Thursday, 26 September 2013

Tonto Natural Bridge.....24th September

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park is 50 miles from our campsite in Campe Verde near the town of Payson....it was a very pretty drive up and through the mountains, the monsoon season has just finished making the area very lush and green with lots of wild flowers in bloom....by the time we get to The Mogollon Rim we shall be at 6,500ft elevation....
This is the waterfall entrance to the natural bridge accessed via one of the trails down steep steps to the river......
Another view of the entrance from one of the viewing platforms...
It is a 183ft high 400ft long tunnel and 150ft wide at it's widest point.....it is believed to be the worlds largest natural travertine bridge.....
View from inside the tunnel.....
The artistic "backside" of the waterfall........
Kimosabe enjoying the amazing structure.... 


This is part of the "trail" through the tunnel, I use the term trail lightly as it was a very strenuous hike/climb over  boulders and rocks.......we had been warned but as ever we are up for a challenge.....
Well worth the effort and a great way to spend a couple of hours and with approx 200 steps we got our legs back into shape and burnt a few calories !!
From Tonto on through Payson to The Mogollon Rim Visitors Centre only to find it only opens on Fridays and Saturdays......never mind we are as ever resourceful and asked a local about the road going across the rim as the map showed it was an all weather road and we do have a 4 x 4......glad we asked as although it is passable we are told it is very rough....all was not lost as the first mile or so is tarmac with view points......
Ok I shall photoshop the boys out of this one......these too lads from Texas and us were the only people here but we wanted to move on....one of the Texan lads was wearing a Union Jack T-shirt....seems he has been to London twice and loves England....
Fabulous views and so peaceful........the road below is the road we need to take home.....
It was a great day and good to be out and about seeing the sights....we have had a good first week back in the US we have had some good R & R, we are re-stocked with supplies, the weather is beautiful, tomorrow we shall go up to Flagstaff to buy Yorkieman some shoes and hopefully sort out the on going saga of the water filter, all part of the joys of this mobile living.....
Saturday we hitch up and move up to Page and Lake Powell....more tales from The Happy Campers soon....

5 comments:

  1. Hi Both,
    I feel worn out just thinking about the 200 steps, take it easy its only your first week. thanks for educating me too, just looked up " travertine".(I could have called Jim).Hope Michael gets his shoes and that the water filter gets sorted.
    Enjoy,
    Ann & Dave

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  2. Ha ha we looked up travertine too.....we could have emailed JIm but went for the shorter version and googled it !!!! The 200 hundred steps took us by surprise too as we had planned to just look at the bridge from the various viewing platforms but us being us .....yep M got his shoes and we got the new water filter which he'll fit this morning when he emerges from under the comforter (too hot for duvet) and we shall see !
    Have a great weekend
    Sue....

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  3. Looking good Mike & Sue!! I am worn out just reading your post! We are off into Yellowstone today in our RV, snow willing :-O. Have fun will be in touch soon if the grizzlies or the expected volcano eruption do not get us first. Love T&M xx

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  4. Great pictures Sue but where is the photo of Michaels new shoes?

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  5. I must make sure he is wearing them when I next snap his pic !!

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