News Blip:
Tonto Natural Bridge Spurs Rim Country Tourism
The Payson Roundup Reports That The Tonto Natural Bridge State Park Has Projected To Exceed 122,000 Visits This Year, And That The Attendance Will Contribute Around $7M In Revenue To AZ's Rim Country.
Editor's Note: This news item was retrieved through Payson Roundup's website via Google.
The Payson Roundup, a source of news and information in Arizona’s Rim Country, reports that Dan Roddy, park manager of Tonto Natural Bridge State Park, told members of the March meeting of the Rim Country chamber, that the park is on track to exceed 122,000 visits this fiscal year. The natural bridge is the region’s best-known tourist attraction and has seen a steady rise in visitation during the past few years. Income at the park has increased quickly since the park began renting the historic Good-fellow Lodge this year.
With 10 rooms that can accommodate up to 28 overnight guests and an 80-person dining room and kitchen, the lodge is proving a popular spot for meetings, reunions, weddings and other group events. The 3-story cabin-style lodge, built in the 1920s, rents for $750 to $1,000 a night. Roddy said that visitors to the park will add an estimated $7 million revenue to local Rim Country businesses, including hotels, restaurants, local stores and services, this year. Besides maintaining its own trails, the park encourages visitors to explore the many independent trails in Rim Country, developed as part of the local trails initiative. This year Tonto plans to improve the pedestrian footbridge along Gowan Trail, first installed in 1995, with the project completed by Memorial Day weekend. The park is hoping to raise $80,000 to develop new ADA accessible trails and to turn an old swimming pool into a pond with seating areas.
For the further information visit The Payson Roundup and Arizona State Parks website.