I also took some photos of the low cliffs there which have interesting geology. The top layer above the sandstone looks distinctly different (maybe from the prehistoric ocean that was in the region?):
On Saturday my mom, our dog Eva, and myself went down to Tonto Creek. Dad couldn't come because his leg was bothering him. We hiked along the upper portion of the creek and walked around at the fish hatchery some. Many of the deciduous plants were changing colors, especially the bigtooth maples (Acer grandidentatum), Virginia creepers or woodbines (Parthenocissus sp.), and smooth sumacs (Rhus glabra). Here are some photos of the autumn colors:
bigtooth maple:
smooth sumac:
Virginia creeper/woodbine:
We saw very little in the way of wildlife, although we did find a roosting Great Horned Owl in an alder along the creek and a horned-lizard that was so motionless while it basked that I almost stepped on it. Here are some pics of these animals, along with scenery and plant photos:
Great Horned Owl
horned-lizard
Eva and Mom playing along the creek:
pointleaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos pungens), in the same family as blueberries, huckleberries, and madrones (Ericaceae):
noseburn (Tragia nepetifolia), a relative of stinging-nettle:
Views of the Mogollon Rim from upper Tonto Creek: 
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