On June 12, 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced the release of the Arizona National Scenic Trail Comprehensive Plan which marks a significant milestone in the development and preservation of this iconic trail. The plan outlines a vision for the trail and provides guidance for its future management, protection, and use. The comprehensive plan establishes a long-term […]
Read moreCongress is trying to sell our public land. NOW is the time for you to reach out to your Senators and tell them our heritage is not for sale. Yesterday, Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) included language within the budget that mandates the sale of over 3.3 million acres of public lands in 11 states across the West, including Arizona. It also […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (June 11, 2025) by Sam McLaughlin Little America Hotel is in the process of rebuilding the fence line around its 530-acre property and will soon be closing off access to unauthorized but long-established social trails that crisscross the forested land. Tony O’Brien, vice president of operations for parent company Grand America Hotels and Resorts, said the change […]
Read moreIn addition to being a recreational destination that attracts hikers, runners, mountain bikers and equestrians from around the world, the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) is a valuable resource for wildfire prevention, response and recovery. Fire Break Trails act as important fire breaks, often stopping the flames once they reach the trail as they run out of fuel. Some communities […]
Read morePayson Roundup (June 10, 2025) by Paul Aleshire A feel-good proclamation. A do-good grant application. Trails have become a hot topic all across Rim Country – from Payson to Pine. So Payson last week declared the second week in June to be “National Recreation Highline Trail Week.” Payson Ranger District Recreational Manager Angie Abel was on hand to dole out […]
Read moreazdailysun.com ~ PETER FRIEDERICI ~ June 9, 2025 The sight of a giant smoke plume on the horizon is one of those sights that I regard as quintessential Arizona. Having never encountered wildfire before I moved to the state, the idea that a swath of forest or grassland could suddenly be turned to charcoal and ash and threaten towns and […]
Read moreCycling West (June 7, 2025) by Charles Pekow Staff and budget cuts imposed by the Trump regime may mean fewer opportunities to ride on federal lands in the long run, but nobody knows how much, and people don’t even want to talk about it. National Parks Conservation Association representative Kati Schmidt gave Cycling West a statement saying, “Everyone, from cyclists […]
Read moreTucson Sentinel (June 5, 2025) by Paul Ingram As the Trump administration plans to erect 35 miles of new border barriers, environmentalists gathered last weekend in a Southern Arizona hamlet to trade food and songs during a bi-national “border happening.” Under the shade of large, decades-old cottonwood trees, a man from the nearby village of Santa Cruz, Sonora, played a […]
Read morewww.kold.com ~ By J.D. Wallace ~ Jun. 1, 2025 TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) – Recovery from the Cody Fire near Oracle continues as it approaches containment. The 1223-acre blaze is 90% contained. The effort around it has shifted to repairing the terrain, assisting vegetation and preventing flooding. As bad as the area within the Cody Fire looks, it’s considered a […]
Read morewww.backpacker.com ~ May 30, 2025 ~ Stasia Callaghan In the 50 years since the National Trails System Act was passed, more than 50,000 miles of trail have been designated. It is, as President Johnson envisioned, a network where “old and young alike can participate.” And it created something he probably couldn’t have imagined: a community of thru-hikers, section hikers, weekend […]
Read morethetrek.co~ MAY 20TH : GOOD ZEN Part 9: Oracle to Kearney: The Prometheus of Poo Much of the land after Oracle is a flat expanse between mountains. A good place for music, audiobooks, or conversation. The trail flew by for once, and with Mt. Lemmon a recent memory, Ice Cream and I were grateful to have some cruisy ground to […]
Read moreThis is the time of year when the Arizona State Legislature returns from recess to hammer out the final details of next year’s budget. We need your help to encourage them to dedicate funding for Arizona Trail maintenance and construction. There is a line item in our state budget for Arizona Trail Fund, and it is used to pay conservation […]
Read morewww.audubon.org ~ By Haley Paul Annual state budget needs to include funding that protects Arizona’s lands and waters- $250,000 from the General Fund for the Arizona Trail: The Arizona Trail spans 800 miles from the Utah border south to the border with Mexico, crossing important habitats for birds like Coopers Hawks and American Goshawks. The Trail is open to non-motorized […]
Read moreIn response to recent concerns about gastrointestinal illness along the Arizona Trail and potential causes being the Gila River and Remote Rainwater Collector, the ATA took water samples to a local laboratory for analysis. Results can be found here: Gila River – Passage 16 Rainwater Collector – Passage 17 The only alarming result is the presence of E. coli in […]
Read moreStage II Fire Restrictions are now in place on public lands throughout Arizona. The following are prohibited on lands, roads, and trails: Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building Welding or operating any acetylene or other torch with an open area Discharging a firearm, air rifle, or gas gun […]
