FYI: If you're planning to go during the government shutdown, you can't drive all the way to the…read moreparking lot -- it's about an 8-mile hike (a lot of it on gravel). But honestly, it's worth every step! Just when you think you've reached the falls... you haven't. Keep going! The road in is pure washboard -- about 13 miles of bump city -- so make sure you have a 4-wheel drive and that nothing inside your car is loose. Fossil Creek is absolutely stunning, and bonus -- no permit needed after October 1st. The other thing says this trail is easy. No, it's not to be careful if you're taking somebody elderly over that doesn't have good mobility because there's some rocks you had a climb and what not also make sure you take plenty of water to drink and a little snack everything you pack in your pack. I would also suggest leaving the house by three 330. No later you don't wanna be hiking in the pitch dark.

People really need to be better educated on the permit process and the strict requirements that are…read morenow being enforced. We had our permit that one of our husbands printed for us but since he was not in vehicle, they would not allow us to enter!! Worse than our problem were 2 women in thier turn around lot at thier gate and those 2 women were still stranded in the heat nearly 6 hours later. We the park rangers failed to relay a hugely important message to those ladies about thier spare tire being In the middle of the road 10 miles back !! Again a huge disappointment for those park employees who witnessed these women being stranded, and we feel with 3 employees and 2 trucks could have easily assisted these women or at the very least let them know where thier spare was located ! We were hugely inconvenienced by driving back several miles to pile into one car as the option they offered us, but these poor ladies we believe were clearly suffering unnecessary while not one of those employees told them where thier spare was located or possibly offered to get it for them .

We had a blast! Easy to access, zero hiking required! Plenty of shade and areas to sit as well. The…read morejumping rock area isn't too too deep so I would caution when jumping from the rocks. We did not do the hike down to the "crack" we asked multiple people and they suggested since there's no shade it's not the best for a 5 year old. We will be back to this creek for sure :)

Really enjoy this swimming hole. BEWARE THE BLACK FLIES they bite :(( cover up well if you can?…read moreMaybe keep moving? Idk that kinda sucked, but otherwise love this hike.

We parked at the Tuzigoot River Access point after visiting the National Monument. This is a large…read moreparking lot, suitable for boat trailers. We went in January to walk along the river. It was very scenic, even though most of the leaves had fallen form the trees. There is a small beach at one location and small rapids for kayaking. Several dog walkers and a few mountain bikes were using the pathways. This would be a lovely place in the spring to fall when the trees are full.

This natural area is located next to Dead Horse Ranch State Park near Cottonwood. There is no…read morecamping or campfires in the riparian zone, but you can camp at Dead Horse Park. The river is stocked with bass, catfish, and bluegill. In the winter they stock it with trout. There is a lot of wildlife in this region to see. The Verde River is a great spot to canoe or kayak because of all the twists and turns in the river. You can load your boat at the ramp at the Tuzigoot River Access Point which has plenty of parking nearby. Swimming is at your own risk.

Absolute gem of a state park and what the model should be for all parks:…read more 1. Incredibly helpful and informed staff 2. Cleanest restrooms of any state or national park I've ever seen 3. Phenomenal fishing for the kids in the lagoons 4. The little cabins are a must for families! Will be on our regular rotation now. Pro tip: if staying in the cabins, there is only one wall outlet inside. Bring an electric water kettle to heat up water for ramen, coffee, cider, oatmeal, and for doing a quick rinse of any cooking pans and utensils. We would died without our hot water kettle. Great job, Arizona State Parks!

great location, nice being close to a river. Dog friendly cabins, and super-clean facilities…read more Great stay..

Awesome Father's Day at Tonto Bridge! Got there at 9am when the gate opens and even when we left…read morearound 11:30am on a Sunday there were plenty of parking spots still available in each parking lot. My husband had my 17 mo in a baby carrier and we did the whole loop. We spent a little over 2 hours here. Some parts were super slippery even without water present, esp more towards the bridge, but wear hiking boots and be sure of your footings and you're going to be just fine! Take your time. Stop every now and then and just look up. It's beautiful all the rocks and mountain cliffs. It's beautiful the whole loop trail. Under the bridge the breeze and spray from the water coming down is a treat after being sweating. We saw plenty of young children take on the rocky trails. If you can physically, do the entire big loop. It's worth it.

We are a little too unstable to try the various paths down to the creek, but we did walk on the…read morepath to the four viewing points of the bridge. We got there at 9:30 and the parking lot was almost empty. By the time we left, it was hopping. So from our perspective, the best time to go is early. Of the four viewing points, number one is best for the view of the bridge and number four is best for a view of the waterfall. The park and paths are well-maintained and the person in the gift shop that took our money was incredibly helpful and cheerful. We highly recommend this park.

The best trip ever! Took my FJ up and the 4x4 sections were easy and fun. You have to get a 4x4…read morepermit and they only allow 12 vehicles per day. The sink hole and 7 pools are nice stops, but the cave is the highlight! From the end of the 4x4 trial the cave is a short 15-20 minute hike. Daddy long legs were everywhere after a young girl climbed around up in the cave ending. You must go!

