Tonto National Forest
The Tonto National Forest, encompassing 2,873,200 acres (1,162,700 ha; 11,627 km2), is the largest of the six national forests in Arizona and is the ninth largest national forest in the United States. Tonto Basin is where it stands. Expect 73–82°F afternoons in the mildest months, March, April and November.
A national forest inside Tonto Basin
Summers are hot
July and August highs run 102–104°, and about 145 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
You can stay in Tonto Basin
Tonto National Forest is inside Tonto Basin, which has 11 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Phoenix
Phoenix is about 50 miles west (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: Mar, Apr and Nov
March, April and November are the mild months, with highs of 73–82°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
How the seasons run
Plan a visit to Tonto National Forest around the weather below.
Tonto National Forest
The Tonto National Forest, encompassing 2,873,200 acres (1,162,700 ha; 11,627 km2), 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 (427 m) in the Sonoran Desert to 7,400 feet (2,256 m) in the ponderosa pine forests of the Mogollon Rim. The Tonto National Forest is also one of the most visited "urban" forests in the United States.
The boundaries of the Tonto National Forest are the Phoenix metropolitan area to the south, the Mogollon Rim to the north and the San Carlos and Fort Apache Indian Reservation to the east. The Tonto (Spanish for "foolish") is managed by the USDA Forest Service and its headquarters are in Phoenix. There are local ranger district offices in Globe, Mesa, Payson, Roosevelt, Scottsdale, and Young.
- Type
- National forest
- Wikipedia readers
- 17K a year
Places to stay near Tonto National Forest
For a bed close by, look to Tonto Basin (11) and Payson (22), and Mesa has the most rooms in the area (123).
Mesa
The most places to stay in the area, and a base for a longer trip.
513,656 people
40 mi southwest of Tonto National Forest
Compare 9 towns
| Town | From Tonto National Forest | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tonto Basin 30% vacation homes | in town | — | 11 1 inn or B&B · 1 lodge or cabins · 9 RV parks | 1,750 | $269K | — |
| Payson | 28 mi north | 40 min | 22 9 hotels · 3 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 16,693 | $382K | C |
| Roosevelt 100% vacation homes | 16 mi southeast | 25 min | 2 1 campground · 1 RV park | — | — | — |
| Jakes Corner | 12 mi north | 15 min | 1 1 RV park | 111 | — | — |
| Star Valley | 29 mi north | 45 min | 7 1 lodge or cabins · 6 RV parks | 2,538 | $176K | — |
| Young 48% vacation homes | 28 mi northeast | 40 min | 4 2 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins | 236 | $228K | — |
| Roosevelt Estates | 23 mi southeast | 35 min | 2 1 campground · 1 RV park | 593 | $190K | — |
| Oxbow Estates | 24 mi north | 35 min | 1 1 RV park | 44 | $646K | — |
| Mesa | 40 mi southwest | 1 hr | 123 67 hotels · 17 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 3 campgrounds · 29 RV parks | 513,656 | $408K | C− |
Day trip from
Straight-line miles.
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Worth adding to a visit
Each of these is within 62 miles.
Big draw60 mi Stadium & arenaState Farm Stadium
53 mi Stadium & arenaMortgage Matchup Center
53 mi Stadium & arenaChase Field
47 mi Stadium & arenaMountain America Stadium
60 mi Stadium & arenaDesert Diamond Arena
62 mi National MonumentMontezuma Castle National Monument320K visitors a year
47 mi Stadium & arenaMullett Arena
45 mi MountainCamelback MountainPhoto credits
State Farm Stadium: Taken by en:Flickr user MCSixth, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Mortgage Matchup Center: Troutfarm27, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chase Field: U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Tyler J. Bolken, Public domain · Mountain America Stadium: Clintus McGintus, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Desert Diamond Arena: Unknown, CC BY 2.0 · Montezuma Castle National Monument: Bernard Gagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mullett Arena: Kyvuh, CC0 · Camelback Mountain: Dru Bloomfield from Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, CC BY 2.0
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Tonto National Forest, answered
Is Tonto National Forest in Tonto Basin?
Yes. It’s inside Tonto Basin, AZ.
When is the best time to visit Tonto National Forest?
March, April and November, with highs of 73–82°.
How far is Tonto National Forest from Phoenix?
About 50 miles west of Phoenix, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Tonto National Forest?
Mesa Gateway (AZA), about 43 miles away. The nearest big hub is Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX), about 50 miles.
Where should I stay near Tonto National Forest?
Tonto Basin (in town, 11 places to stay), Mesa (40 mi, 123 places to stay) and Payson (28 mi, 22 places to stay).
Locals’ advice in Tonto Basin
Be the first to share a tip in Tonto Basin’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.