Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

Tonto Natural Bridge is believed to the the largest natural travertine bridge in the world.  It stands 183 ft high over a 400-foot tunnel that measures 150 ft at its widest point. 

Here, on the same level as the waterfall, we can see a little bit of rainbow. 

From one of the trails down

The tunnel - visitors can stand on top of the bridge or hike down below to capture the true size and beauty of this geologic wonder.  Under the bridge are several small caves.

The bridge was discovered in 1877 by David Gowan.  He was a prospector who stumbled upon it while being chased by Apaches.  He hid for two nights in a cave under the bridge.  On the third day he left to explore the tunnel and valley after which he claimed squatter's rights.

Western Sneezeweed attracts butterflies.....

and a white-lined spinx hummingbird moth.  The body was about 5" long.  Frenetic doesn't describe it.  It would not land but the proboscis is uncurled as it feeds on the individual blossoms.

A different trail takes us to a viewpoint on the opposite side from the waterfall.

Stalagtites hang down on this side.

A few of the small caves can be seen across the way.

The weather has gotten hot again.  We spent today at higher elevations. The bridge was around 5,000 feet elevation.  After the bridge we drove a forest service road which was over 7,000 ft.  The area on the Mogollon Rim was much cooler - 68F - compared to 85F down here at the RV park when we returned.

Ponderosa Pines

Lots of elk tracks here but still NO ELK unless we are fortunate enough to see elk at a campground......  This was our final day of Wheeling in Arizona for the 2010-2011 season.  Tomorrow the journey home begins.  

See you in Central New York when there will be one final post of this trip (with maybe some elk?) !

Robbers Roost

Robbers Roost is 19 miles northwest of Sedona in beautiful red rock country.

While it was to be our destination for this day, we first drove into the higher mountains beyond for the views of the red sandstone territory. 

Can you see the little face and big ears sticking out of the crack just to the left of the prickly pear?  It's a rock squirrel.  They have amazingly large ears relative to the size of the head.

Robbers Roost is the red monolith below as we drive back down.

We parked here for the hike first down into the drainage....

then back up to the base of Robbers Roost.

The views appear to be almost limitless.  The wind is serious, gusting to around 30 mph. 

It had been my hope that we would go around this narrow ledge to the other side.  With the wind so strong, we made the decision to quit at this point.  I'm not sure how intrepid I would have been had I not had the wind for an excuse.

The ledge is no more than 8" wide and it's a loooooo-ong way down.

The top is just above us.

Finally I found a route to the top.  The views don't change much but now I can see all 360 degrees.

Descending we found a pathway that took us around in the other direction...

but here we reached the end.

Somewhere there is a ruins within a cave with an almost perfect 6' round opening - a picture window to the world outside.  We didn't find it!

Verde River

We got a late start today thus stayed in the local area - near the Verde River.

Mexican Gold Poppies

Manzanita

700 years ago beaver dams spanned the river and the water was 20 feet higher than now.  The Sinagua people lived along the river and hunted, gathered and farmed here in Beasley Flat.

All that remains are the lodges that can be seen across the river.  There were single rooms and series of rooms for living and storage.

Lodges like these, dug as shallow caves or shelters, with masonry walls at there entrances, are found nowhere else. 

When we returned to our campground we found the cottonwood trees had been losing their fluffy seeds. It appeared to be snowing.

Vic said it looked like a washing machine had overflowed - a great analogy!

The owners of our RV park hired a master carver to demonstrate and give a workshop a few years ago.  A contingent of men who are winter campers joined together to carve this.  It's about 7' high.  They sure learned the lessons well.