Reviews of Tonto National Forest. (Campground) in Phoenix (Arizona).

Tonto National Forest

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396 Comments

Campground

National forest

Chandler, AZ 85224, United States

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Information of Tonto National Forest, Campground in Phoenix (Arizona)

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Reviews of Tonto National Forest

Tani Wade

Such natural beauty at this first!! Many great trails to hike for all levels of experience! The climate is great for most of the year. There are several scenic places worth visiting. A nice place to be part of nature! Lots of cute places to visit along the way if you’re traveling through by vehicle.

Brian McQuistion

This was an awesome place to visit! We went to the Sear Kay Indian Ruins in the Tonto National Forest. This is located just out side of Carefree AZ which is like 15 minutes from the actual old west town of Cave Creek AZ. We love this area and have lived out here for a few years and the hiking in this area is beautiful. These Indian ruins are only like a few miles North of Lake Bartlett. There is wildlife here and you will probably see see deer in the area if you look for them. The parking lot to the ruins is paved and has a bathroom. The also have picnic tables and areas to sit. The parking spaces are limited to probably less than 20 spots. The parking lot does have a gate that the forest rangers probably open and close daily. The hike it self is pretty easy, it is up hill and the trail is marked and maintained. Wear hiking shoes… The views up top are amazing, you can see for miles. The ruins are not still all intact. There are medal signs around each structure showing great pics and information. The walls are still standing in some of the rooms. This is a way cool place to come because you can walk around everything and sit in the rooms that are still partially up. We hiked up and had lunch and came back down the south East trail that is super rugged and steep in some areas. Again, hiking shoes is a must due to the super loose gravel trail coming down this way. If you go this way you can get pretty close to some free standing boulders that are huge and pretty neat looking. This trail is not maintained or marked. I would highly recommend this hike it’s pretty easy especially if you just use the marked trail. Up and down in an easy half hr. There is plenty of places to sit up top and gaze out. Carefree and North Scottsdale are easily visible from the top. Great place for a picnic on top.

Mark Steiger

Very peaceful and relaxing area. The creek was nice and cool, and the sound of the water running over the rocks was very serene. The cliff behind the creek was amazing but not too hard to reach the top.

Ray A

If you want to explore mountain and road trip and not in a hurry and happens to be relocating from LA to Midwest and you passed by Tonto National Park, this is a good place for you to enjoy the view and chillax. You can camp or mountain hiking or thrill on mountain biking. If you have a horse, bring it on. Explore the wilderness and nature.

Don Yates

Great (dispersed) camping experience! This time of year (May - June) is a little warm for me, during the day, but nighttime temps are perfect. I stayed at one of several sites along road 371. If rain is in the forecast, roads could become impassable.

Xavier Scott

Camped here in December and it is gorgeous, the trails I hiked on were very clearly marked, and there are fee and fee-free campsites, although not all are open in the off-season. Would highly recommend!

Jhenna D Salas-Hernandez

What an AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!!!! I got a chance to fish next to the wild horses 😍🙏🏻🙌🏼🥰 What a beautiful way to regenerate oneself 🙏🏻🥰🙏🏻 Looking forward to another visit 🙏🏻🙌🏼🥰 I definitely recommend you stop by if you're in the area 💯🙏🏻🙌🏼😍 …

Casey Stead

Beautiful. Hiked the Flatiron and camped on the back side. Best sunsets and sunrises you could ask for. Difficult and hot trail up Siphon Draw. After you pass over the top, the trail isn't the best, but that's because it's least traveled.

Jamie Livesay

Tonto Trail - interesting info about this area, do your research - drive to the trail head was quite scenic 😍. Lots of cactus and beautiful ridge lines - Friday afternoon (roughly 36 hikers) from start to finish - Restroom facilities at the trailhead - I wore tennis shoes and my buddy wore shorts (both were good) - Hiking sticks - if you want - Not to difficult to get to Weavers Needle (little easier compared to Piestewa and Camelback) - Nooks and crannies to crawl around once you get to the top, if you’re looking at the needle turn your head up and look at the ridge( there’s a rock shaped like a bobcat with ears/ head/body 😍) - long horn sheep, small snake … spotted - some shady areas along the path - nice terrain with some greenery - great go see the rocks change colors as the sun goes down! Let me know if this was helpful 😎

Joseph Strohmeyer

Pretty damn nice drive. Great for taking pictures. Quite a long ways. We were pretty tired when we returned home.

Angela Ocean

I've never visited a park area, but I drive thru it on the 60 almost every day. Very scenic. Very bad aggressive drivers sub par cell service but a pretty ok place to be. Beats Phoenix.

Laura Posts real reviews

Great place Bermuda Flats if you have a RV or trailer! If not u have to bring a camping toilet. We went in an old RV and had no issues if u can find a good spot. (Holidays are packed) week days are best if you don't want to be crowded. Some people come not prepared with a toilet which ends up pretty gross in the bushes. But most people are responsible and place is nice, it has a dumpster by the entrance so u can dump trash. You can get a spot to park trailer or RV or tent right up to the water. Gets hot during the summer days u need AC my opinion. But We will definitely go again!

Keith Duerk

Just pulled off the highway to take some pictures of the sunrise in the mountains here. Looks like a great place to go hiking.

Kayin Drozdowski

It's interesting that I can review a whole forest, but it's definitely my top spot in AZ for camping and road trips taking the scenic route.

Cobalt Gomez

My old stomping grounds close to Superior. I love it that you can still go off-roading in many areas.

Jim Vickers

Butcher Jones Trail is a moderate 5 mile return to the recreation site. You have to pay for parking but the fee is well worth it as the views around the lake trail are excellent.:)

Allen Kees

Absolutely stunning! Just driving around and pulling off the road on dirt trails and getting out to explore is incredible! God's creation is beautiful!

Chris Renshaw

One of my favorite places in AZ. The fires near Payson decimated large swaths of trees and now various Manzanitas and pine are growing in its place. Sunsets here are awesome and the night sky is breathtaking. Enjoy!

Kimberly Young

Such natural beauty at this first!! Many great trails to hike for all levels of experience!

Julie Scopa

Beautiful place to visit and glad that I did! Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared for a fun walk!

Alexander Nikolaus

Way way out in the middle of nowhere, there's a dried wash of rocks where you can find zebra jasper, fossils, and petrified wood! Well worth the travel from Payson

The Gonz.

Always beautiful no matter where you are in the park. As always bring lots of water. 👍🏽👍🏽 …

Ian Goldman

Recommend the drive to Tortilla Flat for great vistas. Goldfield is a nice glimpse into a gold mining town from the 1890s.

Nick Jaurigue

Woods Canyon Lake is by far my favorite place to go camping. Every one of the campsites are well taken care of and the host are always helpful.

Brian Gatch

Stayed at the Mountain Meadows Ranch whiçh was an amazing experience. Hiked up to the Mogollon Rim then looped back to the ranch which was a 14 mile journey... I would do it again.

Angela Robinson

Phenomenal scenery whenever we go camping here! Fun for the whole family! Highly recommend a visit if you can!

Danny Kaster

Been running our trucks up and down Four Peaks for years. Just never camped it. I truly appreciate and love it

shengduo luan

very nice places.Superstition Mountains are great

Toni Shpuza

It is a must if you visit Phoenix area. Beautiful views. Paceful

kevin hatch

Beautiful. Just the hugest place to camp out

Paula Berlund

This is Canyon lake and the overlook. I love to kayak and swim here. I've kayaked the entire length of this lake and camped out overnight in remote areas within the lake. The water levels are normal thankfully and it is a peaceful place to relax, go fishing, have a picnic and just enjoy the beautiful water. Remember to pick up your Tonto forest pass BEFORE you go. The 15 mile drive from Apache Junction is a beautiful scenic drive along a mountainous road that has dozens of sharp hairpin turns, blind corners and boat traffic. It is a great road to drive your motorcycle so be careful and enjoy the ride.

Lucas

Great weather. Small bears. Bring a hammock and you'll be in heaven

Rachael Indian

The beauty that surrounds you.... Right outside my living room window.

Brandy Forman

Lots of trees and very calm, serene, & great for my anxiety.....but the traffic to get back to the valley on a Sunday is horrific!

Dawn Denham

Easy to get to. Beautiful scenery. You lose the noise of the city but not to far away.

Holly Simmelink

Quick turn off and down a dirt road takes you to the trailhead. Good facilities but ladies will need to bring their own tissue. Lots of cows were the only wildlife we saw. They were friendly enough though. Popular with horses, so watch your step!

Dayna “AZsunkissed” Paul

Oh my gosh!!!! So beautiful relaxing and peaceful. There's a threat of storms later today and for the next 3 days and I guess that's why there weren't that many people on the lake but it was a nice change. Since I was there last there's more water because of the rains. There were less people. It just made it more peaceful. Not that it's not great fun when there's a lot of people on the lake because the waves can be fun for a kayaker like me to play on. But it was a beautiful change and I really enjoyed it. I saw more birds than usual. Was just an amazing day.

Robb Wallace

Beautiful and peaceful mother nature at her best

Brian Ling

Best part of Arizona wilderness is in the Tonto National Forest. Phenomenal Dirt bike and off road trails. Little to no trash because area is mostly accessible via 4x4 or dirt bike. Keep these trails clean.

jodi hunter

AWE STRICKEN SOME!!!! Love the desert and all it's beauty and history. Took my 10 year old daughter to the ruins and hiked for a couple hours. I could feel the energy and peacefulness that once was there! I hope this is a place of preservation for a very long time! One note I would encourage however, is I would try and get students who or tribal or descendants or tribal members to work at the ruins.

Brett Erickson

Great place to exercise your 2A rights since the national forest allows for this during specified seasons that you can find consistently updated online. Very beautiful locations, and have never had an issue here.

Ali May

Took the family van & kids to play in the snow for the day. Lots of snow, found a great spot to come back and camp or visit soon. Was nice to get us all out of the house and heads up from device hypnosis. Thanks mother nature, you're awesome!

