This is the time of year when the Arizona State Legislature hammers out the final details of next year’s budget. We need your help to encourage them to dedicate funding for Arizona Trail maintenance and construction. There is a line item in our state budget for Arizona Trail Fund, and it is used to pay conservation corps and other state-approved […]
Read moreBeginning October 15, 2026, a section of the North Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park will close to all public access for critical pipeline rehabilitation work on the Transcanyon Waterline. The closure area will be between Redwall Bridge (2.5 miles north of Manzanita Rest Area) and the northern end of Cottonwood Campground. This hard closure will remain in place […]
Read moreWhether you’re hiking, running, biking, riding, or rolling along the Arizona Trail, wrap yourself in one of these versatile and stylish neck gaiters. Our new design for Spring 2026 features a colorful pollinator motif, with hummingbirds, bees, butterflies, and blooming wildflowers. It’s the ultimate trail accessory! Some of the many uses include: sun guard/wind guard for your neck and ears […]
Read moreBeginning 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 […]
Read moreIn celebration of Arizona Public Lands Day this Saturday, April 4, conservation leaders are urging residents to take a closer look at what’s at stake for the state’s public lands. A newly released report, Fiscal Impact of Transferring Federal Lands to Arizona, raises awareness about the significant economic and fiscal risks associated with state legislative proposals to transfer federally managed lands to state […]
Read moreThe Coronado National Forest, Pima County, and Arizona Trail Association have announced a temporary detour of the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) near the community of Summerhaven due to a construction project at the Marshall Gulch Trailhead. This detour will go into effect immediately and will remain in place until August 1, 2026. This impacts AZT Passages 11 (Santa Catalina […]
Read moreResults from Colorado College’s 16th annual State of the Rockies Project Conservation in the West Poll released today show widespread concern among Western voters about rollbacks of protections for land, water, and wildlife and cuts to funding for public land management. The poll, which surveyed voters in eight Mountain West states—Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming—found […]
Read moreStarting March 15, Grand Canyon National Park will be issuing walk-up permits for AZT thru-hikers at Bright Angel Campground. Here are the walk-up permit procedures, specifically for AZT thru-hikers: Head to the South Rim Backcountry Information Center, located within Grand Canyon Village. If it is March 15 or later, inform the Ranger that you are thru-hiking the AZT and would […]
Read moreWildflower are blooming across the Sonoran Desert, signaling an early start to Spring. This is shaping up to be a spectacular season for thru-hiking and biking the Arizona National Scenic Trail! However, 25.5 miles of the AZT within Grand Canyon National Park remain closed due to impacts from the Dragon Bravo Fire. Some exciting news is that 6 miles of […]
Read moreAs the Arizona Legislature kicked off its session in January, State Senator Wendy Rogers introduced SB1041. If passed, this bill will appropriate $500,000 to the Arizona Trail Fund. Established in 2006 to support Arizona Trail maintenance and construction, the Fund has only received intermittent support, but we are hopeful that after $0 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2024 that it […]
Read moreWe are proud to announce the successful installation of the third remote rainwater collector along a particularly arid segment of the Arizona Trail, at Redington Pass on the Coronado National Forest. This steel structure contains a 1,500-gallon poly tank that fills with rain during the winter and will support hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians during the spring season. It will […]
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 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 moreCalling all military veterans, their families, and supporters…you are invited to participate in the first Arizona Trail Operation Freedom March. This year-long initiative starts July 4, 2025 and concludes on July 4, 2026, in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Operation Freedom March challenges participants to hike, ride, or horseback ride sections of the Arizona National Scenic Trail until ALL 800 […]
Read moreDespite widespread outreach from members, donors, volunteers, gateway community representatives, and trail users like you, the Arizona Legislature did not include a single dollar for the Arizona Trail Fund in our state’s fiscal year 2026 budget. This fund was established in 2006 to support trail construction and maintenance, and is matched by private donations, federal grants, and volunteer labor contributions. […]
