Fossil Springs Waterfall - Bob Bear Trail

 

Fossil Springs is a challenging (8 mile) hike with an amazing reward at this beautiful waterfall.  There are two entrances and two separate waterfalls for Fossil Springs, so it is a little confusing.  This post is about the entrance from the Strawberry Side. We took the trail from the parking lot on the Strawberry side.  Technically it is called the Bob Bear Trail Forest Service Bob Bear Trail.  See notes on map below, the map is confusing because it just ways Old Fossil Creek Dam, but it does not tell you that is the place of this amazing waterfall and play area.  (The waterfalls and creak from the other side are nice also.)

The 4 mile hike down is not bad, but the hike back out can be a challenge.  Especially if the weather is hot, there is no shade so plan carefully when you hike out if it is a hot day.  You are required to get a reservation from the Tonto National Park Service at recreation.gov.  The reservations are normally required from April 1 to Oct 1.  Plan a few months out if you want to go on the weekend.  We mostly played around the falls, but we also went down stream a quarterly mile and played in a cave with this emerald water.  Well worth the hike, the whole family can do this one as long as you have plenty of water, don't go on a really hot day and take your time coming out.