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Update: Weekend Openings Extended to November, 5 Day Schedule Starts November 19th

(Phoenix, AZ - October 21, 2009) This park will continue to be open weekends through November 8th. Open Oct. 24-25, Oct. 31-Nov. 1, Nov. 7-8, and Nov. 14-15. Hours of operation 9 am – 5 pm. Starting November 19th, the park will convert to a 5 Day Schedule. It be open 5 days per week from Thursday to Monday from 9 am – 5 pm. The park will be closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Learn more about Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

 

Update: Weekend Openings Extended to October

(Phoenix, AZ - September 9, 2009) This park will continue to be open weekends through October. The park will be open 8 am to 6 pm on the following days only: the weekends of September 12-13, 19–20, 26-27, and October 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25. On all other days this park is closed to all public entry.

Learn more about Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

 

Update: Weekend Park Openings Have Been Extended

(Phoenix, AZ - August 7, 2009) This park will only be open weekends through Labor Day September 7. The park will be open 8 am to 6 pm on the following days only: the weekends of August 8–9, 15–16, 22–23, 29–30, and Labor Day weekend September 5–7. On all other days this park is closed to all public entry.

Learn more about Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

 

ASP & Payson Extend Partnership

(Phoenix, AZ - August 7, 2009) - Tonto Natural Bridge State Park will be open the next five weekends (Sat/Sun) through Labor Day weekend (Sept 5-7) from 8 am to 7 pm. In order to keep Tonto Natural Bridge open on these weekends all summer, City of Payson Mayor Ken Evans and local partners agreed to fund the positions necessary to keep the park operating.

"This City/State Parks partnership has resulted in approximately 15,500 people coming to Tonto Natural Bridge State Park in three months who then spend monies in the local communities for gas, food, lodging, and gifts," said Executive Director Renee Bahl. "Now we are looking to partner with other cities, counties and businesses as well to find ways to help us maintain the same operating hours of the State Parks for the visitors in the upcoming year," she said.

"The historic lodge at Tonto Natural Bridge which is under structural repair right now, is scheduled to be completed by October. However, due to additional budget reductions the Parks Board is evaluating the entire agency's budget and functions. The next Parks Board meeting is September 11 and Board members will make decisions at that meeting on how to operate the park system with only $19 million compared to $26 million budgeted in July of 2008. "The General Fund has been reduced to zero and other monies, such as gate fees were swept into state coffers," said Bahl.

 

Original Press Release:

City of Payson Provides Solution to Opening Tonto Natural Bridge State Park For Critical Weekends this Summer

(Phoenix, AZ - May 6, 2009) - Tonto Natural Bridge State Park will be open for Memorial Day weekend (May 22-25, 2009) and for the next five subsequent weekends through the end of June. The park will be open for its regular hours from 8 am to 7 pm.

The solution to part of the State Parks budget problems for keeping Tonto open on these key weekends came when Payson Mayor Ken Evans announced that the "Town of Payson and other Community Partners agreed to provide funding for the necessary seasonal staff for the four-day Memorial Day weekend and the other two-day weekends in May and June."

"We needed to increase the park staff by two people each day to cover those weekends," said Chief of Operations Janet Hawks. "Our seasonal staff rate of $11 per hour is what will be charged to the City of Payson. The two seasonal rangers will be added into the system in the other parks which will allow me to release regular park staff to return to Tonto for those weekends. We will also have our regular volunteers and hopefully some new volunteers to help out this summer," said Hawks.

The awarded contractor and project manager must agree that it is safe to enter the park near the lodge. The contractor shall decide how the area will be protected during construction. "We will endeavor to keep the park open each of these weekends even during this construction," said Acting Director Jay Ream.

For more information about Arizona State Parks call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free 800-285-3703) or visit azstateparks.com.

-end-

Learn more about Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

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