About this spot
The Toilet Bowl is the swimming hole at Fossil Creek's decommissioned old diversion dam, reached via the Fossil Springs Trail (about 8 miles round-trip) from the Mail trailhead area near Strawberry; a reserved day-use parking permit is required. A travertine waterfall drops into a deep turquoise pool, with jumps commonly in the 15-25 foot range off the old dam face and surrounding ledges. The hazard that matters: a submerged archway/tunnel connecting pools has trapped and drowned swimmers, with at least three deaths since 2016, worsened by log jams and strong flow. Jumping and swimming are legal within Tonto National Forest, but rangers and guides repeatedly warn against the swim-through. Scout depth, current, and crowding before jumping; conditions change year to year.
