Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

June 28, 2020 tarannosaurus

Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Arizona → Sedona Area → Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

Location: near Pine, South of Sedona, Arizona

Distance: various trails ranging from 300 ft (0.1 km) to 0.5 miles (0.8 km)

Elevation Gain/Loss: 185 ft (56 m) max (on trails going to the creek at the bottom of the canyon)

Time Required:1 – 3 hours (depending on the number of trails hiked)

Red Tape/Notes: $7/adult ($4 for children) entry fee; hours are typically 9am – 5pm, with reduced hours on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve and closed on Christmas. Visit the park website for additional information. Note that pets are not allowed on trails.

What’s Nearby?: Devil’s Bridge Trail, Soldier Pass-Brins Mesa Loop, Montezuma Castle, Waterfall Trail on Fossil Creek

This state park is a great stop if you’re in the area and are looking for some quick but fun outdoor action. Various parking areas provide easy access to the trails, and you can get nice views of the bridge in as little as 10 minutes total via the walking path. The real gem of the park is the undeveloped portion of the Pine Creek Trail which leads under the bridge – the quick access to this part of the trail is via the Anna Mae Trail, which heads steeply down the side of the canyon, dropping in on Pine Creek shortly upstream of the bridge. Follow the stream underneath the bridge and follow the trail markers along a slightly sketchy trail (not recommended for children) through the rocky underworld to emerge in the spray of the waterfall on the other side. Typically you can connect from there to the Gowan trail, walking across the bridge and observation deck before wrapping around back up the canyon; ongoing construction to the observation deck in 2020 has meant that this portion of the Gowan Trail has been closed, so check the park website for up to date information on trail closures.