Prepare to be AMAZED! Stop right now and add this item to your bucket list! You will not regret it! One of the most incredible sights in the Payson, Arizona area is Tonto Natural Bridge. It is a mind blowing natural bridge-like structure. View it from the top and hike down to the bottom and through the cave area!
The whole experience is just like being in a cave, except it is filled with sunlight and pools. The rock formations are beautiful covering the water flowing through the bridge. It is an incredible view that will absolutely take your breath away.
Hours and Fees of Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
Hours open are 9am-5pm. They stop letting people into the park at 4pm. Getting there when it first opens is the best, because it can get hot really fast. It isn’t necessarily hot under the bridge, but it is along the trail to and from the bridge. This is Arizona after all and it is HOT!
CLOSED: Christmas
Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve: 9am-2pm
The fees are not like other state parks where it is by vehicle, this is by person.
Fees: Adults (14+)$7, Youth(7-13)$4, Child(0-6)FREE
HIKING SHOES
As you enter the park one of the first things the rangers will tell you is to wear proper footwear on all the trails. Then they will hand you a map of the park, and sure enough in that pamphlet it will say to wear proper footwear. On signs, on the website, ask anyone and they will all tell you the same thing, WEAR HIKING SHOES!!
The trail itself is not hard, but once you step off the trail, under the bridge, you will need a good pair of sturdy shoes. You are climbing, not walking, climbing on rocks the entire time. If the rocks are not wet they are so worn out from being walked on that they are slippery.
Hiking shoes provide grip on the rocks enough for you to climb and move. It will make a huge difference! A lot of the rocks are wet due to being surrounded by ponds and water droplets from the ceiling. Taking it a step further, waterproof hiking shoes will be the most helpful as it has the grip and you don’t have to change shoes in order to walk through and around the pools of water.
What is at this park?
Tonto Natural Bridge is a natural arch in Payson, Arizona. Located at 4,530 ft elevation and measuring 183ft high. It is thick enough to walk across and under, hence it being referred to as a natural bridge. This park has a series of trails, viewpoints, and waterfalls for you to explore.
Amenities: picnic tables, restrooms, parking lot, benches
Trail to the Tonto Natural Bridge
The start of the trail is really the only flat part of the trail. For a short and I do mean very, very short distance you walk through the desert trees and then begin your descent. It is a short hike and so you begin your descent quick and fast. Zig-zag down the side of the mountain through small desert brush and cacti. When you go during the summer you will even see desert wildflowers!
It is hot so make sure you bring plenty of water. I love hiking with a hydration camel pack. It evenly distributes the weight of the water in a bladder in a backpack so that you don’t have to have lumpy water bottles stuffed against your back. Also make sure you are dressed to protect yourself from the sun. Spray sunscreen, a hat, and sun glasses will keep you from getting burned or too much sun exposure on this trail with practically no shade.
Once you get to the bottom of the trail you will pass by some tall trees to a small green pond area. This is pretty much the one shaded spot of the entire trail besides under the bridge. It is really pretty too! The water is a cool turquoise color, but so clear that you can see the fish swimming through it.
Now it’s time to climb some stairs. The stairs (not very many) take you onto a L shaped bridge. The bridge goes over the small pond and leads to a small cinderblock seating area where you can sit and just admire looking through the bridge. Look up and see the small water fall falling from the cliff edge above! It is beautiful!
At the far edge of this small seating area are a couple stairs that will let you enter the rock under the bridge. Beware for this is where the game of slippin and sliddin begins! These rocks have been walked on so much that they are smooth and very easy to slip on. Good hiking shoes will really help you climb around under the bridge.
If the rocks aren’t slippery due to high usage, than they are slippery due to water. There is water all around. Falling from the ceiling roof, pooled in ponds around the cave-like structure, and flowing down in small waterfalls. Just come prepared to get wet, there is not avoiding the water droplets falling around.
There are 2 ponds under the Tonto Natural Bridge. The first one you will slide down to is smaller, but still deep. If you follow the rocks on the left side of the small pond it will take you behind a huge boulder wall to the second pond. This pond is a lot deeper! The water is super cold, but feel free to jump in for a quick dip!
There really is not set trail around under the bridge, it is kind of just climb wherever you want and have fun exploring. Enjoy sliding down giant boulders, climbing through small caves, and crossing over small flowing creeks. Such a beautiful and fun area to explore and adventure through!
Why hike to the base?
Just look at these pictures! Do I really need to say more? Here are reasons why you should hike to the base of the bridge:
- The temperature feels so good under the bridge! The bridge is like a cave and it is deep enough that it blocks the sunlight. By blocking the sunlight it keeps the temperature nice and cool! It feels so good especially while walking around in the heat. Plus the water droplets dripping from the ceiling are a great way to cool down in the Arizona heat.