Danilo Engracio

Good trail, 4x4 needed. I would say high clearance vehicles are necessary. I’m running a 2020 JLU with a 3 1/2 inch lift and 35 inch tires. Did most of the trail in 4 high. There are some spots that are definitely easier with 4 low but I wouldn’t say that it is necessary. Bring reliable recovery gear like Miolle recovery gear. An amazing recovery tool for any off road vehicle. But also extremely useful for a two wheel drive auto stuck in the snow, Sand ,or mud. Easy to use and stores simply in it's carry bag in the trunk or tool box. The quality is 100%! Service from the company is excellent. Love this tool!

Aimee Nicole

For Hortons Creek area: Extremely beautiful place. The hiking trails are considered easy, kid and pet friendly. Very nice area. Only picked up 2 small bags of trash so most visitors are packing up and taking their trash with them. Except for the picnic area, that was kind of littered but I cleaned that up. I recommend coming here if you're looking for something simple and peaceful. The water was extremely clean looking and was a very enjoyable experience.

Amy Nicholas

Your adventures are endless with Tonto National Forest. Many hikes, lakes, natural waterfalls, and river/creeks to explore. The terrain changes as you head up north. You get the desert to the south and tall pine trees as you travel up north. You can stay on paved roads or go off-roading on many of the already developed fire roads and trails.

Taffy Loveless

The entire park is gorgeous, but the park and hike down to the falls at Tonto Natural Bridge is amazing! Tourist! This shouldn't be missed! Resident? Get out and make the drive to see this natural beauty. Very much worth the drive and the park admittance fee.

Ken - Gabo - White Lightening Sx

Talk about some outdoor fun ? Well talk no more !!! This is the place you can do it all. You can bring your toys, guns, hiking boots, cameras, camping gear, toy haulers, you name it, this place is FANTASTIC to get away from reality. We took the can am and razor out and just WENT explored all over. From the fantastic scenery to the breathtaking trails and jaw dropping excitement there was never a dull moment. Roll up on hiding mines and explore, make sure you have flashlights and some good long strong sticks, neverknow what may be deep in the caves and tunnels. Make sure you mark your way down, you'll definitely get lost coming back. Go make a family day of it. You'll enjoy.

Mercy Williams

It was a great hike. Better to hike when the weather is cooler. You are exposed out there. Bring plenty of water and snacks. The trail was rough in some places. Wear good shoes, I felt like I was walking barefooted on the way back down.

tim mccusker

We spent Easter at Roosevelt Lake, a tradition of my girl's family. This was the second year for me, and I loved it! We did a lot of exploring around the area. The stark beauty of the lake and it's surroundings are truly awe inspiring! There are quite a few campgrounds surrounding the lake with something for everyone. You can choose to camp with full amenities, showers, water pumps, cabanas w/ picnic tables, and parking for your RV, or you can "rough it" in a campground that offers only space and restrooms. There is even a resort at the south end of the lake. If you take the entrance road to Bachelor Cove, but instead of veering left to the campground, you keep going, the road takes you up into the mountains on a steep dirt road that levels out onto a plateau that offers an absolutely breathtaking view of the lake, dam, bridge, Tonto basin, and miles of desert scenery and mountains. You can go even higher, but the road from this point on is pretty steep with lots of rocks, and sheer dropoff on both sides. I would definitely advise a four wheel drive vehicle to proceed beyond this point. There are many places like this to explore in Tonto National Forest, and especially in Tonto Basin. If you're the outdoor type, I urge you to plan a trip to the area. I think you'll fall in love with it too.

Willy_Boy

It's a very beautiful place, the woods are spacious and calm. Also its home to many things and sightings that can not be explained. If you love camping and fishing, or you just have a general love for the outdoors and nature this is the place for you! You will find many ponds and lakes as well as hiking, mountain biking and camping spots.

Raymond Harris

Great hiking trails out at First Water Trail Head! Still very green and lot of water running, went Monday morning and there wasn’t a lot of traffic. The road getting to the trail head wasn’t bad. Small cars can get down it no problem. The bathrooms are always clean and nice, parking lot is a great size at all trail head areas! This hike is probably great for small kids too! It is a must hike super awesome area!

Gregg Stasiak

Shear beauty of desert life! Trails are easy to challenging and well marked. Didn't find a trail we didn't like

Desiree D

I absolutely love this lake. It's a little rough for kayaking in the main part if there are a lot of boats but its enjoyable. Gorgeous views, love the rock formations. The only disappointing thing was the trash. We picked up as much as we could but its disheartening to see the total disregard for nature.

Chris Woodard

This is such a beautiful hike along the canyon areas just outside of Superior. Park along the road just East of the Tunnel and you can find great trails and stream areas with waterfalls. It's a very relaxing day trip of about an hour from the Phoenix area.

Doc & Bre On Yonder Roads

Very beautiful area. Spectacular views. Pics don’t display the majestic scenery. Stayed three days, sorry it couldn’t have been longer.

Willy Stylez

I'm working in the area , it's a beautiful place. As you can see my drive to and from work is pretty awesome

Wiki Wiki

Always beautiful :) wild horses are amazing. If it's a busy weekend look out for marshmallows. (Please keep the river clean) Great way to spend a day off. Stay safe.

Matthew White

I stayed at a campsite in Pioneer Pass recreation area. It was clean and taken care of. The bathrooms are clean and the firepit was free of old ash. Super quiet and peaceful. I don't know if I'd bring anything bigger than full size truck up here with the narrowness and tight turns on the road in. I did see people with a trailer in tow, so it is doable.

Ryan B.

I usually find myself @ South Mountain, or Mcdowell Sonoran Preserve But decided to change it up ajd im so Glad I did, despite the little drive the scenery is honestly much different, I know most will say the desert is the desert how could it change? Well there's wayy more greenery, shrubs,trees vs JUST cactus and sand. Offering more shade, cleaner Air, Less People. Everything about it is just nicer. Although many trails are closed right now because of the fires the ones that are open are still great, ive been back here about 5 times in two weeks. Can't wait for the Fall to explore other sides of the range

Charene Robinson

What a beautiful place to hike. Many trails and options for your difficulty level. We hiked the Dutchman trail as a 9.5 mile loop connecting to Bluff Springs and back to the Peralta trailhead. A beautiful day with varying views of mountains, streams and canyons.

Craig Hutton

Always fun driving through. Must stop at the rest point in salt canyon on the 60. If your there when it rains its quit a sight. I ride out here when the weather gets hot. Accross the bridge there is a camp site and for $15 it covers camping fishing and hiking. Its an amazing ride on the north east side of the canyon along the 60, with some of the best views in the state.

Cinthya Mendoza

Prepare for no-trail hiking. There are a few different routes: one is easily paved and the other is through rock, brush, and water. I suggest wearing shoes with a good grip and a camera--the destination is beautiful and photo worthy. There is a small secluded small path that takes you to another mini cave with a light small water fall. It's the one closest to the entrance. It's insanely pretty and not many people know about it. Ask a guide about it, it's worth it!

Hannah Bercovici

I always love hiking here it's gorgeous. You can backpack or hike or trailrun, I've seen it all! It definitely gets pretty crowded on the weekend.

Jenessa Adams

Great hiking. Short trails. Lots of bouldering on some parts. Great for the whole family. Beautiful waterfalls, ponds, and trees. A perfect getaway from the heat of the valley! Plenty of picnic areas, grassy fields, and a visitor's center. Port-a potties are relatively clean, too.

Nature Tech Family

The drive up Hwy 87 was beautiful and well-maintained. Lots of places to stop and have an adventure, such as Tonto National Monument, and plenty of hiking trails. Feels very remote and immersive. Would love to go back-country camping here next visit!

Trent River

"Land of many uses." My auto correct called it "Land of many users.". Which can be incredibly true in some places. But there can be immense beauty. Grab your camera, kayak, hiking boots, and fishing rod and go.

Whitney Parr

Bulldog canyon is a cool place to camp for a few days, met a good person named Tom and a couple of other people who have been camping there for more than a year named Adam Saunders and Jamie English and if possible steer clear of them, they'll rob you blind and they are also one drugs, so if you're planning on visiting Bulldog canyon, it's a great place besides those two people

Stefanie “Cliff Dweller” Hodapp

Of all the Forest Lands in America this one is very unique. A variety of ecosystems as the forest crawls over some of AZs most beautiful lands. From desert saguaros to tall pines. Canyon Lands abound and views to die for a long the back dirt hwys

Vanessa Ruiz

Our family had a very lovely weekend. Hiked Horton Creek trail and then zoomed up to the rim. Beautiful weather with light showers during both hikes. Highly recommend Horton Creek, it was a long hike but definitely well worth it. We ventured off trail a bit down to the running creek where pictures were taken absolutely beautiful...

Dan Varcoe

An awesome day bike riding desert trails in Sunny Arizona. Over 70 degrees in January. Awesome! Apache Junction can be very proud of Prospector Park. Soccer fields, Raquet Ball and Pickle Ball courts, playground equipment for kids, many walking paths and sidewalks. And a great jumping off place to non motorized trail system. Biking, hiking, horseback riding.

Brynce T

Endless possibilities for hiking/fishing/camping etc. I visited Canyon Lake yesterday and it was absolutely beautiful, not only amazing views but trophy size fish! Looks like an excellent lake to kayak.

Elizabeth McCanless

Unrivaled beauty from just outside of Phoenix. The expansiveness of Tonto will make you dizzy, and you'll find your eyes being glued to your window. Be careful, you may run off road if you don't watch where you're going. Where other forests scream green, Tonto whispers blue. But silence speaks volumes.

Latash Renee'

Beautiful natural bridges, rocks, water sources and trails. Easy and moderate difficulty, bridge was closed when we went so I had to defy the laws of gravity climbing over a 10ft steep wall over water...I made it with a few cuts and scrapes lol but it was Great and got me out of my comfort zone. If you wamt to avoid this you would need to go thru the bridge. It was very nice and grounding be apart of nature and its awesome majesty.

