PHOENIX — The rainfall is certainly here in the Valley and the fall colors seen most prominently in the trees are not too far behind.
To help Arizonans witness the coming array of fall foliage, Arizona State Parks & Trails compiled a list of the top five parks to visit throughout the state.
Best parks in Arizona to view fall colors
Red Rock State Park (Sedona)
The Sedona-based park is home to a 5-mile trail that showcases views of the northern Arizona’s red rock and other green scenery of the surrounding Oak Creek.
It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and has tickets available for $5 (ages 7 to 13) and $10 (ages 14 and older). Children ages 6 and under get in free.
Besides an earlier start time in June, there are daily guided hikes at 10 a.m.
Slide Rock State Park (Sedona)
A trio of trails under a mile in length (two are 0.25 and one 0.3 miles) are available for the public to enjoy in Oak Creek Canyon.
Pets are welcome at the park following a heat-related ban from May 1 to Sept. 30.
Tickets are sold on a per vehicle basis, with one to four people getting in for $20 from October to April.
The park sits on 43 acres of a historic apple farm that was first planted in 1912 and is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will be closed Oct. 21-22, however.
Dead Horse Ranch State Park (Cottonwood)
Located in roughly smack in the middle of Sedona and Prescott, this park features more than 20 miles of trails for biking, hiking and horseback riding.
The Lime Kiln Trail, which connects Dead Horse Ranch and Red Rock state parks, is among the most popular there. It won Critic’s Choice Award for Best Bike Ride in 2012.
In the fall, the park is open daily from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and individual tickets (biking or hiking) are available for $5.
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park (Pine)
The park located southeast of Sedona isn’t pet-friendly due to the severity of all the trails, but is home to what is believed to be the “largest natural travertine bridge in the world,” according to Arizona State Parks & Trails. The bridge is 183 feet tall and 400 feet long, while measuring 150 feet at its widest point.
Guests can also check out the historic Tonto Lodge for more information about the bridge and previous native peoples on the nearby land.
Ticket prices are the same across the board as at Red Rock State Park and the park is open daily throughout the year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Rockin’ River Ranch State Park (Camp Verde)
Along the Verde River south of Sedona is a park that exhibits more desert and green fauna and is more temperature neutral than recreational areas north and south of its location.
It offers six trails ranging from 0.2 to 1.7 miles in length and sits upon 209 acres of ranging land that showcases birds and other wildlife such as javelina, deer and beavers.
The park is closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but in open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays through Mondays.
Tickets are sold per vehicle, with one person in a vehicle going for $10 and two to four in a vehicle for $20. Bikers get in for $5.
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