Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
Ambuluwawa Tower
Hesperus Mountain.
Hesperus Mountain
Miniature Collection at Museo del Pueblo de Guanajuato
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
U.S. Air Force Capt. Samuel “RaZZ” Larson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander, passes over the flight line at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, July 9, 2024
Who Swarmed Langley Air Force Base With Drones?
about 24 hours ago
Our producer Manolo Morales would spend his final days perusing the shelves at Book Off.
Where Would You Go to Wait for the Apocalypse?
2 days ago
This event showcasing the bounty of the Traverse City region’s amazing agriculture, craft, and creativity culminates with a Grand Tasting on August 23.
The Atlas Obscura Guide to Traverse City’s Event Season
3 days ago
She’ll get you and your little dog too.
Dear Atlas: Where Can I Explore Witch History Without the Kitsch?
3 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Arizona Pine Tonto Natural Bridge

Tonto Natural Bridge

The largest natural travertine bridge in the world is nestled in a small canyon in central Arizona.

Pine, Arizona

Added By
Jenn Abdulla
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
From here it looks like a cave, but guess what? It’s a bridge.   snappingdragonderbyphotog
From here it looks like a cave, but guess what? It’s a bridge.   snappingdragonderbyphotog
A look at the tunnel mouth from the formation’s shoulder   snappingdragonderbyphotog
Tonto Natural Bridge   snappingdragonderbyphotog
Below the bridge, looking up from the canyon floor   snappingdragonderbyphotog
On walkway approaching tunnel from the north   snappingdragonderbyphotog
Wide view of the bridge from the north   snappingdragonderbyphotog
Soft limestone pocked and grooved by millenia of erosion   snappingdragonderbyphotog
View from the top   snappingdragonderbyphotog
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
The natural bridge.   WhiskeyBristles / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
Tonto natural bridge   jaquinn86 / Atlas Obscura User
The natural bridge.   WhiskeyBristles / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

It isn't only humans and stomach-churning masses of swarming ants that are capable of building bridges. Mother Nature can build bridges, too — she just needs the right geological circumstances, and several million years. 

Tonto Natural Bridge is the result of one such combination of materials and slow, iterative natural forces. Lava flows created a base of rhyolite, which an ancient sea then covered in sand and mud. This sediment layer formed limestone that was again covered in lava, forming a basalt cap that was broken and shifted by erosion and tectonic activity, creating what is now known as Pine Creek Canyon. As water filtered down through the broken cap and into the underlying limestone, mineral-rich limestone aquifers were created. The water in these aquifers then returned to the surface in the form of springs, depositing travertine — a type of limestone specifically created by such springs — which over time formed a travertine dam across the canyon, which was bored through by the water flowing on the canyon floor. And bingo bango, you've got a bridge.

Tonto Natural Bridge is a geological wonder not only because it is believed to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world, but also because the area contains a gap in the geological record, with some 225 million years (starting 300 million years ago and ending 75 million years ago) unaccounted for in the surrounding rock formations. In a similarly numerically-staggering manner, consider this: a person underneath the bridge can stand with their feet on the rhyolite and their hands on the travertine, thus spanning a period of millions of years with just the length of their body.

Tonto Natural Bridge was discovered in 1877 by a Scottish prospector named David Gowan, who was being chased by Apaches and needed a place to hide. After hiding in the tunnel for three days and two nights, he laid claim to the bridge and canyon via squatter's rights and moved the rest of his family over from Scotland in 1898. The Gowan family lived in the area until 1948, and their lodge still stands as part of Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, which was formed in 1990 to preserve the area.

This 183-foot high bridge is beautiful from every angle. The three hiking trails in the area bring you all the way down to the 400-foot long tunnel. If you are not afraid of slipping on some algae, you can make your way through the tunnel to one of the other trails. Tonto Natural Bridge will not disappoint any visitor. There are viewing points from above so those who are not in the hiking mood can still enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Related Tags

Natural Wonders Bridge Bridges Rock Formations Nature

Community Contributors

Added By

Snapping Fire Dragon

Edited By

RHyzer, WhiskeyBristles, Jason Michael Walker, jaquinn86...

  • RHyzer
  • WhiskeyBristles
  • Jason Michael Walker
  • jaquinn86
  • dianesyphrit

Published

March 9, 2016

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.americansouthwest.net/arizona/tonto_natural_bridge/state_park.html
  • http://www.paysonrimcountry.com/#!tonto-natural-bridge/s4y9w
  • http://www.visitarizona.com/places-to-visit/north-central-arizona/tonto-natural-bridge-state-park
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonto_Natural_Bridge
Tonto Natural Bridge
Nf-583A
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park
Pine, Arizona, 85544
United States
34.319722, -111.456667
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Camp Verde to Payson Mail Route Memorial

Payson, Arizona

miles away

Verde Hot Springs Resort

Yavapai County, Arizona

miles away

Dude Fire Memorial Grove

Payson, Arizona

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Arizona

Arizona

United States

Places 284
Stories 24

Nearby Places

Camp Verde to Payson Mail Route Memorial

Payson, Arizona

miles away

Verde Hot Springs Resort

Yavapai County, Arizona

miles away

Dude Fire Memorial Grove

Payson, Arizona

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Arizona

Arizona

United States

Places 284
Stories 24

Related Places

  • Bridges of Ross.

    Ross, Ireland

    Bridges of Ross

    This natural sea arch highlights Ireland's rugged coastal beauty.

  • Tisá, Czechia

    Tiské Stěny

    Towering sandstone rock formations where 'The Chronicles of Narnia' was filmed.

  • Explore Litchfield

    Litchfield Park, Australia

    Magnetic Termite Mounds

    Let these towering termite-building structures tell you where to go.

  • a group of them

    Tirolo, Italy

    Erdpyramide in Tirol

    These unique "earth pyramid" clay columns can be found in ravines around the village of Tirolo.

  • Tilted strata on the way out.

    Barstow, California

    Rainbow Basin

    Colorful sedimentary rock layers provide opportunities both for hiking and photography.

  • Tasmans Arch

    Eaglehawk Neck, Australia

    Tasmans Arch

    A natural rock bridge towers above the sea.

  • Sewanee Natural Bridge

    Sewanee, Tennessee

    Sewanee Natural Bridge

    A natural sandstone bridge hidden in the Sewanee forest.

  • The Bridge of God

    Akchour, Morocco

    The God's Bridge

    Reaching this rock formation involves a hike through rocky rapids and springs where wild turtles reproduce.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.