Popular Mechanics (May 2, 2018) by Peter Reese A dazzlingly white blossom sways like a sea anemone. To its right, a jumble of tubular appendages resemble a maze of coral. The night sky’s yellow, green, and red traces mimic the luminescent lures of depth-finding anglerfish—but we are a long way from the ocean. Welcome to the Sonoran Desert, one of […]
Read moreIn May 2005, native Arizonan Mat Shannon completed his hike of the entire Arizona Trail. At that time, at the age of 72 years and 8 months he was the most senior person to hike the entire AZT. “It’s a great trail and not crowded” was his plain spoken words about the trail. Many hiked with Mat on his AZT trek but he was very proud that his […]
Read morePayson Roundup (April 27, 2018) by Michele Nelson My daughter Brooke walks the Arizona Trail (AzT). The long, winding ribbon of a path leads her up — then down — only to climb up again. I watch her progress daily from the SAT phone GPS coordinates she sends me each morning and evening. Who knew a series of numbers and letters could […]
Read moreWe coordinated two trail work events in Southern Arizona to commemorate Earth Day on Sunday, April 22, and to finish some much needed trail rehabilitation at Enzenberg Canyon in the foothills of the Santa Rita Mountains (AZT Passage 5). Saturday, April 21, we coordinated with a high school group from the Coronado Youth Corps (CYC) to repair a gate latch […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (April 24, 2018) by Jack Welch In this time of rare good news what follows is an inspiring tale about the Arizona Trail, lost equipment, and a remarkable hummingbird. Recently my friend Ellen Wade was involved in a hike to Fisher Point, and after she completed the adventure she realized expensive binoculars gifted her by husband Bill […]
Read moreOutside Online (April 18, 2018) by Aaron Gulley Despite sizzling conditions, with temperatures in the high 80s, this year saw a slew of fast times at the 760-mile Arizona Trail Race and the shorter AZT300, with new records at both events set on the trail that traverses Arizona from the Mexico to Utah borders. Read the entire article here.
Read moreThe Arizona Trail Association has two proven strategies for significant trail improvement—the “cast-of-thousands” one-time work event and multiple, regularly scheduled smaller events. Mazatzal Mountains Regional Steward John Matteson organized the latter this year, taking on several tasks along the trail within the region but adventuring beyond as the opportunity arose. A core group of volunteers joined in this year and […]
Read moreCopper Area News (April 13) – On Saturday Oct. 6, 2018 more than one thousand people will participate in AZT IN A DAY throughout the state of Arizona. Hikers, runners, mountain bikers and equestrians will be staged on various parts of the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) to complete its entire length, over 800 miles, in one day. This will […]
Read moreThe box culvert under Highway 77 near the northern end of Passage 13 often fills up with sand, making it difficult for anyone over 5 feet tall to walk through (and it’s impossible for equestrians). The ATA recently procured a special permit from the Arizona Department of Transportation to allow Rob Bauer to remove a few tons of sand from […]
Read moreTrail Groove Magazine (Issue 36 – 2017) Part 1: Sky Island Tour – Drew Smith hiked the Arizona Trail in 2017 and said it was, “The sort of hike that anyone might want to do again.” Read the article by Drew Smith here.
Read moreThe Arizona Trail and local craft beer was recently featured in the popular food and culture magazine Bouillon! published monthly in the Netherlands. You can see the original article from Eline van Nes here, complete with outstanding photographs. If your Dutch is a tad rusty, click here for the English translation of the article. More photos from Eline’s journey across Arizona in […]
Read moreArizona Republic (March 9, 2018) Kearny is a proud Arizona Trail Gateway Community that provides respite for long-distance hikers in need of a hot shower, a cold drink and a good meal while taking a “zero day” (rest day without hiking) from the 800-mile trek. Read the article by Mare Czinar here.
Read moreSaddleBrooke Progress (March 2018) It’s fun to build new trail, especially when recent rains have softened the desert floor. Read the rest of the article by Elisabeth Wheeler here.