Tomasz Tyka

It's a beautiful place, ended up just driving through before sunset to take in the beauty. Drove back at night and it was a beautiful sight as well. Check out the Tonto Basin when coming here.. Nice little area.

Bryant Cummings

Super nice staff. It's just off the road by Lake Roosevelt. We just went to the lower site. It's a shy moderate climb. My two year old hiked the entire way. You get to walk among the site. You have to make a reservation for the upper site and it is a longer hike. Once again, really nice staff and really neat history.

Mary Biancalana

Just to the northeast of Mesa Arizona, the Tonto National Forest is he easily accessible Nature Preserve with lots to offer anyone wanting to get into nature. Hiking trails from easy to difficult, plenty of places to stop and look and gaze at the Wonder of the Southwest landscape. More people need to get out and do hiking to enjoy all that our country has to offer.

Paula Fosbinder

Spent some quality time hiking and exploring within the Tonto National Bridge area. Get there early to enjoy the solitude before it gets crowded. The hike back up can be strenuous if your not used to hiking so drink a lot of water and take your time. It is worth it. The other fun thing to experience is the fern waterfall which is approx 100 steps down to see but it is breathtaking and again so so worth it. Enjoy!

Rick Dana

Plenty of dispersed camping sites

Melinda Breakiron

Has nice areas you can pull off and do target shooting with mountain/hill backdrops. Seems to also be popular for motorcycles and quads on the dirt roads.

Blake Emory

Tonto forest has the most amazing spots to camp in Arizona! From Rio Verde to Superstition mountain! Amazing!

Larry Love

Covering such a huge amount of Arizona, I've barely scratched the surface of the many spectacular places in The Tonto National Forest. I randomly drove to an amazing place outside cave creek yesterday. I don't recall the name, but I've got plenty of pictures to share.

Jessica Perry

Spent three absolutely stress free days in Tonto National Forest. Christopher Creek campground is perfect! Lots of trailheads and scenery to take in. Would take weeks to explore the whole area. If you're looking for a peaceful getaway, this a great place. So many spots in Az worth the time.

Saif Al-Alawi

Scoop your poop! Parking can be competitive and limited. The trails are rigorous and challenging but the vistas are absolutely worth it. From Peralta it took us a hour to get to the saddle which is where everyone congregated. We bypassed them in search of adventure on Terapin. Follow the rock carins and you'll be money.

Frank Hollibaugh

I hiked up siphon draw trail today. It was amazing at the top. This is a tough "trail". You should definitely be in good shape and take plenty of water and something to eat. The top is called flatiron. The view is breathtaking.

Carl Cohen

A wide range of flora, fauna and rock formations are the at the heart if this beautiful wilderness. You'll see evidence of the Great Flood in the layers of the Red Rocks and many other historic wonders. Be mindful of the fire danger conditions if you visit during the dry seasons. There are trails for every level of hiker. The national forest service does an excellent job maintaining the trails and markers. The Tonto National Forest is a must experience if you're visiting Arizona.

Beau Frusetta

Awesome time taking the Jeep out over Four Peaks summit to Roosevelt Lake. The road was pretty easy to pass, only a few areas that would need caution. The washboarding on Four Peaks Rd right off the 87 was insane.

Leilani Holguin

Very pretty! Lots to do in the summer and fall months:)

David Arnold

One of the most spectacular places to camp that I have ever been. Instead of camping at the reservoir and paying $12 why don't you turn away from the reservoir on a Forest road where numerous isolated camping spots will be awaiting you. Hopefully you don't mind camping with cows.

Moomoo 617 (Enoy617)

Beautiful views quite nights no one around but Skin Walkers lol Becarefull with cows and prickly cactus plants

Nelia I.

Beautiful lots of different terrain lots of wild life ...nice rock formations...hot! But doable if u go prepared...

Warren Cassatt

Well, it's got a Famous Name AND it's wild and spectacular and about 3 million acres next to Phoenix. Some scary roads! It's amazing to me there aren't even more than the 5 something million visitors every year. There are some true hidden gems here that I'd rather keep to myself but hey... Sunbathing on a beach accessible only by boat on a lake in a canyon surrounded by stunning cliffs, like what I imagine floating in the Grand Canyon would be like if it was filled halfway with water in October with saguaro cactus on the edge with no one around, 40 miles (as the crow flies, very important consideration given the terrain and road closures, a lot longer by road) from a suburb of a major metropolitan city, that's pretty cool. A weekday, yes, and ya gotta have an open mind about adventure in accommodations but for vacation dollar well spent hard to beat. Fires, floods, all of it helps keep less hardy souls away and it's so easy to find solitude in stunning beauty. I was there for maybe 90 hours and look forward to many future adventures discovering more amazing beautiful places in the High Ho Silver let's go see Tonto!

Nancy Han

It’s beautiful period! After being a big city with full of people like New York, it’s spiritually detoxing to be here breathing the fresh air seeing the most amazing formation of rocks with vibrant colors. Hike was pretty easy going so there is no excuse not to do it. I was with my parents who are in their high 70’s. They did it n loved it.

Paula Koszarek

A favorite for us for hiking, boating and horseback riding. It is sad to see some of it being burned in the recent Woodbury Fire. Tonto hosts the Superstition Mountains and there is a plethora of hiking & riding trails ranging from easy to moderate to difficult. There’s also camp grounds at Lost Dutchman that have really nice facilities.

EKavanagh

Awesome!!!! Amazing rock formations. Tough hike in heat. More green than I would've thought. Cool experience.

Rajagopal Nagamani

we ventured to Tonto National Forest to look at the Wild flowers that are flowering now in the thousands. Though we did find them they were really not all over the place but on the hillocks while nearing the TNF. Some the pics taken are posted here.

Shannon Hamberlin

Beautiful views of nature everywhere you go. There are endless possibilities for activities and adventures. I personally love camping and going to the lake! And it's where my husband and I took our wedding pictures so it holds a special place in my heart. ❤ Woods Canyon Lake and Mogollon Rim

Graham Learned (Graham L)

It's hard to rate such a large area, but everything we saw was beautiful and awe inspiring. Coming from someone who isn't from around here, Tonto was just a wonderful place to learn the stunning beauty that the desert has to offer.

Brandy Hernandez

I love this park. If you think Arizona is an ugly dry state with nothing to see then you have been looking in all the wrong places. This park is only a short drive away from Phoenix, and it manages to capture the majestic West well away from all the city buzz.

Harry Dennis

We camped overnight the weather was nice compared to Phoenix. Kinda cold at night for me but fun overall.

Nikkie C

The most challenging hike I've done so far. There were no trails where we went. It was hot and extremely rough terrane. Thank God I had a GPS. Worth every second of pain carrying a 40lb pack.

Dave S

Nice scenic drive. Lots to do... Rafting down the river, swimming,, boat launch and horseback riding just a few. Watch the speed though... It drops from sixty five down to thirty five fast.

B B

It was a gorgeous day to go! So worth the drive from Phoenix! I reccomend good hiking shoes with tred on them because we slipped around the rocks a lot but made it back unscathed! Great photo opportunities and please respect the signs and rangers in the park

Tom Calano (tc)

Thos day was awesome...clear, cool with some wispy clouds. There were several other people around doinf targer shooting practice, be mindful of that. I was there with 2 others doing some shooting. I didn't have guns. I used theirs. There's a dirt road that winds back through the area that can a bit bumpy without the right vehicle. Several people were also riding 4 wheelers and dirt bikes on the trails. You could see 4 peaks mountain in the distance. Beautiful.

Craig Stromberg

Love going to the Tonto basin. The desert has a life and beauty of its own. Recommend the Tonto ruins, go there every chance I get.

Felicia Conner

Beautiful place! We spent a family Mother's Day there and it was perfect! Clean and beautiful! There are lookouts and then you can hike down to the cavern and see the natural waterfall. There are picnic areas all over and a little "beach" area. There are all kinds of wildlife around. We will definitely be coming back!

Don DeFlavis

Really beautiful Park. Really worth seeing. We got there late in the day but will definitely go earlier so we can do some more hiking there. We're surprised to see a really cool waterfall at the top of the natural arch. And a really nice creek goes through the middle of it. Very well maintained by the park service. Definitely worth the visit.

Angie Papple Johnston

The Tonto National Forest is amazing, but don't show up at Roosevelt Lake expecting to swim (oops, from experience). Apparently there are a few places to swim from the shore, but we didn't find them. The cliff dwellings are spectacular, as are the views on the drive. The camp store at the visitor center is not open on Sundays, so plan accordingly.

Lucas Humbracht

We visited the lower cliff dwelling. Steep climb to the top, but worth it. If you want to see the upper cliff dwelling, you will need to make reservations. The view is great from the top. There is a Ranger up there to answer your question.

Deborah Nelson

I always love coming here. My friend and I came up for a couple days for some hiking and seeing some of the local sights. Everyone is super friendly we didnt want to leave. We hiked up around granite dells and drove around the rim it was nice and cool and breezy and the rain was very welcoming. We cant wait for our next adventure here.

Mark Witbeck

We love the ability to camp just about anywhere off the road. We traveled near diamond point this time. We spent a day looking for geodes, but did not find anything good. Looking over the valley away the rim was a great view. It was great weather the whole weekend.

Terrie Savage

My property backs up to the Tonto Natl. Forest. I put a ride thru gate. Wonderful seeing the elk and nice long rides here. So lucky. Great hunting area also.

jfranco

Love it here! The drive to get here is amazing! I love the views! The best part is when the canyons open up to the lake!

m b

This is 1 of Az's most awesome natural wonders! I'm a native Arizonan and every visit is just as awesome. An easy hike down - great for beginners and children, & a much steeper trail available for hikers with skill. Plenty of benches and grass for picnics and playing ball. A fun tradition we've started is every visit we take a group photo in the same location.

Lila Keeley

Sycamore Creek trailhead is where we went, we would go again only during the week, really crowded on the weekends. Lots of shooting going on as well. Once you get out in the desert off roading it is beautiful

The Nomad

It was so beautiful. I climbed up a Monolith by a peaceful stream and all I could hear at the top was my very own heartbeat and my thoughts

Daniel Richmond

Awesome trail riding. Rode from the atv staging area off the Rolls trailhead and went to Hwy 188 about a 26 mile ride. We went left up the Hwy 188 to the Butcher Hook Restaurant to eat. Dog friendly bar which was a plus since we had 3 dogs with us.