Read moreThanks to supporters like you who contacted members of Congress, an amendment within the federal budget that would have sold off millions of acres that belongs to all Americans has been removed. By reaching out to your representatives and telling them how important National Forests, BLM lands, and the Arizona Trail are to you and future generations, we were able […]
Read moreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service recently signed the Arizona National Scenic Trail Comprehensive Plan. The plan establishes a long-term framework to guide the coordinated management of the 800-mile trail that spans Arizona from Mexico to Utah. Required by the National Trails System Act, the comprehensive plan outlines administrative objectives, policies, and management guidance for the Arizona National Scenic […]
Read moreIn addition to being a recreational destination that attracts hikers, runners, mountain bikers and equestrians from around the world, the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) is a valuable resource for wildfire prevention, response and recovery. Fire Break Trails act as important fire breaks, often stopping the flames once they reach the trail as they run out of fuel. Some communities […]
Read moreIn response to recent concerns about gastrointestinal illness along the Arizona Trail and potential causes being the Gila River and Remote Rainwater Collector, the ATA took water samples to a local laboratory for analysis. Results can be found here: Gila River – Passage 16 Rainwater Collector – Passage 17 The only alarming result is the presence of E. coli in […]
Read moreFrom May 4-10, we are celebrating the deserts, mountains, canyons, forests, lakes, streams, and trails that make Arizona such an incredible place to live, work, play and explore. Today, we are encouraging you to stand up for public lands, which are currently being threatened. The time for you to take action is NOW. There are members of Congress pushing for […]
Read moreDid you get sick while visiting the Arizona National Scenic Trail in the 2025 spring season? The Arizona Department of Health Services is following up on reports of people with gastrointestinal illness while hiking the Arizona Trail this spring. This online survey will help gather information from individuals that were sick with a gastrointestinal illness after visiting the Arizona National […]
Read moreThe Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) reminds the public to protect themselves and their pets by keeping a safe distance from wildlife, especially animals that may be behaving abnormally, such as those that appear aggressive and/or lacking a fear of humans. The reminder comes as an increasing number of rabies-related incidents have been reported statewide. A recent Arizona Department […]
Read moreNorovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastrointestinal illness and has recently affected hikers and bikers along certain sections of the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT), particularly around Kearny, Superior and Roosevelt. This advisory is intended to help trail users understand the risk and take proper precautions. What is Norovirus? Norovirus spreads easily through contaminated food, water, surfaces, […]
Read moreThe Lumberjack (April 5, 2025) by Darby Walker Protesters gathered at the Arizona Capitol building on March 27 to hold a “Rally for Public Lands,” showing support for national parks, monuments and federally protected public land being threatened by policy changes. Rally attendees advocated for various issues, the most prominent of which included a lawsuit in Utah that could open federal […]
Read moreThe U.S. Senate, by a slim three-vote margin, has approved public lands being sold to reduce the federal deficit as well as the total acreage managed by federal land management agencies. During a late-night session April 4, 51 senators voted against an amendment that would have blocked the sale of public lands. All but two Republicans —Senator Daines and Senator […]
Read moreURGENT: The fate of our public lands is on the line. Right now, lawmakers are considering selling off public lands to cover tax cuts and federal expenses—putting forests, mountains, deserts, canyons and trails at risk. This is a short-sighted move with irreversible consequences. Once public lands are gone, they’re gone forever. Tonight, the Senate will vote on Senator Heinrich’s Amendments […]
Read moreThe Arizona Trail Association does more than just maintain the 800-mile Arizona Trail. We also install gates and interpretive signs, improve water sources, and construct new trail segments to remove the AZT from roads. We also build community, foster stewardship, and provide life-changing opportunities for people of all ages. This season, your donation supports vital programs like AZT VETS, which helps military […]
Read morePlease join us at the Arizona State Capitol on Thursday, March 27 at 1 pm for a non-partisan Rally for Public Lands! This is an opportunity to come together in celebration of the lands, waters, trails, wildlife and outdoor recreation activities that make the Grand Canyon State so special. Currently, there are many threats at the state and federal levels […]
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 […]
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