Now that monsoons have returned (with a vengeance), it’s important to avoid wet trails. As tempting as it may be to head for the hills after a storm, the hard work that our trail stewards and volunteers do to maintain the Arizona Trail can be destroyed when people hike and ride on muddy trails. The damage that feet, tires and […]
Read moreBackpacker (July 14, 2021) by Maggie Slepian Long-distance hikers face a short window to finish their treks. Climate change could close it even further. For a few years, I’ve had the Colorado Trail on my radar. Its 500-mile length is ideal for a summer thru-hike for me, and with an average elevation of over 10,000 feet, it seemed like the perfect […]
Read moreFlagstaff Business News (July 5, 2021) by Bonnie Stevens Billy Cordasco and Ryan Butler sat on a hilltop behind Cedar Ranch and watched as the Slate Fire pushed its way east through juniper, pinyon and ponderosa pine forest from Highway 180 toward the historic ranch house, barn, wells and pipeline north of the San Francisco Peaks. Cordasco, president and general […]
Read moreWorld Atlas (July 1, 2021) Arizona is located in the southwestern region of the United States. The State has diverse geography featuring volcanoes, mountains, canyons, plateaus, and deserts. Situated in the central part of the US State of Arizona, mostly within Gila County is the majestic Theodore Roosevelt Lake. This large lake is located in the Salt River Valley about 130km […]
Read morePathways Across America (Spring 2021) The cover of the Spring 2021 issue of Pathways Across America, the quarterly magazine of the Partnership for the National Trails System, features an image from the Arizona Trail Association’s Seeds of Stewardship program!
Read moreThe Trek (June 23, 2021) by Kelly Floro Wildfires currently raging across Arizona have prompted full closures of several national forests within the state in the interest of public safety. The move effectively shuts down 300 miles of the Arizona Trail in the northern part of the state. Kaibab, Coconino, and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests announced the closures on Tuesday afternoon, […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (Jun 22, 2021) by Sam McManis Whenever I step foot on a passage of the Arizona Trail, especially a segment that’s somewhat remote, I think about all those hardy (crazy?) thru-hikers who have traversed the 800-mile trail, in toto. How were they feeling at this point in their epic trek? Were they dehydrated, blister-sore and cursing the […]
Read moreAssociated Press (June 22, 2021) A 71-year-old hiker reported missing on Mount Lemmon has been found dead, authorities said Tuesday. Pima County Sheriff’s officials said the body of John “Jack” Menard was located about three miles northwest of the Gordon Hirabayahsi Campground. Menard started hiking the Arizona Trail on June 17 in Oracle and planned to hike from American Flag […]
Read moreAZ Big Media (June 22, 2021) Supporters of one of the state’s most important recreational trails are advocating for an injection of funding by the Arizona Legislature to help protect and advance this key resource. State funding is vital to the maintenance and protection of the Arizona Trail – the incredible 800-mile path from Mexico to Utah that connects deserts, mountains, canyons, forests, […]
Read moreRegistration for the AZT Virtual Adventure is now open. This do-it-yourself virtual event encourages you to set a mileage goal and track your progress along the 800-mile Arizona Trail. Pick a distance you feel comfortable with (50, 100, 200 or all 800 miles) and take as long as you need to get there. You can manually enter your mileage on our […]
Read moreUSA TODAY (June 11, 2021) by Dave Stamboulis The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a continuous footpath that runs roughly 800 miles from the Mexican border all the way across the state until reaching the Stateline Campground in Utah. The trail weaves through the Sonoran Desert and a selection of appropriately named “sky islands,” stretches of towering mountain ranges that […]
Read moreArizona Republic (June 9, 2021) by Mare Czinar Short, easy and scenic, the Sandy Seep Trail offers quick access to a network of routes on the east flanks of Mount Elden in northeast Flagstaff. While the 1.5-mile path makes for a sweet standalone hike, it also serves as an on-ramp for the 42-mile, city-circling Flagstaff Loop Trail and the 800-plus-mile, state-traversing […]
Read moreBackpacker Radio/The Trek (June 9, 2021) by Elise Ott In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio presented by The Trek, we are joined by recurring guest, Steph Lotus aka Weezer, and her good pal, Dirty Avocado, as the duo recently wrapped a thru-hike of the Arizona Trail. This one is the mid-point between a trail overview and first person narrative of […]
Read moreABC News (June 8, 2021) by Kirsten Johnson Kicking their confidence into full gear, that’s the goal of a program in northern Arizona. Gear Girls empowers young women through mountain biking, trail work, and snow sports. Julie Polovitch, with Arizona Trail Association, said the girls-only setting helps young women step into roles they may not get the chance to hold […]
Read moreThe Slate Fire has forced a closure of the Arizona Trail north of Flagstaff near Babbitt Ranch. In the interest of public safety, the northern half of AZT Passage 34 (San Francisco Peaks) is currently closed between Kelly Tank (mile 603.3) and Cedar Ranch (mile 616.2). Trail users are discouraged from visiting Passage 35 (Babbitt Ranch) as the fire advances […]
Read moreThe Telegraph Fire is the first major wildfire of the season to force a closure of the Arizona Trail. In the interest of public safety, the AZT’s Passage 17 (Alamo Canyon) is currently closed, and trail users are discouraged from visiting Passage 18 (Reavis Canyon) in case the fire advances north of Highway 60. The Telegraph Fire was first reported […]
Read morePayson Roundup (May 28, 2021) by Michele Nelson Undaunted, my daughter trudged up the Highline/Arizona Trail from the Pine Trailhead. She walked this same stretch two years and a pandemic century ago — a different person. Brooke solo hiked the 800-mile Arizona Trail after obtaining an undergraduate degree in geology from ASU. She’s working on a master’s degree in geology […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (May 30, 2021) by Eric Newman A group of five girls, in grades fourth through eighth, spent a recent Saturday morning picking up trash in the forest, working on their respective mountain bikes and riding the Arizona Trail. The Gear Girls, a girls-only outdoor group, formed in 2017 with the intention of giving young girls a safe […]
Read moreAZ Central (May 24, 2021) Click here to read about the top 14 things to do around Flagstaff this summer, including hiking, running or riding on Flagstaff’s world-famous trails — many of which connect to the Arizona Trail! Beautiful photos accompany all of the activities within the Arizona Trail’s premier gateway community.