Moto cycle

What an amazing place. Love it here.

brian harris

Wave cave is an amazing little hike. Social media worthy pics and challenging last mile of a hike. Superstition mountains have the best hikes in the valley. Bring lots of water. Don't be a novice and not bring a minimal amount. Start off any beginner hikes in the valley before going and attempting any of the challenging or long hikes

Eileen L. Smith

My review of Tonto National Forest: There are many faces to this forest. One of them that is a great place to play or camp is along the East Verde River. Just minutes out of Payson on AZ87, take Flowing Springs Road to the right for up to 14 days camping. We went just for picnic and found two tree swings someone left set up. That made our trip out to this part of the woods enchanting. We found lots of crawdads and spiders. Yes my daughter was freaking a bit about that once she spied them. She spent the rest of the time hunting wild flowers away from the water edge. In May the water was still chilly. Another section of the East Verde River is not much further, just before the bridge turn left onto East Verde Estates Rd to find another picnic spot down a steep bank immediately to your right to play by the river.

Christopher Bullard

There are a great variety of camping sites with utilities and bathrooms. Some our on the water and some are very secluded. Be careful with highway 88;no pavement means some mild offeoading that will bottom out most cars.

Stacey Gregory

What a beautiful place! I went boating at Apache Lake and I was blown away by the cliffs in the cactus and just the whole experience. It was trippy driving down to the lake cuz it's scary for me with sheer drop offs but totally worth it. Can't wait to go back.

John Sweet

Table Mesa Road east from I-17 about two miles, then north on a rocky dirt road past some old Indian ruins over some hills about 3 miles to the roads end where someone built a dam and made this pond. This place is not named on the map. This is my first contribution as a guide, and hoping it will let me pinpoint on the map where this is.

Dean Sevigny

A wonderful place to just get away and loose yourself so to speak in the wilderness. Close enough to town. Great hiking trails!

Eddie Nichols

It's beautiful up here. Although the creek is a little rough to navigate with dogs. The Hatchery was closed on this day so I dont know what its like up there

Tyler Johnson

I have come to it's National Park on many occasions for hiking and doing day trips to watering holes. It's a very beautiful desert landscape with many hidden watering holes that are perfect for hanging out by and jumping off some decent sized cliffs into the water below.

Elizabeth Fitzpatrick

Its a wonderful, well maintained place to visit with friendly staff. (This was at the Lost Dutchman State Park portion of the forest)

Tony Monoury

Love this place. So much to do. Hikes, goldfield mine, lost Dutchman mine. Lots of interesting place and the views are gorgeous. Bring water for any hike, short or long. Some places are pretty remote.

Bhaskar Raj B M (Bhaskara)

I, along with my friend planned to hike Cottonwood trail last Sunday. Cottonwood, Skull Mesa, Elephant trail, Spur Cross trails all these trails fall under the Tonto National Forest limits. This has various mountain ranges of different complexities. I love this area in specific as it hosts relatively good amount of trees, shrubby vegetation alongside with Arizona's trade mark Saguaro cactus. If one closely observes, the density of Ocotillo and other cacti species other than Saguaro's are lesser in this Tonto Forest limits. It has Cactus Opuntia which is not so frequently seen species in the Sonoran desert belt. I and my friend, we enjoyed eating fresh, organic tunas when we had earlier been to Elephant Mountain trail. Unlike Elephant Mountain trail, we hardly saw people hiking or bikers biking the Cottonwood trail. It was extremely remote and the trails were unkempt. I encountered two rattle snakes when on the trail which indicates the trails are not so frequented by hikers. We saw a large population of grasshoppers (praying mantis) of different sizes and colors. Few of the species appeared as if a small bird flew past us in groups. It really is a solistic place and a tailor made one for those who long for wilderness. I enjoyed the hike as I like wilderness and remoteness. In short, I'm loving this forest crazily.

Josh Steele

The price on double camp spots is a little steep, BUT WORTH IT. The bathrooms are clean and work great. The Woodbury fire gave us Mother Natures show every night for a week. Met some excellent human beings! Game &Fish, Forest Service, Tonto Basin residents, all Fire fighters and support crew were inspiring to meet and watch. These are certainly hard working, great Americans. Tonto forest is well managed and loved and cared for by so many. God blessed America but He was especially good to Arizona! Please come and respectfully enjoy this majesty.

Vesa Suontama

Hiking on sunrise. Took the Superstition Peak route, 5h. Awesome views. Recommend starting early so you can climb in shadow. Some challenging sections, you need to climb really. Path gets really warm after 10Am or so.

Charlie W

Beautiful forest, unexpected in Arizona. Too few restroom stops. Towards Phoenix cacti are abundant, so watch your dog.

Lisha “Scarlet & Gray Witch” Mosure

This is the best place to be in the desert. It has so much to offer between the Salt River, Saguaro Lake, and the rise in altitude as you drive up the Bush Highway and 87 towards Payson.

John Childress

Actually went riding at Sycamore creek. Lots of irresponsible people. Bring your firearms. Would get 5 stars if not for the crowd. The terrain is amazing.

Clyde Sanchez (Audi)

Went via Apache trail. Road is not good, don't go if your car isn't a 4x4. Place is amazing, felt surreal. Landscape is absolutely amazing.

Rich

So beautiful when you reach the waterfall. Its relaxing hearing the water and wind blowing thru the tree, brings your mind and body to another level

Wisdom Williams

Highly recommend this place for anyone who enjoys the outdoors and nature. There are rope swings and rock cliffs to jump off of - water is not deep enough on certain parts, but there is a section of water that is deep enough to safely jump into. There are plenty of mountains to climb and get your hiking experience. Also recommend wearing the appropriate attire for hiking, swimming, or just something that's comfortable to wear while outdoors. Shoes are important for the hike, considering the steepness of the mountain climb. Beware of horse and other wildlife poop, as it doesn't get cleaned up!

Rea Young

Zero crowds, cool water, wildlife and desert landscape. Day pass was $8. Easy drive from Phoenix. Downside....the heat. It was 105°. Ugh.

Neil Graffa

Amazing places to visit in the Tonto national forest, which a lot are close to the valley. Check out the salt river, you are more than likely to see wild horses. There is tons to do!

Robert Phelps

Fantastic. Great place for hiking, fishing, some camping, tubing and photography. Lower salt River area is great for wild horse viewing.

Kimi Walker

Lots to do in Tonto National Forest. Creeks, river, lakes, waterfalls, hiking, crystal, geodes, Indian ruins, hunting fishing. I recommend exploring this area.

Rocky Nelson

Went to Upper Tonto Creek campgrounds. Quiet, filled with mischievous squirrels. Bathed in the creek, visited the fish hatchery and fed them. It's a small campground, so get there by early Friday to grab a spot. If full, go back down the road towards Payson and go to the huge Ponderosa Campground. There is open camping near the fish hatchery.

Rita Chayrez

I love the out doors and the earth is so peaceful for me. So if you want to get away and take a small breather and still bepart of society check out the national parks near your homes. There is so much to door out doors that us humans forgot about since the pandemic. Lets get our lofes back and choose 1 day to enjo rhe earth and wjat it has to offer us. Soak in the arizona sun and enjoy life as it is.

Frederick Thomas

A amazing adventure with beautiful monuments, mountain ranges, rivers and lake, and animals....This is a great place to visit with family and friends...So much to do for hikers and those with a adventurous spirit...These National Parks during the weather: Tonto, Apache-Sitgreaves, and Sitgreaves are beautifully white wonderland filled with snow.... Sking 🎿, 🛷 Sledding, and snow ball fun ...Cabins throughout these parts are available for family fun...

Linda Stricker

I love this place. Roosevelt Lake in the Tonto National Forest. Great place to camp, hike, boat, or just enjoy the peace.

Megan Stephenson

This gorgeous forest is right next to Scottsdale. It has amazing wildlife and plant life, and is very peaceful and natural. There are a few trails for Jeeps and dirt bikes. You really see the beauty of nature here.

Shaun Moon

Tonto National Forest is a beautiful area surrounding Bartlett Lake. It's great for boating or swimming though areas are not marked off well and when you ask the person at the general store you tend to get vague unhelpful answers (though not impolite). The kiosk to get a ticket for parking is a mile away from the store in an unmarked empty parking lot. Overall if you can handle a few minor inconveniences, it's a beautiful place to enjoy a hike, swim, boating or camping Adventure.

anonymous user

Beautiful day. Caught some good-sized rainbow trout in Tonto Creek. Mid-october 40° in the morning and 70 during the day, but with sun it was very nice. The wind picks up in the afternoon.

logan caza

Siphon Draw to Flat Iron is my favorite hike in the valley! Very difficult with amazing views. Takes about 5-6hrs to complete if you're not punishing it. Bring plenty of water.

Nick C

What's not to love about the Tonto National Forest in the spring? The flowers are blooming, the rains were failing, andthe Big Horn Sheep were caught out feeding. It was another magical time in the forest as the next morning the Superstition Mountains were dusted with snow!

licxie flores

I loved this place it's really amazing. So peaceful and the lady from the campsite was just so nice to everyone. We had an amazing experience.

Chad Anderson

Needle vista point hike is one of a kind. It does have a scenic site style set up but if you end at the sidewalk keep punching thru down thru the gully as it will lead right out into a more put together pathing. If you take the high roads pay attention as it has multiple paths to choose and it could get u lost or in dangerment. Once you get the path to lead you outward vere right at the last metal polling as it jumps onto a path to take you out to other paths for more mountain tops enjoyment. Will definitely be going back to this path to discover more but way early in AM so I have time to run thru more of what's out there. #TortillaFlats #TontoForest #ApacheJunction

Elizabeth Garcia

Taking walks out in the woods up here the scenery is amazing!! Never know what you’ll see. Surprises around every corner

Cassandra Balmes

Beautiful hiking area- lots of people in the winter, so get there early to get your spot.