Read moreBrandon N. of Scout Troop 938 in Surprise, AZ completed his Eagle Scout project today. He organized a work event to replace the four deteriorated trail signs at Oak Spring. ATA provided the signs and equipment and Brandon marshaled the forces needed for the work. The group met at the trailhead on Hard Scrabble Road, carefully sorted tools and gear […]
Read moreColonel Devin Rehab Project-The Last Hurrah! Several years ago Arizona Trail Association embarked on an ambitious project to realign the trail off a utility road to a scenic walk through the woods. A great deal of preparation and back office work came to fruition in 2017 with a nice grant through Arizona State Parks and enthusiastic support from volunteers. The project […]
Read moreAmerican Hiker (Volume 1, 2018) Impacts to Vermilion Cliffs National Monument could be detrimental to the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Read the article on pages 6 and 7 here. and use the password AHSmember
Read moreYourValley.net Sun City resident Art Huseonica began Feb. 26 an attempt to hike the 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail. Read the article here.
Read moreTucson News Now TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) – A Maryland man plans to hike the Arizona Trail to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Association. Blake Gardner arrived in Tucson on Tuesday, Feb. 27, and traveled to the US-Mexico border early Thursday morning, 3/1, to start the long trek. The trail is 800 miles long and runs from the border […]
Read moreIt’s fun to build new trail, especially when recent rains have softened the desert floor! Nineteen SaddleBrooke hikers braved 30-40 degree temperatures to develop a more user friendly re-route of the Oracle Passage of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Teams dug out shrubs and smoothed the trail tread for a better hiking, biking and equestrian experience. SaddleBrooke hikers cheered a […]
Read moreAztec Press Online Tucson is home to some amazing hiking trails. Head out in almost any direction, and you can find a meandering path through the desert or a strenuous journey that is more rock climbing than hiking. Because there are so many choices in Tucson, it might be hard to choose which trail to head down. Here is a […]
Read moreAmerican Hiker Magazine The Arizona Trail Association is a nonprofit organization that builds, maintains, promotes, protects and sustains the Arizona National Scenic Trail as a unique encounter with the land. Having recently celebrated their 20th anniversary, the ATA has a proud history of working with land managers, trail crews, outdoor clubs and volunteers to build the Arizona Trail. [To read […]
Read moreBackpacker Magazine M. John Fayhee March, 2018 It did not take long for word to spread in the small, isolated town in New Mexico that I call home. Whether quaffing a Belgian ale in a brewpub, or sipping a fair-trade latte in the java emporium, or inspecting organic cabbages in the food co-op, members of my dirt-worshipping social circle would […]
Read moreDownload the the Seeds of Stewardship Expedition, which took place on January 11, 2018. Future SoS reports will be shown live on the ATA website. Download SoS Report
Read moreJanuary 17, 2018 Nineteen intrepid SaddleBrooke hikers braved a chilly morning to improve trails in Oracle State Park. A special effort was made to clear the trails of sticker bushes and obstacles for runners participating in the upcoming Oracle Rumble for the benefit the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Lots of excellent work was accomplished in 3 hours, with one group […]
Read moreTrail users should be alert at all trail junctions as signs may be occasionally damaged by bears, wildfires, or winter weather. South to north hikers must go left (not straight) at the Carr Peak Trail junction to follow the AZT.
Read moreVisitArizona.com Roger Naylor Arizona is a big state – the sixth largest in the nation – and one way to get a sense of that expanse is to walk the length of it. The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a lanky route traversing the entire state, stretching from Mexico to Utah. [To read the rest of this article, click here.]
Read moreWENY News Kevin Boughton The super moon Monday night cast a silver spot light for a one-of-a-kind New Year’s Day party in the Arizona desert. Mountain bicyclists gathered at the Gabe Zimmerman Davidson trailhead, east of Vail, to celebrate the new year with a night ride along the Arizona trail, with only the moon to light their way. “It’s New […]
Read moreArizona Highways There are many ways to hike what’s commonly known as the Arizona Trail, which runs for about 800 miles from the Utah state line to the U.S.-Mexico border. Some hikers tackle each of the trail’s 43 segments individually, often taking several years to cover the entire distance. [To read the rest of this article, click here.]
Read moreAmerican Trails Advanced trail training classes like Sustainable Trail Construction with Mechanized Equipment are for individuals looking for specific technical skills. Additional training topics will be added as the TRAILS program develops, and training programs can be created to meet the specific needs of land management agencies and trail organizations. To read the rest of this article, click here.]
Read moreDecember 5, 2017 Building on Roger and Joe’s work on Passage 23, a crew installed a sign noting Thicket Spring today. These signs ensure trail users can find important water sources along the AZT, something not always easy with the heavy underbrush in some locations. Thicket Spring, which is proving to be rather reliable, is located fifty yards off the […]
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