The Tonto National Forest, encompassing 2,873,200 acres, is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. The forest has diverse scenery, with elevations ranging from 1,400 feet in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet in the ponderosa pine forests of the Mogollon Rim. The Tonto National Forest is also the most visited "urban" forest in the United States.
Tonto National Forest
A pool of water, a remnant of the last rains, in a dry wash in Tonto National Forest
Unofficial trail sign in Pine Canyon
Payson is a town in northern Gila County, Arizona, United States. Due to Payson's location being very near to the geographic center of Arizona, it has been called "The Heart of Arizona". The town is surrounded by the Tonto National Forest, the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and the ninth largest national forest in the United States.[1][2]
Green Valley Park
Native American ruins west of Payson.
Sunset view from Payson, Arizona.
Zane Grey Cabin replica at the Rim Country Museum in Payson