Marjorie Geiser

We live here, so we love it. There are a lot of places for people to play in the forest, with their ATVs, or hike or camp. My only request is PLEASE pack out your trash! We are constantly picking up junk from people who seem ignorant of what happens to their empty cans and bottles. It's the end of May, and it's also critical that people follow the fire restrictions. Because too few people know how to do that, the forest is closed right now.

Travis Ashe

A great National Forest with recreational activities for everyone! Many hiking and rock climbing opportunities at various elevations making the forest accessible year round!

Kit Reaper

Very beautiful mountains and fun roads to drive on. If going North, the downhill drive is good on gas mileage.

Elizabeth Fitzgerald

Enjoying the Salt River, while kayaking. We carry trash bags and clean up shore lines on the river, where trash accumulates with the flow of the water. People please pack it in, pack it out, thx.

Jeanine Leary

Always a wonderful place to camp and relax for a long weekend. The campgrounds are always clean. The camps are well maintained.

Wade Van Buskirk

Mid desert elevation near North Scottsdale with River and dams. Burns over when dry. Has a few native ruins, cactus, big cliffs, dry washes, snakes, deer, coyote, woodpecker, and other mammals, birds and reptiles. Most parking areas require a pass, mostly no fires allowed. Burned areas mostly closed. Lots of ATV and dirt bike trails, some horse and bicycle. Mostly easy open country hiking, some very steep mountains, few trees. Extreme heat in summer. Mostly empty except around the lakes and trails.

Buckwild Arizona

THE TONTO NATIONAL FOREST OVERVIEW The Tonto National Forest, Arizona, embraces almost 3 million acres of rugged and spectacularly beautiful country, ranging from Saguaro cactus-studded desert to pine-forested mountains beneath the Mogollon Rim. This variety in vegetation and range in altitude (from 1,300 to 7,900 feet) offers outstanding recreational opportunities throughout the year, whether it's lake beaches or cool pine forest. As the fifth largest forest in the United States , the Tonto National Forest is one of the most-visited “urban” forests in the U.S. (approximately 5.8 million visitors annually). Its boundaries are Phoenix to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian reservations to the east.

Thomas Webb

The greatest biker camp out ever! Chopper Town Rally. Great people great time. All the locals were the best people you could wish for!

azimiut

Tonto has everything from desert to chaparral to pines in just a short drive from the valley. Lakes, rivers, excellent campgrounds as well.

Brittney Miller

We had a good hike up and in! Beautiful views up here! Can't wait to plan our next trip here! Loved taking pics here!

Ravindra Kempaiah

We did some mountain biking in this area during the Christmas break and enjoyed it. The temperature did drop below 32F at night but it wasn't too cold in the morning. Lake Roosevelt and Indian camp trail were not too technical for mountain biking. We didn't encounter any wild life and if are in the area, it's worth exploring once.

Aaron Carlson

Very fun national forest with cool lakes and lots of biodiversity with the desert and forests

Pablo Moyano

I always hike the Tonto National Forest is an incredible area lots of beautiful views wild life and some archeological sites

karney seamore

Beautiful park it was rainy this daySo we weren’t able to get the full enjoyment of it but a beautiful trails.

Chris Meisel

Some of the best places to hike i have ever been! take more water than you think you will need and don't hike the trail labeled "sd" alone, it gets downright dangerous. I love a sense of danger, however, this isn't one to do solo

Lorenzo .Laurent

Amazing views of a desert oasis! A great hike for 3 to 4 hours, trip included from Old Town Scottsdale.

Robert Riemensnider

Battleship is a great trail just get to trail head early or you will be hiking out in the dark.

James Davis

Love it there the fresh air the mountains Lake the family fun or even fun by yourself great day trip great night trip just a great trip. If you love the outdoors

Mae Jauregui

Such an amazing area. Very tranquil. There's a lit of camping and barbeque areas. Great spot to watch the sunset

Jenna Rix

Absolutely has to be my favorite area to go spend time in. Between the mystery, magical energy, stunning beauty and all of the stories surrounding it, this place is truly incredible!

Charles Salliby

It's always wonderful to get out there in the middle of mother nature and all her glory. This weekend was no exception, snowed on Thursday and was in the 60's for the rest of the weekend. Great getaway with the greatest of friends camping on federal land up by Stoneman Lake. Until next time!!! 👍👍👍 …

Donovan Latherow

Such an amazingly unique variety of desert life, and a great preservation of the Sonoran ecosystems. The hiking here is lovely, and it's very accessible from the Phoenix metro area.

Kelly Cook

Beautiful long roads nothing but cactus hills rocks and beauty. A museum and ok corel to go horseback riding ,a saloon with cicken wings. Nice drive

Randal DiBella

So beautiful. Wish I could have hiked all the way down to the water but heath won't let me yet.

Jason Lester

This is more of a review for the Four Peaks OHV #143 road that connects highway 87 to the 188 rather than the entire National Forest, but I wasn't sure where else to post it. Took a newly acquired Subaru Crosstrek through this 28 mile service road route to take advantage of the pre-Arizona summer and would absolutely recommend it to anyone with a capable vehicle. Even after all of the tragic wildfires, the trail is still full of incredibly stunning views with plenty of places to stop off for pictures, snack breaks, or even camping. Many of the trail websites that I found mentioned that it was typically extremely busy, but it was very empty on a Saturday morning and we didn't even have to wake up early! If you're looking to test out your off road chops before the weather begins to heat back up, check out some of the trails that the Tonto National Forest has to offer!

Vic Hanson

Great hiking trails, mountains to climb, wide open space to camp. And near to the city.

Corrina Blackwell

Love going and seeing the salt river wild horses

Jasmine Castillo

Such a beautiful place, can't wait to go back. There's a small convenience store located by the parking lots, you can take your boats, rent canoes, fish, dogs are allowed on a leash. You can camp there as well.

Todd Mowen

Amazing and beautiful! Love all the hiking and mountain biking out here! And if your looking for wildlife you will typically see things you have never seen! I really enjoy my time out there

Jason Wahl

Beautiful sunset on the rim!

Ernie Smith

I absolutely love this place. The sights are breathtaking, and this is an awesome place to camp, target shoot, hunt or hike.

Koti Reddy B

It's one of the nice place to spend a weekend away from regular working life. There are so many spots for camping and so many locations to enjoy the beauty of Nature.

Superstition Nomad

I cant get enough time out here. I love visiting this area and it's right near where I now live. There are many miles of offroad trails and hiking trails. But disappointingly the areas are becoming more congested by those who cant clean up their messes or trash. It is a gorgeous forest with unique flora, fauna and creatures all around. Make sure you have a Tonto pass for the areas required, when on the lakes or public campgrounds. Some of my favorite areas are littered with broken bottles and junk. Making some areas hazardous for kids. If you start a fire make sure it is extinguished properly leaving nothing to risk.

Rob Silver

Scenery was pretty and the weather in mid 80's was awesome for hiking

Aiden Leiter

Beautiful place to camp amazing views of the sunset at night the stars are amazing to look at I was even able to see the milky way to bad I didnt get a picture if you get a chance to camp or be In this area its amazing going back again in a week

Roberto Hendy

Early morning hike is very relaxing and only moderately physically.

Nicolaas Staalberg

Table Mesa road. Heading east. A nice trail to explore, with a really wide variety of different trail difficulties. Nice to see water running in the desert!😊 …

We-need-the-Pooh

Highly recommending. Very beautiful nature you can fully enjoy. The whole park is huge. Take some time to experience all they provide.

Ron S

We only explored the areas around Lake Bartlett but what we saw was breath taking. I would recommend a vehicle with a lot clearance, some of the paved roadways only last a few miles before they turn in to dirt with a lot of errosion and ruts. Take plenty of water and enjoy nature less than an hour from Phoenix.

Alexandra Podolnikova

It's a very beautiful destination.there are many plants and it's great to go with family and friends.

Cainan Thomas

Always love the great outdoors, it's always a blessing to be out n bout hiking , the land is beautiful ,especially in the evening and under the stars , love it out here....

Sophia

Easy hike but there are a tone of gnats. Every time I took a selfie I had like 10 gnats on my face. I don't think bug spray would work there was so many gnats.

Machele Carter

Had a great time and met some awesome people on the trail.

Cee Cee (CC)

With a vehicle, drinking water, a Tonto Pass and a map......This girl can explore the Desert Forrest!

Nichole S.

This was a rewarding trail/hike. Wear good shoes and water, and even a snack to enjoy at the top of the trail in the wind cave!

Mason K

Nice big lake, decent dark skies, decent camp sites. Youll need to stop by a local business to purchase a 24-hour camping pass. They also charge to see the cliff dwellings.

Khaleelah Austin

Wow! We road the Super Tenere motor cycle 300 miles today. Mostly on unpaved roads from Mesa to Payson and Rim Lake Road. What a beautiful drive. Lots if rattle snakes.

Eric Kozal

It is hot, dry, and scenic. Plenty of trails and places to explore

Maria Alvarado

Amazing! Beautiful. Fresh air. Clean campgrounds. Amazing views. Clean flushing toilets. Great, hospitable camp hosts. We will be back. It was colder than we are use too down south; but it was worth the cold night camping! Clean and beautiful campgrounds.

M

Absolutely stunning. Visit in spring for wildflowers. Tends to be very empty all summer even early in the morning if you're still trying to cram a hike in

searchin 4 sun

awesome beauty. wide open space to hike, camp or enjoy a drive.

Michael Shlip

A beautiful place. I have explored every day of this week and have yet to scratch the surface. From far away and close up it is beautiful, and the closer you look the more you discover. The river, the trees, the cacti, the sand and rocks... The birds, lizards, insects and mammals that call it home, it is all amazing. The closer you look the more completely overwhelming it becomes until you look up and it hits you, holy cow, I could spend a hundred lifetimes here and would feel it impossible to fathom the vast wonder of this amazing jewel. I am in awe and hope others appreciate it for how inspiring of a miracle it is.

