The Two Tontos

April 22-23, 2024 – Day 38 &39

Lamplighter RV Resort, Payson Arizona

We normally don’t blog when we are visiting family and friends. But yesterday and today were so much fun and so filled with spectacular views we felt we just had to share and give you this bonus entry. We won’t go into every detail of every day only cover our visits to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park in Pine, AZ and Tonto National Monument in Roosevelt, AZ.

Tonto Natural Bridge

Tonto Natural Bridge is a natural arch in Arizona, United States, that is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. The area surrounding the bridge has been made into a state park called Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, which is located off State Route 87, just 10 miles north of Payson. Tonto Natural Bridge stands over a 400-foot-long tunnel that measures 150 feet at its widest point and reaches a height of 183 feet.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonto_Natural_Bridge

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A tiny stream feeds that lush area on the right which all cascades onto the floor below. I wish we had a picture of the trail below. It was about 200 feet down and the trail was listed as rugged. None of us were up for it that day as it was pretty darned hot!

We found the world’s smallest picnic table.

And finally, the best view of the natural bridge.

Life Birds: 4 (Yellow Warbler, Hutton’s Vireo, Black-chinned Hummingbird, White-throated Swift)

Tonto National Monument

The Salado Phenomena, 700 years ago, blended ideas of neighboring Native American cultures to emerge a unique and vibrant society. Tonto National Monument showcases two Salado-style cliff dwellings. Colorful pottery, woven cotton cloth, and other artifacts tell a story of people living and using resources from the northern Sonoran Desert from 1250 to 1450 CE.

https://www.nps.gov/tont/index.htm

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Lots of pictures here. The climb was paved, strenuous and very hot. We had left the relative cool air at an altitude of 5100′ in Payson and had descended about 2,000 feet to the park. A half mile up a winding path sounds easy, right? It was a 320 foot vertical climb and a half mile walk to the cliff dwelling. Trust us when we tell you this, especially when you’re in AZ sun at altitude and it’s approaching 90F outside, it can be a slog. Totally worth it though.

The wildflowers were in full bloom and they were stunning. Yellow and orange dominated, but there were also white, blue, red and two shades of purple flowers.

We’re trudging up to where the red arrow points.

Almost to the top!

We made it! Can you see the white Land Rover in the parking lot?

The nice ranger took our photo and answered a lot of questions.

Paul contemplates getting some wheat, grinding some flour and baking bread.

It was really amazing seeing how the Salado people lived. We compares this with the Hopi at Homolovi, who had similar sized rock rooms with wooden roofs, but built on mesas, not into cliffs.

On the way be we passed what Jay calls “the most redneck store possible.”

The sign says “Restaurant, Saloon, Hardware, Auto Parts, Quality Jewelry, Knives, Turquoise, Cowboy Gallery and Gifts.

And no, it isn’t mounted on a boat, it just looks like way.

Life Birds: 2 (Canyon Wren, Phainopepla, which none of use could pronounce so we called it the Philanthropic Bird)