USA Today (March 11, 2025) by Dave Stamboulis Once the snow melts and the spring blooms start, it’s the perfect time to get out on the trails. The U.S. boasts a wealth of spectacular natural beauty and protected national parks and wilderness areas, including the National Scenic Trails. Part of the National Trails System, which comprises almost 25,000 miles, they link […]
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 moreThe Trek (March 10, 2025) by Caitlin Hardee It’s every international thru-hiker’s worst nightmare: training for a long hike, saving enough money for the trip, and clearing your calendar, only to be stopped at the border and turned back before ever setting foot on US soil — let alone the trail. Seasoned German thru-hiker and Trek blogger Annika “Ravenclaw” Ananias says that […]
Read moreTucson Sentinel (Mar 9, 2025) by Alysa Horton Arizona national parks and forests are already feeling a strain on resources after President Donald Trump’s executive order for a federal hiring freeze and extensive firings. Grand Canyon National Park, one of the state’s 22 national park sites, reported wait times being twice as long as usual just a week after the National […]
Read morePhoenix New Times (March 6, 2025) by Alysa Horton Arizona national parks and forests are already feeling a strain on resources after President Donald Trump’s executive order for a federal hiring freeze and extensive firings. Grand Canyon National Park, one of the state’s 22 national park sites, reported wait times being twice as long as usual just a week after the National […]
Read moreSubstack (March 5, 2025) by Greg Runge On March 4, 2025, former President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress, and among the topics he touched on was the supposed unfairness of transgender athletes in women’s sports. In his speech, transcribed by The Associated Press, he cited an example of a cycling record that he claimed was proof of the […]
Read moreCronkite News (March 5, 2025) by Alysa Horton Arizona National parks and forests are already feeling a strain on resources after President Donald Trump’s executive order for a federal hiring freeze and extensive firings. Grand Canyon National Park, one of the state’s 22 national park sites, reported wait times being twice as long as usual just a week after the National […]
Read moreCronkite News (March 5, 2025) by Emily Fox-Million The trails in Arizona are full of people enjoying our public lands. We look at how the National Park and Forest Service layoffs are impacting tourism in our state. Watch the video here.
Read moreSierra Sun Times (February 24, 2025) Last week, the Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks signed on to a letter joining 247 organizations opposing bills which would effectively repeal the Antiquities Act of 1906. Dear Senators and Members of Congress, On behalf of the 247 undersigned organizations and our millions of members across the country, we write to strongly urge […]
Read moreWENY News (February 24, 2025) by Hanna Park and Rafael Romo Federal employees are raising alarms over Elon Musk’s push to reshape the US government, an effort now compounded by a weekend directive for workers to justify their jobs in writing. The mounting pressure has left many in the federal workforce feeling vulnerable. Latisha Thompson, a clinical social worker with […]
Read moreThank you to everyone who has reached out ask how recent announcements from the White House have impacted the Arizona Trail Association (ATA) and Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT). While there’s still a lot of uncertainty, here’s current information on what’s happening… Federal Funding The ATA currently receives 37% of our operating budget from the US Forest Service (USFS). In […]
Read moreSurrounding the Grand Canyon, the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument encompasses roughly one million acres of breathtaking landscapes and contains unique ecosystems that support a range of wildlife and vegetation. The monument is one of America’s newest so the infrastructure surrounding trails and camping is still developing. National monuments often boast less development than […]
Read moreThe Arizona Trail Association’s Annual Report is now available, complete with highlights from 2024. Please take a moment to celebrate our collective accomplishments within all of our programs and operations, including: Trail Operations Volunteer Program Veterans Program Seeds of Stewardship Financial Report 2025 Priorities Business Partners & Supporters and more! You can read it online here. If you would like […]
Read moreAdventure on SI (January 22, 2025) by Emma Grace There’s plenty of ways to enjoy the U.S.’s beautiful national parks–on foot, by car, or even by bike. Biking is one of the best ways to take in the views without whizzing by in a car or slogging away on foot. It’s the perfect, Goldilocks zone of travel to see the […]
Read moreAll Phantom Ranch operations are closed from January 2 to March 30, 2025, for the installation of new water and electric lines for the Transcanyon Waterline Project. Hikers can still access the North Kaibab Trail, however, the bypass route around Phantom Ranch may change. Please follow all closure signs and be aware that water will only be available at Boat […]
Read moreKNAU (Jan 7, 2025) by KNAU Staff The non-profit Flagstaff Biking Organization and the Coconino National Forest say a new recreational trail has connected one the city’s most popular parks with forested areas. The realignment of the Lower Oldham Trail is part of the Arizona National Scenic Trail that extends from Utah to Mexico. The gravel path links Buffalo Park […]
