Arizona Republic (Dec 8, 2025) by Joan Meiners Rest of Day 35, Mile 800 (Passage 4: Casa Blanca Canyon) Traversing the Santa Rita Mountains toward the final passages of the trail manifested ups and downs in new dimensions. My conversation with Arizona Trail Association Director Matt Nelson at Kentucky Camp had been energizing after so much solitude on trail. But it also […]
Read moreQueen Creek Tribune (Dec 3, 2025) by Mary-Elizabeth Meagher When some people encounter a vending machine, they briefly scan its contents and continue on their way. But artist Anjelica Guzman’s keen eyes imagine creative possibilities. They led Guzman on a mission to combine her talent for graphic design, her passion for nature, and her connection with Downtown Mesa into an unconventional […]
Read moreArizona 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.
Read moreArizona Republic (Dec 1, 2025) by Joan Meiners Day 30, Mile 683 (Passage 11e: Pusch Ridge Wilderness Bypass) At the top of the climb up Mount Lemmon to Summerhaven, I hit a limit of low temperatures I was equipped to survive with the layers I had carried with me nearly 700 miles across the state. So I booked a night […]
Read moreWe just added some wonderful Arizona Trail Merch for trail lovers: Sun Hoodies (sage and raspberry colors) Bandanas (new design for 2026) Ornaments (3D ornaments for the holiday season or all year ’round) License plate covers Socks Hats and more Visit our online Store to see the goods. All proceeds support the Arizona Trail Association and our mission to protect […]
Read moreCronkite News (November 26, 2025) by Tufan Neupane Environmental groups in Arizona are raising alarms over President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Bureau of Land Management, former New Mexico Rep. Steve Pearce. Pearce’s long record of supporting the sale of public land, opposing protection of national monuments and pushing to expand oil and gas extraction, they say, makes him unfit […]
Read morePhoenix New Times (Nov 25, 2025) by Sara Palmer With summer temperatures firmly in the rearview mirror, it’s now hiking season in the Valley. From mysteries of lost gold and trails leading to bits of history left behind, to summit views that will take your breath away, metro Phoenix is brimming with places to explore. You’ll find streams, beautiful canyons, […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (Nov 25, 2025) by Sam McLaughlin Arizona Snowbowl opened a day earlier than planned this year, welcoming skiers and snowboarders to a limited section of the resort’s terrain on Thursday, Nov. 20. And on Friday morning, Nov. 21, a group of roughly three dozen demonstrators lined both sides of the bottom of Snowbowl Road calling for an […]
Read moreArizona Republic (Nov 24, 2025) by Joan Meiners Day 25, Mile 595 (Passage 15: Tortilla Mountains) With Kearney’s Ray copper mine as my backdrop, I set off on my bike into the remote and wild Tortilla Mountains from Kelvin Trailhead. Loaded with seven liters of water and six days of food to get me through the next stretch, my bike […]
Read moreCustoms and Border Protection just announced that the next round of detonations within the Huachuca Mountains will occur on December 3 from 12 pm to 3 pm. The blast site is located 1,500 feet west of the southern terminus of the Arizona National Scenic Trail on lands managed by the Coronado National Forest. While the Arizona Trail is out of […]
Read morePayson Roundup (Nov 18, 2025) by David C. Bolla About 500 man-hours of labor. Thousands of dollars in materials. An Arizona Trail Association crew has completed a new pipe rail fence in Pine. Over the course of eight Thursday morning sessions, between eight and 10 volunteers worked to replace a fence around the parking lot at the Pine Trailhead. The […]
Read moreArizona Republic (Nov 17, 2025) by Joan Meiners Day 21, Mile 512 (Bike detour passage 19/18: around Superstition Wilderness) In the 1870s, a European prospector found a solution to all his problems in Arizona’s Superstition Mountains. He struck gold, literally, or so the legend goes, and left several caches hidden in the hills. On his deathbed in Phoenix, the “Dutchman,” […]
Read moreBackpacker (Nov 15, 2025) by Adam Roy For more than 30 years, Arizona Trail hikers have celebrated their achievements at Monument 102, a stone obelisk that marks the U.S.-Mexico border and the southern end of the path. Whether kicking off an 800-mile adventure or celebrating the end of the journey of a lifetime, they could slip through the two-strand barbed […]
Read moreNow is the time to make a year-end donation to the Arizona Trail Association. Through your ongoing generosity we are able to maintain the treasure that is the Arizona National Scenic Trail and protect it for future generations. Since 1994, the Arizona Trail Association has accomplished incredible things – all with support from members, donors, business partners and others who […]
Read moreBackpacker (Nov 7, 2025) by Adam Roy Hikers can no longer access the monument at the Arizona Trail’s (AZT) southern terminus after the Department of Homeland Security blocked it off with razor wire, the nonprofit that helps manage the famed long trail said. In an Instagram post on November 6, the Arizona Trail Association (ATA) wrote that contractors for the DHS had […]
Read moreThe Trek (Nov 7, 2025) by Kelly Floro Contractors for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have reportedly installed concertina wire blocking access to the southern terminus of the Arizona Trail, according to the Arizona Trail Association (ATA). The 800-mile national scenic trail begins at Border Monument 102 just north of the Mexican border, within Coronado National Memorial, and terminates […]
