Hoofprints in wet river sand are usually the first clue, and then you look up and a whole band of wild horses is wading through the water in front of you. That scene plays out regularly along a stretch of river in Arizona, less than an hour from the Phoenix suburbs.
It feels like a secret, but it is open to anyone with a little patience and a parking pass. Here is how to find the horses, what else waits nearby, and how to enjoy it all the right way.
A Giant Backyard East of the Valley
Maps make it look like just another green patch, but Tonto National Forest is one of the largest and most varied public lands in Arizona. It stretches from the edge of the Phoenix metro area, near Chandler, Mesa, and Scottsdale, all the way up into pine country around Payson.
What makes it special is the mix. You get cactus desert, forested mountains, sparkling lakes, and rivers all under one name…