I wouldn’t call us aimless. But we have no plan other than to enjoy this beautiful weekend. The weather is perfect. Blue skies. Cool breeze. And we have a whole day ahead of us to enjoy whatever we can.

Our first stop is historic Camp Verde. It was a U.S. army outpost in the American West circa 1800’s. Conjure images of virtually any John Wayne movie and you can imagine the buildings and uniforms (interestingly, we learned that the yellow neckerchiefs were never part of the cavalry uniform….they just looked good on the big screen).

There are only a few buildings left at the historical park, but they were furnished with period decor and had a recorded narration. In the visitors center they had a great display on the Indian scouts. It is a tale of natives who helped the army and then were betrayed by men who believed the only good Indian was a dead Indian. It was an interesting stop and a cautionary tale.

After a long walk across the parade grounds to the bathroom building we find out we need a key. So we walk all the way to the visitor center to get a key so that we can walk back to the bathroom. Think about walking an entire football field twice and then turning around and doing it again and again. You get the idea. There has to be a better plan, but at least we get our exercise. Still shaking my head at the craziness and a little relieved that no one was having a bathroom emergency, we left the historical park and headed to town.

We find a few antique shops in Camp Verde but it is too beautiful to be indoors. Instead, we turn the big orange truck east toward the Tonto National Forest. There isn’t much traffic (or anything else) out here. But it is a spectacular weekend drive. The views from the road of mesas, canyons, and endless sky make the drive worthwhile.

Eventually we see signs for Tonto Natural Bridge National Forest. We turn onto the access road and hit our first traffic jam. It seems to take forever to inch our way to the fee booth. By the unexpected traffic we decide it will either be spectacular or it will be a crowded mess.

Once in the parking lot, we try to follow the map to the viewing area. We can’t see a thing, but must be standing on the natural bridge. The map is confusing and there is no signage or landmarks. We take a trail to the right and find ourselves amid boulders. I did not wear rock climbing boots. I will need to go to the car for my hiking gear if we are going to scramble.

We decide to go back up to the top of the trail and turn left. There is a trail map and signage. This is definitely more promising. And so we hike. I still haven’t changed out of my flimsy cute shoes (essentially ballet flats ……don’t judge me, the truck is a long way away). We descend into a deep canyon. Down and down we go. A mile in and I am hoping we actually find the natural bridge, because by the time we walk out of here I know the husband isn’t going to want to explore another trail. A river appears and we follow it toward the mountain.

Now we are climbing stairs. My husband is mumbling about climbing down a mountain only to go up a steep staircase. There is a footbridge over the river. As we leave the footbridge we can see what looks like a giant cave. A waterfall cascades from the opening into the river below. We also see all the people that created the traffic jams, but we haven’t seen since. Dozens of people sit in a seating area and dozens more are scrambling over rocks down deeper in the tunnel.

As it turns out, if we had taken the scramble from the first trail we would have been under the natural bridge and eventually ended up here. I have no idea how long the trail stretches across the boulders. It looks more strenuous than I am prepared for. Once we enter the opening, we can see that this is indeed a natural bridge and not a cave. It is massive and beautiful. Pictures do not show the size. I feel very, very small in its shadow.

Despite its beauty, I can only stare at rock for so long. Eventually, we make the long walk back out of the canyon. The trail is steep and rocky. My flat shoes are still a poor choice for rocks, but I am making it work. We pause to let people coming down the trail pass and to catch our breath. A couple asks us if there really is a natural bridge somewhere. We affirm they are almost there. It seems we aren’t the only ones that find the park map confusing.

We picnic in the park. A cheese sandwich and some chips never taste quite as good as they do after a hike in the woods. With peach juice dripping from my chin and fingers, I decide to solo hike through the forest along the river trail between the mountains. The bees find me and keep me company as I navigate steeps steps down into the canyon. Eventually I encounter a barrier. The trail is closed due to rock slides so I must exit the way I came in. Now I head up the hundreds of stairs. Great cardio…..at least that is what I tell myself. If it doesn’t kill me, it will make me stronger?

I am tired when I reach the truck and so we say goodbye to Tonto. It is a great stop that I really didn’t know about until today. It is the best kind of discovery.

A person we met earlier in the trip mentioned he was from Pine, AZ. He talked about the beauty of the place, the forest, the elk. I have never heard of it, yet suddenly here we are in Pine. Weird. It catches my attention. It would be hard not to. The town practically screams at us to stop. There are aliens and totem poles and ice cream and kettle corn. Small shops are jumbled in clusters under the trees.

We end our day wondering through the eclectic buildings and striking up conversations with the cast of characters who run them. It is oozing small town charm or maybe just kitsch. With a few dollars less in our pockets and a few treasures tucked in our bags, we turn the big orange truck back toward verde river. Big orange will thankfully make better time than the cowboys on horseback from my Western movie childhood. We will be back in the rv by dinner time.

And that is how you turn an aimless day into memorable….