Ernesto Lopez

Great place to see the desert, hike, off road, lakes, rivers, mountains, canyons, and sunsets. Must visit if you come to AZ.

Christie French

In our backyard😍😍 Beautiful desert🌞🌵💗This is NOT Payson as maps said, it is just north of New River on FR 53. Not sure why maps thinks its Payson …

Donna Smith

OMG! The environment was so peaceful! The surroundings and view AMAZING 😍🥰!! The inside of the cabin OMG!! My family and I really enjoyed it!! We will be going back again! Hopefully to get the same one. The owner was AWESOME! You will ENJOY yourself. Plan a trip with family and friends and go have an amazing time. I promise you, you will🥰

Wendy Reynolds

Truly a beautiful drive! Worth the ride the water was perfect. Going again next weekend 👍😁 …

Chelsea Puyleart

We went here early December and it was the perfect time. Saw the needle and lots of cool foliage.

william bernard

Great trails clean campsites and always remember if you bring it out there bring it back with you ... keep clean so we can enjoy this land with our grandkids ...

Victoria Crupe

Always a beautiful day spent on the Apache Trail in Tonto National Forest. My family loves it here!

Jordan Mann

Since there was an issue where some federal lands were deleted from Maps and re-added without the previous reviews, I'll add this to put the ratings where they belong for this area - 5 stars. Beautiful landscape, camping, boating, floating, hiking, wild horse watching, hunting, the works!

Dawn Kruchoski

Wonderful hike to Wind Cave. Only negative was the sound of guns going off at the gun range.

Michael Douglas

Very cool place lots of lots of things to look at lots of places to go ghost towns lakes perfect recreational perfect place to come in the summer and in the winter when you want to snowbird and get away when you're tired of cold climates you can come up here we have 60 70° days 80° days during the winter I love it best place to retire

Tara Holstay

Great place to picnic & hike. Be sure to stop at Inspiration Point to see the dam & bridge.

Frieda Wiley

As a former Tucson resident who lived near Gate's Pass, this place wowed me! There are so many mountain ranges that all have their own character. It is a beautiful drive into the valley where there's a lake with cacti growing alongside it. If you're new to the Sonoran Desert, the irony of the surroundings is worth a trip in itself.

Hc Williams

Lovely time. Beautiful hikes no matter which you choose. The energy of the forest is a necessity of life.

Gloria Trejo

Beautiful trail, nice place to unwind. Make sure to have the proper shoes as it is easy to skip with all of the rocks and the having to cross in the water.

Jared Byrne

Beautiful area with lots of things to see and do. Glad we visited (and surely will again).

Sudhir Pillai

Nice walk... Water fall is also good...There are a number of trails if you are a hiker.. not tough ones..The bridge /cave is a cool sight...

Mark McConnell

Substition Wilderness - Peralta trails: Trailhead is well maintained and road leading in is grated. Pinal county does a great job maintaining this entire area!

Jeanne T. Bedard-West

Coolest weather! 55 at night, 75 during the day with short light showers all weekend. Beautiful scenery and views at Mogollon Rim.

Adrienne Dressler

Fun place to camp and swim . Family friendly

G_ No

Great views... nice trails... wild horses... don't forget your Tonto pass!

MotoDoc ADV

I love taking rides in the desert. This one is particularly fabulous on my KTM 1090. Smooth, new serpintine road that leads to a well maintained dirt road, which is an absolute blast! Cheap entertainment for an older guy who's earned his days of fun. Can't wait to get out there again!

Mally Flower

Love camping here in the off season when temps are milder . My husband loves fishing nearby.

Nick Carbonaro

Drove through here to get to our dude ranch. Can’t believe how much snow!!! Beautiful forest and we didn’t see ANYBODY on the roads for about an hour and a half. Didn’t know Arizona had such cool weather haha

Gaeland Priebe

We made a short stop here. A great place to see desert landscapes without going to a park.

Pamela Berger

Went hiking the trail for the 1st time. Awesome trail. Great for a beginner. Some spots you needed to be careful definetly a little challenge but nothing anyone can't do. If given the opportunity take it...

Kelley Payne

Saguaro National Park has nothing on this area near New River, AZ. Just beautiful with all the Saguaros.

SGT Ski

Silly Mountain is a nice set of trails with great views. Nothing too hard and lots of chances to make your small hike shorter or a little longer with about 4 different connected loops. Free parking and lots of it.

Cas

These are from Usery Park's most popular trail - The Wind Cave trail (rates difficult). Beautiful hike. There were lots of families with kids of all ages, parents with babies in carriers, dogs walking their owners (haha). It's 3 miles round trip and took us about 2.5 hrs (lots of stops, slow pace). It's an 800' ascent. Note: No horses or bikes allowed.

Rick Jenkins

The lakes and scenery of the canyons are breathtaking. And if your lucky you may see Eagles, Mountain Sheep, Wild Horse's and my hovercraft.

Michelle Planer-Ochoa

If you go MAKE SURE YOU TAKE A TRUCK OR SUV. The roads are not maintained. You are able to make the long trek in a car it will just take you twice as long to get to the different parking lots. But once you make it the long drive is SO WORTH IT. I didn't know that we had clear watering holes here in AZ.. It was breathtaking. We went in August and the water was a bit chilly. Also make sure you buy your permit before you go or you will not get in. AND PLEASE TAKE OUT WHAT YOU BROUGHT IN AND THEN SOME DON'T LEAVE ANY TRASH BEHIND KEEP AZ BEAUTIFUL....❤❤🤘

Cindy De Champ

Love being out in the area. Bartlett Lake, even though it is extremely low, is a beautiful place to spend a day or a weekend!

Chad Kwiatkowski

There are so many incredible natural places to visit in Tonto NF. Photos are from Sears Kay Ruins, but other worthwhile sites north of Phoenix include Needle Rock on the Verde River, Bartlett Lake, Horseshoe Lake, and Seven Springs. Many hiking trails wind though the foothills and mesas of this spectacular part of Arizona. Geologically, it is part of the Transition Zone between the highlands of northern Arizona's Colorado Plateau and the lowlands of the Basin and Range of western and southern Arizona. Get out to Tonto, enjoy and be responsible!

Steven j Taylor

It's wonderful to be in the Tall ponderosa pines and feel the cool air blowing through the the trees giving it the pine smell.

Kaveh Shahidi

With breathtaking views, trails a great place for R&R hiking or just a drive to watch the sunset. If you are in the area definitely make plans to see it 😊 …

David Norton

Browns peak- Rough 12 miles of road from the Lake Roosevelt side. About 5.5 miles round trip with significant scrambling. Not for the faint of heart.

Natasha Escalada-Westland

Arizona continues to inspire me... Our first time visiting Tonto Natural Bridge with the State Park's Family Campout Program. What an amazing opportunity! Camping with family activities and hikes led by a ranger, snacks and campfire, tents, sleeping pads provided and gas stoves provided. And fantastic, friendly volunteers. This park is normally a day park, but they opened it up to a one night campout just for the group. Tonto Natural Bridge is the cleanest state park I've ever visited. And the bridge itself proves that Arizona has more than its share of natural wonders.

Chris Burch

Ponderosa campground off the 260E. Be bear aware here. Spacious sites, some road traffic noise.

Thomas Alvarez

Great views,nice hikes!

MARIE HENDERSHOT

The host was very informative. And the area was very quiet and beautiful.

Jaiden S

Great place to camp overall. You can hear the highway but it's also right there and easy on and off, if that's what you are looking for. Unfortunately their is also a truck route and loud trucks do come and go throughout the day. Additionally the views are amazing and lots of trails near by.

Franklyn “GFT in AZ” Tuning

We had a wonderful time and got to experience all four seasons in a matter of 48 hours...

Rob Bartlett

A beautiful desert forest, full of surprising and wonderful trails and scenery. You can go from saguaro-studded canyons to verdant forests in a couple of hours on the trail. A backpacker's dream, if you love the desert.

John Gutzwiller

Excellent day hiking Ice House Canyon trail. Great views from the summit.

Rick Mitchell

Always a great park to hike in. On this day there was a gathering if wild horses

Bobby Weston

If you're looking for a place to tent, park an RV, or just a spot to go for a walk in the great Arizona outdoors this is it. Oak flat campground is the best in my opinion. Its 100% primitive camping but free and clean. Definitely my favorite.

Scott Ashley

Beautiful .. best place id like to visit more often .. people are very friendly

K. Maki

This is one of the biggest forests in the nation. You can find a very diverse landscape here. Everything from desert to pine forests all in one place. There is the opportunity to do almost any activity in the forest. We volunteer with an off-road group that helps with maintaining the trails. We inspect trails, install trail signs, repair trails, and sometimes, we just 4 wheel. Get out there!

Ryan Sowell

I love the cool weather, the fresh air and peacefulness of the Tonto National Forest!. It's a great place to go and get away from the city for a few days, go camping or fishing, there are many campgrounds, streams, rivers and lakes of different sizes, fish varieties, and each with their unique obstacles to overcome which sometimes is the best part of the adventure!.. Great Forest, highly reccomend it to anyone who likes the outdoors!..

Debbie Malone

To really get the best views of Saguaro Lake, hike Butcher Jones Trail. It's about 2.5 miles out and back. The trail is easy to moderate difficulty and a perfect way to spend a winter day not too far from town.

Noelle Calderon

Very gorgeous. So many attractions. You have water wheel, the rim, superstition and so much more. Explore and please pick up your trash and trash you see. Keep our state clean.

Eric Masden

Challenging hike (Flatiron) for this beginner but I made it and had fun doing it! Plan for it and you'll like it as much as I did.

Ed Adams

Hiked four miles out & back with 512 ft. of elevation change on good footing Lost Goldmine trail that includes a few rocks to step over.