Read moreIn November 2025, contractors for the Department of Homeland Security installed concertina wire at the U.S./Mexico border at the southern terminus of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. This prevents trail users from accessing Border Monument 102 — the traditional “start” or “finish” of the AZT. In the interest of safety, please do not attempt to cross the wire for a […]
Read moreArizona Republic (Nov 3, 2025) by Joan Meiners Day 12, Mile 309 (Passage 31: Walnut Canyon) Riding my trail rig through Flagstaff on busy streets felt strange after a week in the wilderness. But the car traffic was reasonably courteous about sharing the road, and the miles on a paved surface to reconnect with the singletrack felt easy. That didn’t […]
Read moreThe Dragon Bravo Fire has forced 25.5 miles of the Arizona Trail to close from the Clear Creek Trail junction just north of Phantom Ranch to the Kaibab Plateau Trailhead at the Park/Forest boundary along Forest Road 610. Highway 67 is closed south of the Kaibab National Forest/Grand Canyon National Park boundary. Please avoid the AZT within Grand Canyon National […]
Read moreThe Coconino National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations near Flagstaff, and they estimate work to begin on Tuesday, November 4 and continue throughout the week as weather conditions allow. Prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires. This will impact segments of Passages 33 (Flagstaff Urban Route) and 34 […]
Read moreArizona Republic (October 27, 2025) by Joan Meiners Day 7, Mile 196 (Passage 37: Grand Canyon South Rim) From the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, I cruised south on a paved, downhill path out of the park toward Tusayan, riding with Ryan Choi, an ecologist in from Alaska and an old friend. It was a cool, sunny morning and we were […]
Read moreArizona Republic (October 20, 2025) by Joan Meiners Editor’s note: Over seven weeks this fall, Arizona Republic climate reporter Joan Meiners is biking the length of the 850-mile Arizona Trail from Utah to Mexico to report on how climate change is affecting the state’s landscapes and communities. You can follow her journey in a series of weekly dispatches, beginning with this one, which […]
Read moreSeveral upcoming changes to inner canyon operations will go into effect in the coming weeks at Grand Canyon National Park, including trail and campground reopenings and ongoing closures related to major infrastructure repairs and safety concerns. The updates are part of phased recovery efforts following the Dragon Bravo Fire and continued work on the Transcanyon Waterline. Phantom Ranch and Bright […]
Read moreOn October 1, the Kaibab National Forest reopened 11 miles of the Arizona National Scenic Trail between the Kaibab Plateau Trailhead at the Park/Forest boundary and Forest Road 213 near Telephone Hill Trailhead. Passage 40 is now completely open! However, 29 miles of the AZT between The Tipoff (4.6 miles north of the South Kaibab Trailhead) and the Park/Forest boundary […]
Read moreOn Wednesday, September 17, U.S. Representative Paul Gosar introduced a bill that would abolish the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of Grand Canyon National Monument near Grand Canyon National Park. This is a direct attack on America’s public lands and the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Please join us today in opposing this dangerous legislation. Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National […]
Read moreThe US Department of Agriculture recently announced plans to rescind the Roadless Area Conservation Rule, a popular policy that has protected nearly 45 million acres of National Forests across 42 states. Rolling back the Roadless Rule would open the door to logging, road construction, and development—threatening the outdoor experiences we treasure, and undermining the shared legacy of our public lands. This […]
Read moreThe Tonto National Forest is advising thru-hikers and visitors to avoid camping near drainages recently impacted by the Washington Fire along Passage 26 (Highline). This includes 2 miles between Chase Creek (AZT mile 477.1) and the two drainages to the east (mile 479.0). Beware of flash floods, debris flows and other hazards downstream of burned areas!
Read moreArizona PBS produces an amazing outdoor program called Trail Mix’d. They want to follow an Arizona Trail Southbound thru-hiker during the Autumn 2025 season to share with the world what it’s like to hike 800 miles across the Grand Canyon State. This will include three interviews on the trail: at the start, finish, and somewhere in the middle. If you’re […]
Read moreArizona Republic (August 15, 2025) by Scott Garlid, Matthew Nelson, Dan Stellar and Don McDowell As representatives from diverse organizations that depend on public lands, we don’t always agree on every policy or management practice. But there is one issue we are unequivocally united on: Congress should not be in the business of selling off public lands to the highest […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (August 15, 2025) by Sam McLaughlin A month after two major fires roared into life in northern Coconino County, the end of active firefighting operations seems to be finally approaching. The White Sage Fire has been contained after burning almost 60,000 acres, and the Dragon Bravo Fire, though still active in some areas, is slowly coming under […]
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