Sunset in Tonto National Forest

After a day of exploring Tonto Natural Bridge with my friends Ethan and Rita, the sun had begun to set on our way back to campus. Weaving between the mountains of Tonto National Forest, heading south on State Route 87, the sun had the perfect canvas.

We figured we should pull over to watch this amazing sunset, but we weren’t exactly sure where.

Eventually, we came upon a dirt road off the side of the highway. I wouldn’t really consider this road an exit, because I don’t remember there being a sign for it. I’m pretty sure there were a bunch of these side roads off of the highway, so you don’t even have to find this specific one to enjoy the sunset!

We sat on the back of the ~jetta~ and watched as the sun illuminated the sky with the prettiest of colors. This was one of those moments that made me feel so lucky to be able to go to college in Arizona and experience moments like these.

Sorry New York, but Arizona has everything on you.

Here are the coordinates for this sunset spot! 34.085, -111.357, specifically on Barnhardt Road.
Tips:
– Head south towards Phoenix from Payson on State Route 87 (South Beeline Highway)
– Eventually you will drive by Barnhardt Road, it will be hidden on the right side of the highway
– Plug in the coordinates to get the exact location so you don’t miss it!

Here’s a visual of the location. The purple hotspots represent where the pictures were taken (thanks Google Photos!). The left-most picture is zoomed in the most, and as you move to the right most picture it becomes zoomed out so you can see more of the area surrounding this sunset spot!

Where’s your favorite place to watch the sunset in Arizona? Let me know in the comments!!

Under The Sun