Minh Hải Đặng

The Tonto National Forest, encompassing 2,873,200 acres (1,162,700 ha; 11,627 km2), is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the fifth largest national forest in the United States. The Tonto National Forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet (427 m) in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet (2,256 m) in the ponderosa pine forests of the Mogollon Rim (pronounced MOH-gee-on, or MUH-gee-own). The Tonto National Forest is also the most visited "urban" forest in the United States. The boundaries of the Tonto National Forest are the Phoenix metropolitan area to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian Reservation to the east. The Tonto (Spanish for "fool") is managed by the USDA Forest Service and its headquarters are in Phoenix. There are local ranger district offices in Globe, Mesa, Payson, Roosevelt, Scottsdale, and Young.

Grant Nutter

For Vehicle Access, you will need to get a free permit, from the Mesa Ranger Station. Spectacular views around every bend. Please Tread Lightly and leave nothing but your footprints behind!

Jim Larson

Hi a good time in Canyon Lake kayaking and camping overnight it's a great place for all that stuff

Stephen Lynd

Fossil Creek- 8 mile round trip moderate hike with great views, with a nice swimming area destination.

Jackie Miller

Always love this place. Beautiful hiking and potential to see wild horses. ♡♡

Amanda B

What a gorgeous, beautiful, peaceful place to explore. I highly recommend it!

Justin Annes

Nice bridge with easy access. Cost is $7 per person, not car and works with state pass. The hikes are very short but steep. If you keep going past the bridge along the river there is some large boulders that you'll hike over.

Don Tanner

Has really become busy over the years. With more people, more restrictions. Great places to camp and fish. One of my favorite places to fish has been Haiglers Creek, walk up between the private properties, which says "No Trespassing", here's a little secret all natural waterways are owned by the state.

Ann Rogers

Absolutely gorgeous! Very serene. Great people! Loved my visit, will return!

George Portillo

Love it here! From the trees to the fishing! You will almost always see deer and elk and if your lucky you might catch a glimpse of the wild horses! Only an hour away from Phoenix.

Brian Adams

What a beautiful place to spend the day.

Steven Plotner

Had fun camping at Roosevelt Lake last weekend. The desert was very green and the wild flowers were in bloom. The Lake was brown with runoff and no one was catching fish.

Carlos Colon

One of my favorite hikes in the valley highly recommend

Brian Schott

How can you NOT like anything with Tonto National Forrest? Most any outdoor activity you could want. My favorite is Roosevelt dam, but of course, 4 Peaks and Apache Trails as well. The picture is my new Jeep with a trip over 4 Peaks trail.

Delfina Gonzalez

Beautiful and nice place to get a relax and connect with the nature

Ash Ley

One of the best places in az to off road, hike and get outside!

David Liepman

Spur Cross Conservation Area and the Elephant Mountain hiking trail offer breathtaking views of the Tonto National Forest and access to miles and miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails. Trails range from easy/moderate to difficult. Expect to see some wildlife and bring plenty of water if hiking about.

Shawn APPLIANCE FIX IT ALL Repair

My fishing hole is canyon lake . And all the wonderful things are here.

Barry Shaffer

Some of the most gorgeous dessert you'll find in the southwest and ope to explore, miles of trails that I've been riding for year's and I'm still discovering...

Jaret Gross

Salt River Tubing, my favorite activity for summer. Forgot the sunscreen this trip and regretted it but loved the scenic float.

Janet Hurd

Scenic, beautiful drive. Well worth it to visit.

robert robinson

MTB trails arr so fun .

Lonna Antonson

It's always beautiful. From hiking, tubing, fishing, or just enjoying the amazing horses that you may run into. It's paradise!!

Top View Security (Top View Security)

Wonderful place to get away from the city. Even better in the winter.

Gregory Ramstedt

The New Tonto Forest recreational and information office is a 100% complete change and WOW it was very nicely done easy to find and amazing Forest Personal. Along with being a Google Maps Tour Guide I am a Wildland Fire Fighter Type 1 Squad Leader, Firewiseit Assessor/Advisor Certified, Owner of Firewise it Service and I am the only Commercial Giant Manzanita Harvester and the only company that has permission to remove Any Size Juniper Oak Cedar, Black Walnut, Walnut no one else can remove it at . So these these 3 incredibly Articulate, Aware and Totally professional Tonto Ranger Station PAYSON officers made it possible for a avenue that has been closed so real good staff thank you all see you soon

Cari Sparks

A favorite day or overnight trip for our family.....beautiful all12 months of the year.

Duane Carbine

Our annual trip to my parents cabin. Six of us traveling from the Valley for a weekend of fun and relaxation. With the active monsoon the portion of the drive from Payson to Heber was filled with lush and beautiful landscapes. A drive to Black Canyon lake via the back way proved an enjoyable experience. Deer, elk and a variety of other wildlife made the trip even more interesting. I've traveled back, forth and around this area for close to thirty years. It's a special place with something for everyone to experience and enjoy

Victoria Carella

Wonderful place to spend quality time with Mother Nature.

Sunrise Morninglory

It is dry and needs rain. A great place to camp. Most of the uear. Avoid in laye Summer. Too hot and dry. Great views of the Rim Country.

Carol Warren

We had an amazing time four Wheeling through the mountain.

Bryan Flores

What a beautiful area to explore! Take the kids and snap some photos. The Tokyo National Forest is so vast and beautiful.

Danny Farmer

Beautiful forest. Perfect for a secluded getaway ora family outing. Plenty of hiking, camping, and/or fishing spots!

Lacey palmer

A very difficult hike. One mile of it is straight uphill. Coming down is a little sketchy. But it is a beautiful sight from the top of the Flat Iron.

Philip Kempka

I like this National Forrest a lot... especially the Apache Trail is amazing to drive...

stevan pierce

Absolutely gorgeous place to visit and drive thru, saw lots of animals and a rattler!

Angelina “Angie T” Tautimer Kova L

The most beautiful views in Arizona! At 7500 feet elevation you overlook the pine country. Pictured is "woods canyon lake" at the tip of the Mogollion Rim; many lookout points to see the views. Great fishing and camping.

Cindy Love

Very beautiful lakes to visit with varying terrain & nice clear water! One word of advice is to reserve camping spots before going up during the beginning of summer as they fill up & you will be left with a day trip like us! Great times though!

Jonathan Adler

I just finished a 3 day, 25+ mile hike through the Tonto Forest(I started walking from Scottsdale, to Fountain Hills then up 87 North through the forest stopping to hike various trails). I was carrying about 50 pounds of gear. I had a great time. The wild horses in the Verde River was amazing! Then I really enjoyed the landscapes and Saguaro Lake and Salt River Canyon were major highlights. I saw alot of gorgeous birds(hummingbirds, eagles, cactus wrens etc.). The only negative(a big one) is no water fountains/running water at ANY of the federal recreation sites and the Saguaro one even closed up all their toilets! There was also no electricity available to charge my phone. That would have knocked it down to 4 stars but the natural beauty of the Forest is so amazing, I still rank it a 5 overall.

Bret Wilson

Cool green, hike fish camp!

Timmy Tako

Lots of camping Beautiful nature Town not too far Great people

Del Mar Dial

Nice short walk with beautiful views. An Arizona gem. Even saw a tarantula.

J Brady

Excellent area for dirt bikes, side-by-sides and quads. Also great shooting area with varying distances. Rifles, hand guns and shotguns are commonly used I the area. High-clearance or 4x4 vehicles highly recommended although compact 4 cylinder front wheel drive cars have been known to make it worth a skilled driver. Tip: if you're on a dirt bike know the trails before you bike through a live shooting area. If you happen to, please stop to acknowledge the shooters and ask them to pause for a moment. Commom courtesies people!

Kristen Booker

So much to see and do! Check out the natural bridge and cliff dwellings, as well as Roosevelt Lake and Damn.

Ashley Stone

Great for a day off in nature. And if your really lucky you can see the wild salt river horses.

John Churchward

This place is beautiful. Super clean, space between sites, taps with drinking water.

Joshua Reach

A massive National Forest with so much to do. You can experience desert lakes or hike up in green, cool mountains. Make sure you have your Tonto Pass if you're planning on parking at a trial head or lake (pick them up at most nearby gas stations or Wal-Marts).

K Kocia

Beautiful drive many safe places to stop and pull over so you can take pictures or appreciate the scenary, especially when your the one driving.

Tina Witt

We had a great time took some beautiful picture

Larry Whiteaker

Beautiful every where you look

Joe Walsh

Well worth the trip. Nicely maintained state park. The Tonto Natural Bridge is easily viewed after a short walk from the parking lot. There are also trails that take you down to the floor level.

Peter Pelletier

The north end of Bartlett lake has stunning views & is home to one of the largest & oldest saguaro cactus with 20 Arms

Kristin Paul

Tonto National Forest has so much to offer. From the desert to the pines, I prefer the pines!

Barry Fate

We love visiting our forests in AZ, state 48. It is always beautiful to look at and the weather is awesome.

LaLa S.

Peaceful, beautiful and perfect for camping to get away from the busy city.

Michael Croco

Beautiful drive with the jeep. The creek there does have water and it was super green. Lots of 4x4 trails too, almost too much lol.

Kristin Newell

Personally, I love Tonto National Forest. So much so, that I moved closer to it so that I could visit it more easily and more often. There is a variety of landscapes within Tonto National Forest including ponderosa pines up on the Mogollon rim (the edge of the Colorado plateau) which include several creeks and lakes and the Sonoran Desert at the southern aspect which has the Salt River and Haigler creek. That's not even mention all of the hiking, climbing, and camping that is available.

Frankie

I love this place... Any area over 3 million acres. Do not come here. I want it all to myself j/k. You also have a chance to see wild horses

Cheryl Watkins (Miss Cheryl)

This place was right out of an old western movie it was at the ghost town in Apache Junction. We went here for our first time for my son spring break from school. That was Bill on the horse he was our guide we went for an hour and a half it was $65 and it was worth every penny he gave us an educational lesson about the landscape and all the cactuses it was worth every penny it was a beautiful day.

Diane Pride

An amazing beautiful surprise at the end of the hike. Bring water and definitely good hiking shoes since this is not a paved path. Moderate climb but worth it at the end.

