Pine, AZ – Tucked away in a small valley surrounded by a forest of pine trees, Tonto Natural Bridge State Park has been in the making for thousands of years. It is believed to be the largest travertine bridge in the world. The bridge stands 183 feet high over a 400 foot tunnel that measures 150 feet at its widest point. Located a little over 1.5 hours northeast of Phoenix, the drive to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park takes you through the scenic Tonto National Forest via Arizona Highway 87.
Tonto’s bridge is believed to be the world’s largest travertine natural bridge
The bridge spans 400 feet in length as seen from a viewing platform
The park is open from 9am to 5pm, 7 days per week, with last entry at 4:00pm. There is an entrance fee of $7/person for adults (14+) and $4/child (6-13). Several short and strenuous hiking trails lead to various view points in the canyon. One may see the Natural Bridge from four different parking lot viewpoints without hiking down to the bottom. The Tonto Natural Bridge Visitor Center inside historic Tonto Lodge offers information and a gift shop. Note: There are no restrooms located in this building, but modern flush restrooms are located nearby.
The steep Gowan Trail includes loose ground and stairs
We hiked the Gowan Trail down to the observation platform. From the observation platform you can really see the size and scope of the bridge. The trail is listed at 2200 feet in length, steep and rough, which are fair assessments. It is worth the trek if you are physically capable. The other hiking trails were closed due to high water during our visit. The views of the surrounding canyon are beautiful. In addition to hiking, there are two swimming areas and picnic facilities.
Pine Canyon from atop the Natural Bridge
The observation platform and bridge top
Plants grow on the steep canyon walls
We combined our trip here with a hike at McDowell Mountain Regional Park and a scenic drive on Tonto National Forest’s Apache Trail. It could also be combined with a tour of Tonto National Monument’s cliff dwelling, but be aware that both locations close at 5pm, with trails closing at 4pm. We were staying at the Monte Vista RV Resort in Mesa, Arizona.
The bottom of the canyon
Early history of the Tonto Natural Bridge-From the State Park website:
“The white man discovered the Natural Bridge of Arizona late in the 19th century (approximately 1870’s). However, the American Indians had long used it and its adjacent caves for homes and its top (5 acres) as a fertile field; but nature, through millions of years, had worked with patient labor and magnificent skill to construct this monument, 200,000,000 cubic feet of rock—15,000,000 tons of stone. Her tools were a mountain spring and an adjacent stream, both flowing through limestone out of the mountains toward the barren wastelands (now the Great Salt River Valley) to the south. Nature painted this masterpiece with dull red and ocher, soft shades of yellow and cream intermingled with delicate tracings of bluish gray.
One spring day in 1877, while prospecting for gold in the Tonto Rim area, David Douglas Gowan’s eyes first beheld this enormous Natural Bridge. He descended from the mountains to the east to the beautiful little valley below that had a clear spring, in order to quench his thirst. After refreshing himself, he started exploring the adjacent area and made his unique discovery. After a few more trips to this “Garden Spot” with its unique beauty, Gowan decided this was the place for him to live.
However, others had decided to live there before him, and it wasn’t long until Indians returned to their “Garden Spot” to plant their crops. Then began a long tiresome game between the Apaches and Gowan. The fact that Gowan was able to maintain and perfect his claim to this area is to pay high tribute to his ability and ingenuity in dealing with the Indians. He admitted, however, that in the interest of preserving his life, it became necessary at one point to hide for three days and nights in one of the deep caves under the Bridge until the Apache’s war fever subsided. Gowan homesteaded the 160 acres at the Bridge and planted walnut, apricot, peach, apple, cherry and pear trees. He builds a dwelling at the site, grew a small garden and hunted game to sustain him while he wandered about exploring for gold.”