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (May 21, 2021) Check out all the great things to do in Northern Arizona here, including a mention of the Arizona Trail: 14. The Arizona Trail. For either a short jaunt or an expansive adventure, the Arizona Trail has been many years in the making and stretches 800 miles from Utah to Mexico, with several miles of […]
Read moreCronkite News (May 10, 2021) by Hunter Hippel Arizona is not just a desert. The state boasts six national forests, tied for the ninth-most for any state in the country. Approximately 15 percent of the state’s land is designated as forest, including the largest ponderosa pine forest in North America. Mountainous grassland and chaparral in the state’s “transition zone” separates the true desert and the woods, […]
Read morePayson Roundup (May 11, 2021) by Michele Nelson After six months, a grant, a donation, and hundreds of volunteer hours, the Arizona Trail Association has completed a re-route of one of the most disliked portions of the Arizona Trail — Passage 25. The Arizona Trail marches up the middle of Arizona. It starts in the south at the Mexican border, […]
Read moreIf you love mountain biking and want to help make mountain biking a more equitable sport, consider joining our team as a Lead Coach! Gear Girls coaches serve as instructors and role models for the next generation of young women riders. Coaching with us is an opportunity to share your skillset, positively influence girls’ lives in your community, and combine […]
Read moreViewOn Magazine (May 10, 2021) by Karen Monsen The Triple Crown of Hiking includes the Appalachian Trail (3,193 miles), Pacific Crest Trail (2,653 miles), and Continental Divide Trail (3,100 miles). The much shorter Arizona Trail (817 miles) offers stunning views, spectacular night skies, hiking, biking, equestrian, and volunteering opportunities. Plans for an Arizona Trail (AZT) began in the 1980s when […]
Read moreThe Transylvania Times (May 10, 2021) by Jacob Myers After a series of national park closures last year due to the COVID-19 epidemic, Transylvania County native Jacob Myers shelved his long-awaited Appalachian Trail thru-hike once reaching the Great Smoky Mountains. While discouraged, Myers pivoted to another long-distance effort in the great American Wilderness: The Arizona Trail. Spanning a length of approximately 800 […]
Read moreCollege Times (April 29, 2021) Tempe-based artist/musician Joey Gutos released his video “Everything (That I Need),” for Arbor Day to honor the source of the song’s inspiration – Arizona’s extraordinary and diverse natural environments. When Gutos first independently released the song on Arbor Day, April 24th, 2020, he vowed that he would plant a tree for every 1,000 streams the […]
Read moreKJZZ (April 26, 2021) by Michel Marizco There’s arguably no more divisive infrastructure project in the U.S. right now than this border wall I’m standing in the shadow of. I’m here with Kate Scott of the Madrean Archipelago wildlife center in Arizona’s Cochise County. We’re in the Pajarito Mountains west of Nogales where most of the work stopped on the […]
Read moreCanadian Trail Running (April 20, 2021) by Ben Snider-McGrath Washington state’s Joe McConaughy recently completed a nearly two-week-long run along the Arizona Trail, running close to 1,300 kilometres right through the state from border to border. McConaughy’s final time of 13 days, three hours set the fastest known time (FKT) on the Arizona Trail, beating the previous record by almost three […]
Read moreOutside Online (April 20, 2021) by Megan Michelson With pandemic-fueled use on the rise, it’s a good thing trail builders have been busy opening new pathways for you to hike, run, and bike Last year the American Hiking Society reported a 200 percent increase in trail usage in U.S. cities than in 2019. It seems Americans are letting off their pandemic stress […]
Read moreWe are excited to share the latest Arizona Trail Commemorative Mug! Handmade by Deneen Pottery, this fourth mug in the series features a scene of Grand Canyon National Park from the South Kaibab Trail portion of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, complete with a pair of California condors. These robust vessels are finished with a colored glaze inspired by the […]
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