Don Carlson

Have a blast enjoy the forest make sure to get the pass.

Cash Reynolds

One of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, and one of my all-time favorite places to go camping!

Jaclyn Kwiatkowski

About and hour each way to Wind Caves. Definitely a hiking or tennis shoe trail with rough trails. Moderate climbing and hiking.

HEAVYGUNZ05

Group oriented camp. You will be sleeping in a barracks like atmosphere. Better bring snacks and drinks. Kitchen does not stay open all night. They might have cabins i dont know.

Tina Smrkovski

Clean restrooms and well maintained docks. Very nice park.

Stephanie S

Gorgeous scenic drive-the canyons are amazing!

Jason Burgad

Beautiful scenery, off road driving, camping, canyons and secluded sites if you want them.

Chris Zamora

Beautiful mountains and trails all throughout Tonto. Highly recommend Massacre Falls and Labarge Box Trail. If your heading to north Tonto, beyond Goldfield, don't forget your Tonto Pass which you can obtain at most gas stations on the borders of the city and the national forest area. Enjoy exploring!

Kasie Cupp

Love this road! Such Beautiful Landscape we have in Arizona!

Relentless Dreams Brand

What a BEAUTIFUL place to see. If your in the Payson area make surr to check this amazing forest out.

Michael French

Great park with friendly rangers and staff. Weekdays are way less crowded!

Jim Carpenter

At the Ponderosa campground. The staff keep this place really clean. Great place to camp with the kids.

Karen Leonard

It's so beautiful

Ryan Santens

Some of the most beautiful country out here. Now that it has cooled off you would be sorry if you missed it.

John McMahon

Great place to recreate!

Mike Crank

A hike on New Years Eve with the whole family. Enjoying Arizona more and more every year!

Domenic Certa (Self Achievement Network)

Nice place! Food, drinks, and service were great!

Aaron Metzer

It's a great place to explore very peaceful and full of natural wonders

Raquel Dorame

Waterwheel Hiking Area 😍 easy enough and short enough for young kids. …

Cynthia Guillen

Great trails and lakes. Bit of a trip to get t the good parts but worth it.

Truett Byrom

Wonderful forest! Elk and coyotes fill the night air with mournful and searching calls while the starry bands of the Milky Way bathe the Ponderosa Pine forest in silver shade. Escape the dreaded desert floor and cool off in this forested mammalian playground. And bring a dog:)

N L

What an interesting place.So beautiful and vast.

Susan Blank

Went to my brother's and his wife's place in Eagar and met my other brother his wife my sister and my cousin went with me it was a great beautiful time the leaves were gorgeous and when they went out for a drive and it short hike they saw some big horn sheep.

Ryan Cully

Great for rock climbing. Worth checking out!

Michelle Burris

The camping was awesome, the water was amazing, and the people were very friendly and welcoming

Michael Mazzeo

Awesome a must see

Wayne Van Valkenburg

It's a beautiful place to be, from the High Desert to the tall pines.

Stefanie “The Cliff Dweller” Hodapp

I live in the middle of this forest. So pretty partial to it as well as a steward of the land and forests here. Outsiders that come to our place of home, please respect it as you would want yours respected. Please be fire consciences and don't light camp fires if it's windy at all. Please don't be irresponsible with trash. This is our home, treat it like we were in yours. Thanks

Joe Gutierrez

Beautiful place to hike especially this time of year.

Guy Hileman

Family goes every year great time beautiful views

Kayley Sexton

This forest has so many cool places to go!

decoyr

Literally camping. No lights, no bathrooms, nothing around. Great views though.

Chalyce Millard

I have always loved the view from the top of the rim. It's just beautiful and worth the time to stop and take a picture or two and stretch your legs for a moment.

Russ Bracco

Awesome place, beautiful views, 360° mountain views! A lot to do and great fishing!

Noah Curi

one of the best place for camping trips can't wait to get back

Verdell Gutierrez

Beautiful lake, I'll be coming back very soon

John White

Love the forest. Do not forget to pack in, pack out. Put your dang fires out. Drown and bury. Beautiful weather this time of year

Fatscot The Mascot

Had a nice afternoon in the trees doing some light off roading.

Kevin Hatch

If you haven't been here. You've haven't been anywhere.

Chad Duncan

not bad once you get in away from everyone very quiet and beautiful

Robin Gauvin

Hiked the Natural Bridge. Strenuous for such a short distance. Proper hiking shoes are a must if you want to hike through!

Vanna Ozzy

I love tubing down the salt river! I have gone down the river on Labor Day weekend packed with people and have gone down with just me and my friends. Busy or not busy, it is a great experience! To be honest I liked it more when it was busier. Lots of fun people floating down the river! The lake is beautiful and so fun to swim in!! This Forest is my go to for some outdoor fun!!

Dan & Chelsea Ramaekers

There are some amazing hidden gems in Arizona's Tonto National Forest that help you forget you're in the middle of a desert. Water wheel trail is one of those places.

Chad CH Burnett

Way fun, do the boat ride! Good restaurant

Melinda Butler

Love Bartlett Lake!!

Rob S

Great place to go and empty a few magazines or do a little ATV riding be careful if you're driving a car as there is fresh sand on the roads you could get stuck an SUV or 4 x 4 is preferable but not one-hundred-percent needed I took the Chrysler Town & Country... Just have to keep an eye out for that deep sand...😎👌👍 …

Bill Gorski

Nice quiet hike, not crowded, easy driving distance from AJ and mesa

Jim Jensen

Excellent experience at Bulldog Canyon! Great camping and off-road.

Edy Gies

This is absolutely beautiful! We drove through on a gorgeous Sunday drive down the Apache Trail. The Sonoran Desert is the only place to see the mighty saguaro cactus in its natural element. The rocks and mountains and trees had us saying a lot of, "Look over there!" as we drove. We even saw a roadrunner who was (of all things) running across the road. I would strongly recommend that no top heavy vehicles attempt the trail as it is very steep and dangerous. Use caution and do not attempt if you are unsure or not accustomed to mountain driving.

Chris Osorio

My car broke down here but it could not have happened at a more beautiful place. Sorry no pictures.

Daniela Emerick

Awe inspiring views! We made a loop, leaving Gilbert, AZ, through Tonto to Showlow, then Snowflake, then through Kingman to Lake Havasu City.

Murray Inman

Seven Springs had some great trails that are fairly easy to hike.

William Hamel

The Superstitions rock. This is the hike to Broadway cave off of Jacob's Crosscut

Justin Kraft

We always have a great time playing with our toys out here. Problem with people dumping lately though.

Ben Anderson

Beautiful lake, relaxing day on the water. #dontfakeitlakeit

Juanita Vargas

To be more precise lol, this camping area is about 2-3 miles past Apache Lake Marina, very nice! This is Davis Wash campsite, the Lake is low enough to enjoy swimming it's perfect for kids and adults, glad we discovered this gem of a campsite, camped 4 days for the Memorial Day weekend 2017, there's Blue Gil, catfish, small mouth bass, sturgeon, was nicely surprised! Plenty of boating, place is family oriented and can get quite busy, but if you don't mind the music and children running around or plenty of get togethers, then this place is ideal, we loved it, if you have a boat you can camp along the sides of the lake for more privacy, as we saw that some families did, which is a great option as well, when it got too hot for us we just went out for a swim it was perfect!

Virginia Gillock

Arizona is beautiful anytime of the year.

Spence Lacey

Nice 4 mile hike and a small desert waterfall.

Ryen Popour

Top of the world gets snow every so often and my kids had a blast

Luis “Mr.Kopriti” Glinos

Great outdoors and beautiful views of the desert!!

mark rhodes

This is gorgeous country. Go explore the Young, AZ area

Daniel Winter

Enjoyed a short hike on the cross cut trailwith a group of friends. Desert is looking good this year thanks to timely rains.

catherine maynes

Ok. So theres two ways to get here. If you have 4x4 take the the 87 if you have a car take 188.

Cyndi Simmons

Absolutely stunning! You simply must do a tour here! I recommend a sunset tour--you will not be disappointed!

Apache “Solutions” Flooring

Very great place to relax and unwind while spending time bonding with family and friends alike

Max Guzman

Half of the lake was frozen and it was a bit windy and cold. And I loved it. The trees were all green and the sky was clear

Mr Joshua

Awesome took two 9 yr olds and my wifey all thoroughly enjoyed it!!!

gertrude Garcia

Nice and clean. People need to pick up their trash more often. But overall a nice place. Reception is bad so be aware.

Rick Miranda

Hieroglyphs we're amazing. Lots of boulders and vegetation in area.

Andrew Ernstrom

Awesome hike. Beautiful scenery everywhere you look.

Charlie M

Great views. Lots of wildlife. Even a little snow in the shaded spots.

pickle sickles

It's was absolutely beautiful so quite and smelled so good. We really enjoyed the time we spent as a family in the Tonto National Forest.

ED Brunell

Beautiful drive, even the added bonus of a wash out

Harris Rosenberg

Tonto National Forest is located in East Central Arizona, very close to Phoenix. It has a very wide variety of Flora and fauna due to extreme altitude changes. You have Sonoran desert with beautiful saguaro cactus centuries which blossom in May. You also have high Alpine forest with Aspen changing gold in October. I really enjoyed swimming in the salt River near the salt River diversion dam in Tonto National Forest. If the weather does not suit you you can always drive to a different altitude where it is much warmer or much colder.

Elenas 4Ez

Beutiful,relaxing,very clean......please TAKE YOURE TRASH AND LETS KEEP IT NICE AND CLEAN.

leslie gatlin

very nice scenery and fresh air. I recommend this drive to anyone looking to see the sites of Globe Arizona.

Jared Jensen

Usually we’ll respected locations throughout the forest for camping and getting away

David Cherry

It's a beautiful day trip from the Phoenix area. Look and you'll see why.

Michel Scarlethmoreno

We had such an amazing weekend with friends and family cutting our little Christmas tree we all had so much fun

Marimar Nava Escobar

Great hike and fishing was a great experience both my kids enjoyed it

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