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Home > News > In The News > Arizona Trail Association director discusses future of trail

Arizona Trail Association director discusses future of trail

December 1, 2025 Matthew Nelson

Arizona Republic (Dec 1, 2025) by Joan Meiners

Republic reporter Joan Meiners talks with Matt Nelson about how climate change and other factors might affect the future of the Arizona Trail.

Watch the video here.

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The #ColossalVail5050 presented by @fleetfeettucso

The #ColossalVail5050 presented by @fleetfeettucson on the #arizonatrail has been off to a great start today!
📷 of half marathon men’s and women’s podium

We are so excited with the wonderful progress bein

We are so excited with the wonderful progress being made with new trail construction in the Santa Rita Mountains (Passage 5). In our ongoing effort to remove the Arizona Trail from dirt roads, we started working on October 1 and crews have been out in the dirt ever since. In what we're calling the Santa Rita Foothills Singletrack Project, this will eliminate almost all road miles in the area, and instead treat trail users to fresh trail across this beautiful landscape of high desert and oak woodland. As dirt roads on the Coronado National Forest have become increasingly popular for UTVs, trail projects like this are vital to preserve the non-motorized nature of the AZT.

Thanks to our friends at the Coronado National Forest who completed all the necessary environmental studies to approve trail construction, we have been able to build over 2.4 miles through a combination of professional trail crews from @Flagline Trails and @Arizona Conservation Corps. In addition, our Trail Skills Institute utilized hard-working volunteers to get quality work done on the ground. Youth from our @Seeds of Stewardship program and veterans from our @AZTVETS program will also participate in the effort.

Weather permitting, we hope to finish all 11 miles of trail construction by April of 2026. Want to get involved? Please sign up as a volunteer or donate to help us reach our goal. The Santa Rita Foothills Singletrack Project is just one of many we have in the queue to improve the AZT across the state. We are grateful for funding from Arizona State Parks & Trails, the U.S. Forest Service, and members, donors, business partners and friends like you!

We would also like to share our gratitude to the Tohono O'odham Nation for their support of this project throughout the planning phase over the past four years. The Santa Rita Mountains (Cewi Duag, or "Long Mountain" in the O'odham language) is an important cultural landscape, and we are honored for the opportunity to build trail here so that people can immerse themselves in this landscape and receive its blessings.

This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to stand with t

This Giving Tuesday, we invite you to stand with the Arizona Trail Association as we work to preserve the natural beauty and outdoor opportunities of Arizona’s iconic 800-mile trail. From sweeping desert landscapes to forested mountain peaks, the Arizona Trail connects people to the heart of nature while inspiring conservation, recreation, and community. Your support ensures this remarkable place remains accessible, protected, and thriving for future generations.

In times like these, when challenges are many and resources are stretched, your generosity matters more than ever. Consider the ATA today for tomorrow as you make your Giving Tuesday gift. Every contribution, no matter the size, directly sustains critical trail maintenance, youth education programs, stewardship projects, and the community connections that make the Arizona Trail so special. When we come together, even the smallest gifts create meaningful impact.

Thank you for considering a gift that keeps the Arizona Trail strong today and for all the tomorrows to come. Will you join us in protecting this place we all love?
Choose your gift: 🔗 in bio

You are cordially invited to attend the 32nd Annua

You are cordially invited to attend the 32nd Annual Meeting of the Arizona Trail Association on Sunday, February 1, 2026 from 9:30 am – 1 pm at the @dbgphx in Phoenix. This is our largest gathering of the year where we celebrate the trail, the landscapes, and the people who make the Arizona Trail so incredible!

Enjoy presentations from guest speakers, hear from ATA staff about accomplishments from the past year, grab a copy of the 2025 Annual Report, hear about the state of the trail from the ATA’s Executive Director and the Arizona National Scenic Trail Administrator for the U.S. Forest Service, and much more. The event concludes with a healthy, delicious lunch among friends. After lunch, you’re welcome to tour the world-famous Desert Botanical Garden (admission is included with your annual meeting ticket). Meeting 🎟️ link in bio!

Tickets are priced to cover the cost of lunch, and seating is limited to the first 200 to register. Lunch options include Turkey Club Sandwich, Veggie Wrap, Iberian Wrap and Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad. You can select your favorite when registering online.

We hope to see you there!

Chances are, your Inbox has been flooded by organi

Chances are, your Inbox has been flooded by organizations asking for donations, and corporations trying their best to convince you to buy buy buy. Hopefully you've also been hearing from friends and family sharing their heartfelt appreciation for you.

We decided not to add to your email clutter over Thanksgiving weekend, but instead hope you were out in nature, enjoying the #ArizonaTrail and all the wonders that inspiring landscapes bring to our lives. At the Arizona Trail Association, we work hard all year long to make sure the 800-mile #ArizonaNationalScenicTrail is protected, maintained and improved so you can escape the computer and shopping malls. We know how much time spent on the trail benefits us all, and we are as committed as ever to our mission and vision. Since we couldn't do it without you, we wanted to take a moment to share our gratitude. We are genuinely thankful for everyone who participates in the Arizona Trail experience.

THANK YOU!

We hope you will continue to support us this season and in the year ahead. Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday, and we will be reaching out encouraging you to donate to support the AZT. We have a lot of work ahead of us to repair the #AZT after fires and floods, build new singletrack to replace road segments, introduce more youth to nature and the empowering act of stewardship, support veterans on their healing journeys out on the trail, and so much more. Please give generously. We're all in this together.

📷 @whwatersphotography

The Colossal Vail 50/50 is this Saturday, December

The Colossal Vail 50/50 is this Saturday, December 6! A few spots remain, and you can sign up to run, but we would LOVE it if you're not running, to VOLUNTEER!
🔗 in our bio!
Special thanks to our friends at Fyzikal Therapy for their support of the event!

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The ATA office will be closed from 12/20/25-12/28/25. All store orders made during this time will be shipped the week of 12/29/25. Any inquiries will be answered the week of 12/29/25. Dismiss

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