- AMAZING view! You think the view from up top is amazing, just wait until you get to the base! It is so gorgeous! Literally everything is beautiful! The rocks the slight waterfall falling from the ceiling, the moss, the water of the ponds, the caves, the view on the hike down! It is all incredible. If you want your mind blown make the hike down!
- Easy and short hike! Only a mile hike there and back! Super short! I will admit that it is pretty much down the entire way home and up the entire way back, but the trail is clearly marked and is very well maintained.
- There are pools under the bridge!! Deep pools that you can play in and if you are brave enough to take on the cold, swim in! My toddlers absolutely loved throwing rocks into the water! Like I said the water is really cold, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun!! Go for a dip in the pool or at least take off your shoes and walk around in the water!
Waterfall Trail
Did I say waterfall, I actually meant water trickle! Haha, just kidding; it is by definition water falling and fun to see. Worth the 10 minutes it will take for you to get there and back. It is a very short trail about 0.3 miles there and back.
Now I know you are thinking golly that short of a hike will be a cinch! Think again! This trail is practically all stairs down to the waterfall and then up from the waterfall. The very beginning of the trail is flat, but the rest is either up or down. Be very careful of the staircase though, the stairs are very uneven. They are all spaced at different lengths, some are wider than others, and some are higher than others. Just watch where you are putting your footing and you will be fine.
The waterfall is right off to the left of the trail. You will get wet walking up to it as it flows right on to the trail. My 4 year loved running in front of the waterfall and getting wet. Not gonna lie, in the heat it feels really good to get splashed with the ice cold water that is falling!
Essentials for this park
- Water- Don’t forget that this hike is in Arizona and Arizona can get pretty dang hot! I love hydration camel packs. They are light weight, comfortable, and easy to carry a load of water. I hate having to juggle water bottles while hiking or stuffing them in my backpack and making it bulky and uncomfortable. Bring plenty of water in a really good camel pack.
- Sunscreen– Wear what you need to protect your skin from the sun. Sunglasses, a sun hat, and sunscreen! The majority of the hike to the base of Tonto Natural Bridge is in direct sunlight. I LOVE spray sunscreen! It is easy and really quick to apply. Doesn’t make your skin white or greasy. It doesn’t make you sweat a ton and it smells a lot better! Another benefit is that it is easy to apply to a squirming overly excited toddler ready to run and play! Just saying!
- Water Hiking Shoes– Hiking shoes are ESSENTIAL on this hike! The rocks at the base of the arch are very slippery from water and from being walked on so much. It is almost scary to climb through the base of the arch without shoes with good grip. It is pretty wet under the bridge too, so wearing waterproof hiking shoes will help you keep a grip on the rocks while climbing and allow your shoes to get wet.
- Small towel– Water is dripping from above, the rocks are covered in water, and there are pools throughout under the bridge. Needless to say you will get wet. Now I am not saying you will want to bring a huge beach towel, unless you are planning on jumping in the cold pools. Definitely bring a beach towel then, the heat will pretty much dry you off though on your way back up the hill though. I say bring a small towel for if you want to take your shoes off and soak your feet in the water. It is really inconvenient to try and put shoes and socks back on wet feet. Just sayin!
Hiking with kids
This is a park you can take your kids to! They will love the Tonto Natural Bridge! I am a mama of 3 kids all 3 years old and younger and they loved this park! They loved throwing rocks in the ponds, running through the waterfall, and climbing all of the big rocks. It is literally was literally a natural playground to them!
These hikes are pretty easy, but if you do have little toddlers I suggest bringing a couple extra things to help you get through the hike.
- Toddler Hiking Carrier– I rarely do a hike without one of these! The hiking carrier with the shaded top would be best to keep your little one protected from the sunlight. There is very little, to no shade on the trail.
- Baby Carrier– Visit tiny-toddler.com for the best baby carrier! It straps crisscross across your shoulders to help you even out the weight of your baby. It has a shade to cover your baby from the sun. You can rearrange it in 6 different ways for better comfort. Use my discount code 2Camilla15 for 15% off.
- Water Shoes– Just try keeping your toddlers out of the ponds under the bridge! Helpful hint you can’t! Instead of trying to take your kiddos shoes off and on every 5 seconds and on wet feet (which is really hard to get socks on), have your little ones wear water shoes. This will help them walk on the rocks and will allow them to not have to take their shoes on and off.
Hiking with toddlers is not as hard as you may think it is read about how to hike with toddlers and have them love it!
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