Beginning Monday, April 13, the Arizona National Scenic Trail is closed between the southern terminus at Border Monument 102 and the Joe’s Canyon Trail junction at mile 1.0. Due to construction activities associated with Dept. of Homeland Security’s border wall within Coronado National Memorial, the southernmost mile of the AZT is closed until further notice (likely through the end of 2027). Current plans include construction of two 30-foot-tall steel barriers, with a 150-foot-wide road in between. Visitors are warned not to hike on the AZT (Yaqui Ridge Trail) south of Joe’s Canyon until the closure is rescinded.

The Arizona Trail Association is working with National Park Service staff to develop a southern terminus monument on Coronado Peak, just south of Montezuma Pass. This location has outstanding views of the San Rafael Valley, is far away from construction activities and border wall impacts, and is the exact location where Dale Shewalter (“The Father of the Arizona Trail”) first had a vision for the Arizona Trail in the 1970s.

Check out this article from GearJunkie, published on April 14.