjoy the park without the excessive Arizona heat.The Arizona monsoon season begins in July and continues until September, sometimes dumping a huge amount of water in a very short period of time.Dogs are allowed at the viewpoints and parking area but they are not permitted on any of the trails.- Nf-583A, Pine, AZ 85544, USA
- (928) 476-4202
According to users from AllTrails.com, the best place to hike in Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is Tonto Natural Bridge Trail, which has a 4.7 star rating from 1,250 reviews. This trail is 1.4 mi long with an elevation gain of 305 ft.
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park. Uncover Arizona's Best Kept Secrets. Sign up for our newsletter to receive all the latest news, travel tips and special offers. Subscribe. Hike under the world’s largest natural travertine bridge near Payson.
