Payson is a town in northern Gila County, Arizona. Its location puts it very near to the geographic center of Arizona. Payson has been called "The Heart of Arizona". The town is surrounded by the Tonto National Forest and has many outdoor activities year round. Located at the base of the Mogollon Rim, it's an especially good base for camping, hiking, and photographic adventures.

Beeline Highway (AZ-87)

By: Paul S Cilwa			Page Views: 2,248
Hashtags: #Places #Payson #Arizona
Get off the Interstate to see the 'real' Arizona.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s) (120 words)

Arizona State Road 87, which runs from Coolidge to Winslow, is part of the National Highway System. The section of this road between Second Mesa (in the city of Mesa) and Payson is known as the Beeline Highway; it leads to a number of a canyons in the southern escarpment of the Mogollon Rim, as well as the Rim itself.

Mogollon Rim

By: Paul S Cilwa			Page Views: 3,318
Hashtags: #Places #NorthAmerica #UnitedStatesofAmerica #Arizona #EasternArizona #MogollonRim
Photos, artwork, and travel and camping tips apropos of Arizona's great wall.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s) (144 words)

The Mogollon Rim is an escarpment cutting across the state of Arizona for approximately 200 miles, starting in northern Yavapai County and running eastward, ending near the border with New Mexico. It forms the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau in Arizona. Its central and most spectacular portions are characterized by high cliffs of limestone and sandstone. The escarpment rises over a mile higher than the land to its south, making it an ideal place to beat the Phoenix heat in summer. One of my favorite places to camp, I've spent many, many days on the Rim…and taken many, many photos.

Tonto Natural Bridge State Park

By: Paul S Cilwa	Occurred: 3/13/2017		Page Views: 1,147
Hashtags: #Places #Arizona #Pine #TontoNaturalBridgeStatePark #Photography
All my photos of the world's largest travertine natural arch.
Estimated reading time: 1 minute(s) (42 words)

In Eastern Arizona, between the city of Payson and the town of Pine, is the largest Travertine natural bridge in the world. Discovered by a Scotsman in 1877, it is now a state park and a lovely place to spend an afternoon.