State park
Tonto Natural Bridge
This is a travertine bridge, not a sandstone arch. The tunnel is 183 feet high, 150 feet wide, and 393 feet long, with about 60 feet of travertine over the opening. It is the largest natural bridge of this kind.
The park is on Highway 87, just south of Pine. You can see the bridge from four viewpoints in the parking lot without hiking down. The trails to the creek are short and steep.
- 183 feet high
- Open 9am–5pm
- Last entry 4pm
Monster watch. If your camp chair is warm when you come back, you had a visitor. Sit down anyway.
Viewpoints
No hike
Four parking-lot viewpoints look at the bridge. The paved path along the top stays open later than the trails down.
Pets are allowed on the paved path and the viewpoints. They are not allowed on the trails. No glass on the trails.
From town. North on Highway 87 about 11 miles. The park is signed, on the way to Pine. The road drops into the canyon. About 20 minutes.
Driving directionsPine Creek Trail
About a half mile
The walk to the creek under the bridge. Part of it is in the creek bottom. Hiking shoes help, and the rock is slippery when wet.
Allow about an hour. This trail, and the ground under the bridge, close after high water. The park posts which trails are open.
Waterfall Trail
About 300 feet
A short, steep set of uneven steps to a waterfall cave. Allow 15 to 20 minutes.
Steep enough that the park asks you to carry water for the walk down and the walk back.
Gowan Trail
About 2,200 feet, down and back
Down to an observation deck in the creek, then back up. Anna Mae is the other steep trail to the bottom.
The creek trails close at 4pm. The viewpoints stay open until 5pm.
Park phone and the current trail list are on azstateparks.com/tonto. Bridge photo by ksblack99, public domain, Wikimedia Commons.
Before you go
- Admission is $10 for ages 14 and older, $5 for ages 7 to 13, and free under 7. Hours are 9am to 5pm. Last entry is 4pm.
- Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve the park closes at 2pm. It is closed Christmas Day.
- Dogs stay on the paved path and the viewpoints. They are not allowed on the trails.
- After storms, the park closes the trails under the bridge. Check azstateparks.com/tonto the morning you go.