Read moreFrom May 4-10, we are celebrating the deserts, mountains, canyons, forests, lakes, streams, and trails that make Arizona such an incredible place to live, work, play and explore. Today, we are encouraging you to stand up for public lands, which are currently being threatened. The time for you to take action is NOW. There are members of Congress pushing for […]
Read moreVisit Arizona (April 21, 2025) As the city where Pluto was discovered, Flagstaff is famous for its dark skies. And as this episode of “Arizona Revealed” shows, it’s also beloved as a four-season destination where the changing seasons set life’s cadence. Featuring the Arizona Trail, Lowell Observatory, Museum of Northern Arizona, and Arizona Nordic Village, click here to watch this […]
Read moreDid you get sick while visiting the Arizona National Scenic Trail in the 2025 spring season? The Arizona Department of Health Services is following up on reports of people with gastrointestinal illness while hiking the Arizona Trail this spring. This online survey will help gather information from individuals that were sick with a gastrointestinal illness after visiting the Arizona National […]
Read moreThe Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) reminds the public to protect themselves and their pets by keeping a safe distance from wildlife, especially animals that may be behaving abnormally, such as those that appear aggressive and/or lacking a fear of humans. The reminder comes as an increasing number of rabies-related incidents have been reported statewide. A recent Arizona Department […]
Read moreKVOA (April 14, 2025) by Zachary Johnson Over the weekend, U.S. Border Patrol agents successfully rescued two U.S. citizens stranded in the remote deserts of Southern Arizona. On Saturday, Tucson Sector BORSTAR agents, alongside the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a hiker near the Superstition Mountains who reported a potentially broken ankle. A rescue team aboard Pinal Air 1 […]
Read moreNorovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastrointestinal illness and has recently affected hikers and bikers along certain sections of the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT), particularly around Kearny, Superior and Roosevelt. This advisory is intended to help trail users understand the risk and take proper precautions. What is Norovirus? Norovirus spreads easily through contaminated food, water, surfaces, […]
Read moreThe Lumberjack (April 5, 2025) by Darby Walker Protesters gathered at the Arizona Capitol building on March 27 to hold a “Rally for Public Lands,” showing support for national parks, monuments and federally protected public land being threatened by policy changes. Rally attendees advocated for various issues, the most prominent of which included a lawsuit in Utah that could open federal […]
Read moreThe U.S. Senate, by a slim three-vote margin, has approved public lands being sold to reduce the federal deficit as well as the total acreage managed by federal land management agencies. During a late-night session April 4, 51 senators voted against an amendment that would have blocked the sale of public lands. All but two Republicans —Senator Daines and Senator […]
Read moreURGENT: The fate of our public lands is on the line. Right now, lawmakers are considering selling off public lands to cover tax cuts and federal expenses—putting forests, mountains, deserts, canyons and trails at risk. This is a short-sighted move with irreversible consequences. Once public lands are gone, they’re gone forever. Tonight, the Senate will vote on Senator Heinrich’s Amendments […]
Read moreNewsbreak (April 1, 2025) by John Goodman In the southern stretch of Arizona, where the desert climbs into forested mountains and saguaros give way to sycamores, you’ll find the Sky Islands—an archipelago of peaks rising from the Sonoran lowlands like green ships in a sea of ochre. It’s a strange and wonderful geography: a mix of sky-high wilderness and borderland […]
Read moreThe Arizona Trail Association does more than just maintain the 800-mile Arizona Trail. We also install gates and interpretive signs, improve water sources, and construct new trail segments to remove the AZT from roads. We also build community, foster stewardship, and provide life-changing opportunities for people of all ages. This season, your donation supports vital programs like AZT VETS, which helps military […]
Read morePlease join us at the Arizona State Capitol on Thursday, March 27 at 1 pm for a non-partisan Rally for Public Lands! This is an opportunity to come together in celebration of the lands, waters, trails, wildlife and outdoor recreation activities that make the Grand Canyon State so special. Currently, there are many threats at the state and federal levels […]
Read moreBackpacker (March 11, 2025) by Nathan Pipenberg With the busy summer season around the corner, there’s one prevailing sentiment among those who look after the nation’s trails: uncertainty. After news of mass firings and funding cuts at federal agencies like the National Park Service, many hikers and other outdoors recreationists held out hope that nonprofits, conservation corps, and volunteers would […]
Read moreGrand Canyon National Park has officially confirmed that walk-up backcountry permits will be available for spring thru-hikers in 2025 with the following date ranges: April 1 – May 14: Sites will only be available at Cottonwood Campground May 15 – June 11: Sites will also be made available at Bright Angel Campground If you are arriving before or after these […]
Read moreSingletracks (March 12, 2025) by Greg Heil Arizona is littered with thousands of miles of fantastic singletrack. Here are 5 of the best mountain bike trails to explore. Thousands of miles of narrow, rocky, sandy singletrack trails lace the state of Arizona from north to south and east to west. Arizona has it all: from rugged backcountry trails to urban […]
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