Tonto National Monument is a National Monument in Arizona. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 3 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Tonto
We matched 3 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Tonto. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Lakes (1)
Hot Springs (1)
Dark Sky Places (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Tonto the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:30 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:39 PM | 245° | 10h 10m |
| February | 7:10 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:35 PM | 6:09 PM | 256° | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 268° | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 283° | 13h 01m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 294° | 13h 54m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:51 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:37 PM | 299° | 14h 23m |
| July | 5:26 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:36 PM | 297° | 14h 11m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:12 PM | 288° | 13h 25m |
| September | 6:09 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:00 PM | 6:33 PM | 274° | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 7:03 AM | 5:18 PM | 5:52 PM | 260° | 11h 22m |
| November | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 4:47 PM | 5:23 PM | 248° | 10h 26m |
| December | 7:22 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 242° | 9h 56m |
Computed for the park's reference point (33.6484, -111.1136); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Tonto, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 27° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 3 (rural sky), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 5:03 AM – 5:43 AM | 0.7 | 16° |
| March | 3:05 AM – 5:05 AM | 2.0 | 24° |
| April | 1:13 AM – 4:23 AM | 3.2 | 27° |
| May | 11:15 PM – 3:45 AM | 4.5 | 27° |
| June | 9:21 PM – 3:21 AM | 6.0 | 27° |
| July | 9:17 PM – 1:57 AM | 4.7 | 27° |
| August | 8:43 PM – 11:53 PM | 3.2 | 27° |
| September | 7:56 PM – 9:56 PM | 2.0 | 24° |
| October | 7:14 PM – 7:54 PM | 0.7 | 17° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
3 Estimated Bortle 3 — Rural sky. Some light domes sit on the horizon, but the Milky Way still looks complex overhead.
Weather & best time to visit
Weather during the summer can be extremely hot. It is typically 10 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than Phoenix, AZ. Winter weather may create hazardous conditions on the roads to Tonto National Monument. Severe thunderstorms may lead to a closure of the hiking trails.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show June as the clearest month (about 18% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (49%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
| Entrance fee | Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Entrance - Per Person | $10.00 |
| Entrance - Education/Academic Groups | $0.00 |
Fees as published by the NPS when this page was built — confirm on nps.gov before you go.
Getting there
The cliff dwellings at Tonto National Monument are roughly two hours from the Phoenix metro area, located in the Tonto Basin. The Monument is off AZ Highway 188 near Roosevelt Lake. The nearest major towns are Globe (30 miles) and Payson (50 miles). See our Directions page for recommendations on the best way to drive here from the larger metro areas of Arizona.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Junior Ranger Program
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Nearby parks
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