Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

Tucked away in Arizona’s Mogollon Rim country, Tonto Natural Bridge is marketed as the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. This geologic oddity is administered by Arizona State Parks, and it boasts hiking trails, picnic areas and a gift shop.

The main attraction here is the natural bridge, a giant arch that formed as mineral-rich water deposited calcium carbonate into interesting and beautiful shapes. The bridge has the appearance of a tunnel spanning Pine Creek. Upon entering the park you might not even notice that you are walking above it. The tunnel is over 400 feet long and the opening is about 180 feet tall. Trails descend a couple hundred feet from the parking areas down to the base of the bridge on either side. Both the Pine Creek Trail and the Gowan Trail lead down to the bridge. Adventurous souls with good footwear can scramble on rocks between the two trails through the natural bridge, but be cautious: The wet travertine is very slippery.

The park is small but interesting, and everything here can be seen in the better part of a day. Another trail leads to a small dripping waterfall, some travertine formations, and some hanging ferns. This short, 500-foot-long trail takes no more than 20 minutes to explore. A careful observer may notice a number of springs and seeps pouring from the rocks, an abundance of wildflowers, and a wide variety of both desert and forest vegetation in this unique place.