Read moreHometown Focus (January 2, 2025) by Lee Iverson My winter home lies near the Arizona Trail, a fact I had paid little attention to until I recognized the trail markers on my hikes in the Tucson area. The Arizona National Scenic Trail, the AZT for short, is an 800 plus mile path from Mexico to Utah and is one of […]
Read moreRUN/Outside Online (December 10, 2024) by David Gleisner If you want to set a fastest known time on the 817-mile Arizona Trail, you have to start fast. At least, that’s what both Nick Fowler and Georgia Porter proved this fall. On October 28, they independently set out from the Utah-Arizona border and started their trek south with the goal of […]
Read moreMSN (November 18, 2024) by Julia Clarke Ultra runner Georgia Porter has claimed a new speed record on the 800-mile Arizona Trail just four days after Nick Fowler set a new Fastest Known Time on the same trail. Posting on Instagram yesterday, the Flagstaff-based runner writes that she completed an “unofficial FKT” – because her data still needs to be reviewed – when she ran […]
Read moreOn September 26-29, 2024, the Arizona Trail Veterans Engagement and Trail Stewardship (VETS) program volunteered to do trail work on Passage 32 of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. The event focused on building new connections within the veteran community while giving back to a the cross-state trail. Participants worked together to improve the trail from Little Elden to Weatherford Trailhead […]
Read moreArizona PBS (November 14, 2024) In this episode of “Trail Mix’d,” we travel the state to learn about the people who are giving their time, energy and sometimes even their lives to care for and protect our wildlands. Explore some of Arizona’s conservation techniques and learn about the vital importance of protecting our water and wildlands. We take a look […]
Read moreSignals (September 17, 2024) The AZT VETS (Veteran Engagement & Trail Stewardship) and Coconino National Forest Service are hosting this Veteran Volunteer Work Weekend on Passage 32B of the Arizona Trail over National Public Lands Day, improving the trail corridor between Little Elden Mountain and Weatherford Trailheads. Most meals will be provided at no extra cost to participants. Pre-registration is […]
Read moreArizona Republic (Sept 18, 2024) by Roger Naylor Hope is restored. After yet another scorching summer, the relief of autumn is finally within sight. Cooler temperatures are on the way. Of course, shorter days also signal the start of one of nature’s most beloved seasonal displays — fall colors are coming to Arizona. Unlike spring wildflowers, fall colors do not […]
Read morePHOENIX Magazine (Sept/Oct 2024) by Mare Czinar Tucson Native Michael “Chappy” Chappell took the long way around finding his purpose as program director of Veteran Engagement & Trail Stewardship (VETS) with the Arizona Trail Association – a project that promotes outdoor therapy as an adjunct to traditional health interventions. Chappell joined the Navy right out of high school and served […]
Read moreWe are delighted to share the most recent Arizona Trail Finisher Report! This comprehensive report displays results from the Arizona Trail Association’s Completion Survey between February 12, 2019 and July 4, 2024. During this time, the survey received 1,271 unique entries. This report covers five full years: 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, as well as the spring season of […]
Read moreMason Lussow, a Marine Corps veteran, left our community unexpectedly on August 26, 2024 but his legacy of quiet strength and unwavering dedication to service will always be remembered. He was the beloved son of his mother, Ari Olsen, and father, Alex Lussow, an avid outdoorsman who instilled in Mason a deep love for nature and adventure from a very […]
Read moreTucson Sentinel (Aug 14 2024) by Bianca Morales A program organized by the Arizona Trail Association sets out to provide a safe environment where military veterans have the “opportunity to serve and connect.” The program is aptly called VETS — Veteran Engagement and Trail Stewardship — and has a mission is to “connect those who have served our country with fellow service […]
Read moreKactus Kickers Hiking Club 1969 – 2023 In memory of a long time Arizona hiking club, The Kactus Kickers, which was formed in 1969 by employees of a local Arizona corporation. Initially, membership was limited to employees of the corporation and their families but started welcoming others that were attracted to the club by a public website that was created […]
Read moreNavajo-Hopi Observer (June 25, 2024) The Arizona Trail Association’s Seeds of Stewardship (SOS) program partnered with STAR School of Leupp, Arizona, to provide transformative outdoor experiences for fourth to eighth grade Native American students from Flagstaff and the Navajo Nation. Through five field trips annually, SOS emphasizes culturally relevant outdoor activities, land connection and meaningful stewardship projects. As a culmination, […]
Read moreLake Powell Chronicle (June 12, 2024) by Paul Ostapuk Twenty-four days, one hour and 12 minutes. In less time than the moon takes to complete a lunar cycle, Heather Anderson, 2019 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, survived the ordeal of an unsupported 800-mile traverse of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Anderson finished her record backpacking trip on May 12, […]
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