The Arizona State Parks department has closed two geology/mining related
parks due to budget cuts.
Tonto Natural Bridge State Park [
right, credit AZ State Parks] and Jerome Historic Park were closed last week.
Tonto Natural Bridge is 183 feet high and more than 400 feet long and reported to be the largest natural travertine bridge in the world. The regional chamber of commerce predicts the loss of 100,000 tourists to the area and $3.6 million in revenue.
The Jerome park preserves one of the most dynamic and colorful mining towns from Arizona's pioneer days.