This is in the top 3 hikes of everywhere I've been all over the planet and it would have been much…read morebetter if I didn't forget the backpack with our water and snacks. We came during a busy season and the trailhead opens at 8 am and does get completely full. 10 minutes before the gate opens there was already a line of cars waiting to get in. They do have a shuttle at a parking lot about an hour away if it gets too busy. Because we didn't have water or food we were only out about a 3 hours and could have easily stayed for two more. The hike starts with stairs and handrails but quickly opens up into not clearly marked paths that feel like you are walking in nature and not on a path. You'll reach Devil's Kitchen quickly and the scale is much larger in person and har to capture via pictures. It's a sinkhole with no barriers around the edge so walk carefully. A lot of people come for the Seven Sacred Pools and if you come too early the lighting isn't that great. If you scramble down to the base of the pools you can walk the dry riverbed back to the trailhead for a different experience

Such a great place to stop and check out some beautiful sights. We stopped in at the Ranger Station…read moreon the was to Sedona. The ranger station has a really nice gift shop as well as informative things to see and read. They had a statue of Smoky the Bear, outfront.front as well. The parking was pretty full when we arrived "on a week day" so just be patient as this is a stop you'll definitely want to see. You can take awesome pictures right from the parking lot. When I was there, the moon was over a mountain, which made for beautiful picture.

The 7.5-mile drive serves as the gateway to Sedona. Along the way there are some must see sites. On…read morethe way in we stopped at Bell Rock. On the way out we stopped at the Chapel of the Holy Cross.

I definitely give this trail system, first time I mountain biked it - my *4F Fast Flow Furious Fun…read more(FFFF)!. Curvaceous narrow single track spinning and cruising across the terrain, dropping into and popping out of washes - my Santa Cruz, Tall Boy 29er suspension pop pop pops getting after it. The climb up Blowout canyon switch backs, a narrow trail on a steep ledge at times, requires concentration so you don't slip down hundreds of feet into valley. Pedaling up through Juniper trees with stellar views all around. Plus about a mile of rolling rock gardens - fun but technical. Then, descending *4F FFFF Fast Flow Furious Fun! What all mountain bikes love.

Blowout Wash Trailhead is relatively new and has a series of moderate-level, looping trails below…read moreMingus Mountain with great views of the Verde Valley, the red rock rim of Sedona and the San Francisco peaks. The trail system is well marked and well kept up. We took the Blowout Canyon trail 551 to Bullseye 557 in a clockwise direction. I recommend this direction for the best view of the red rocks and valley to the north while you are hiking. There is interesting geology with red and gray tuff rock in several places and a red rimmed wall along part of the wash canyon. We saw only a couple of other hikers and two sets of mountain bikers on a Thursday in January so this is a great place to get away from crowds and enjoy the views. There was some mud on about 1/4 of the trail which would make for messy mountain biking, and a few places of the trail are narrow with a pretty good drop off into the creek canyon, so this is best for experienced mountain bikers. It is a fairly easy trail for hikers with only moderate climbs. Our hike was about 6.5 miles, but there are many options for longer or shorter walks. There is no shade so this is best enjoyed in the spring, fall or winter. To get here take Mingus Ave south of highway 89A, head about 1.5 miles south of the airport where Mingus Ave turns into FR 493. There are a few bumps and rocks on the Forrest Service road but it is easily passable in any car. The parking lot for the trailhead is on the west side and is quite large.

Another trip up and back on the famous Broken Arrow Trail. This is my 4th time running this trail…read moreand it never disappoints. It's a short trail but a really fun trail. We saw a stock Tacoma and a stick Jeep getting dirty today. Nit recommend but they made it. I was in a Raptor today with 37" tires and I think we bottomed out two or three times. Keep in mind that if your vehicle is stock make sure you have a short wheel base and absolutely must have 4 wheel drive.

Overall a delightful hike-…read more We arrived early, so parking was easy (they had about 14 set spots)- however when leaving we noticed the lot was beyond packed & people were circling for spots (bit of advice) As we walked along the bumpy trails there was an element of rock climbing & inclined spots Also note- watch out for the Pink Jeep Tours; professional intense driving (they look like a great time) but their roads intersect with the trail a fair amount & they drive up certain viewpoint walks- The trail started off well marked, then hit a viewpoint area, and signage dropped off-while we thought we were scrambling up Chicken Point, we discovered we were just scrambling for fun & were able to view the real Chicken Point from the top of our mountain Then we wanted to take Hog Wash trail back-but couldn't find the loop connect at the end of Broken Arrow I still rate the trail very high because our random scrambles were quite challenging & entertaining- it's a great area to explore based on your capability- and offers many varying side paths

Great if you RV camp often…read more 60 days reservation window for reserving Getaway Cabins is illusionary as the cabins often are fully booked 60 days before a particular desired date.

BUYER BEWARE!!!…read more Thousand Trails membership is a CON SCAM you can NEVER get a campground site reservation 60 days out there is NEVER any availability because of private payers , seasonal or annual campers have taken all sites!!! DON'T WASTE YOUR HARD EARNED MONEY GIVING IT TO THOUSAND TRAILS AND NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE MEMBERSHIP!!! Instead use your money to secure where you want to stay in advance!!!!