Rancho Tonto Catch a Trout

Need a quick escape from the Valley heat?  Here is a day trip idea for your family that is only about 2 hours from North Mesa.

We went last week and had a blast!  The kids had fun exploring, I enjoyed the cooler temperature, and everyone loved the fishing.  They even have berries growing on the property, but they weren’t ripe yet, so I didn’t find out if we could pick them.  We made Applewood Smoked Trout with our fresh catch.  YUM!

We’ve been taking the kids for years (even though we also enjoy regular fishing) and have never seen more than two other families there at a time.  I’m sure it gets pretty busy on occasion, but it is always perfect and we ALWAYS catch something.

Planning a trip:  take a picnic!  There is a beautiful picnic location with a place to hike/play near the creek.  After you turn onto FR 289, go over the one-way bridge and pull into the parking area on your left ($6/day/car fee).  If you have more time (after the fishing), head further North on FR289 to the fish hatchery.  It’s free!  And if you stay long enough during monsoon season, you are likely to get a nice storm in the afternoon.

Rancho Tonto Catch-a-Trout is a kid-friendly fishing pond.  You don’t need a license or any equipment…in fact…you don’t even have to clean the fish yourself.  They have picnic tables and a grill if you want to cook out too.  But if you need a little RnR then check out their 3 bedroom guest house for rent.