AZ Central (July 18, 2019) by Mare Czinar Wildflower season is in full bloom in Flagstaff’s Dry Lake Hills area. Recent logging and forest-clearing operations that had closed many of the trails that meander through the diverse terrain of Coconino National Forest — north of 9,299-foot Mount Elden — are gradually finishing up, and several paths are now open. One particularly productive wildflower […]

Arizona Daily Sun (July 7, 2019) by Sam McManis   Scoffing locals who eye-roll with impunity at flatlanders invading Flagstaff and (gasp, gasp) trying to acclimate on the trails probably will have a good laugh at me — a newcomer who lived in Central Washington, 1,200 feet elevation, for three years and, before that, spent a decade in the Sacramento Valley […]

Flagstaff Business News (July 6, 2019) by FBN Efforts have aligned to improve the outdoor experience for hikers, bicyclists and equestrians seeking to discover Northern Arizona’s wide-open spaces. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Babbitt Ranches, Coconino County and the Arizona Trail Association (ATA) grants permission and identifies resources to develop and maintain a trail along a nearly 13-mile stretch […]

Arizona Daily Sun (July 5, 2019) by Scott Buffon   Forest Service officials suspect a person is at fault for the Chimney Springs Fire near the Arizona Scenic Trail on Wednesday. Authorities do not know what specifically started the fire near where the Arizona Trail connects to the Schultz Creek Trail. The Schultz Creek Trail is still closed due to […]

AZ Central (June 21, 2019) by Aubrey Carpenter It may be a little early to start thinking about rehabilitating hiking trails while the 66,000-acre Woodbury fire continues to burn, but plans are already in process to restore one of the key trails facing the flames. More than 40 hiking trails are within the wildfire closure area, either entirely or a portion of it, which prevents […]

Reader’s Digest (June 11, 2019) by Mallory Creveling   You can’t beat the views and the bucket list experience of the South Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park, arguably one of the best hiking trails in the country. It starts at Yaki Point on the South Rim, then one mile in, you’ll reach Ooh-Aah Point—perfectly named for how you’ll […]

Sierra Magazine (June 2, 2019) by Megan Hill Before Jean Taggart left home to conquer the 800-mile Arizona Trail last year, she made a detailed spreadsheet to organize her resupply provisions. To update friends and family on her progress, she bought a Garmin inReach Mini, which is a GPS and satellite messenger. She poured over hiker blogs and absorbed detailed […]

Arizona Jewish Post (May 31, 2019) Israeli elite mountain bike racer Chanoch Redlich won the 750-mile Arizona Trail Race, a self-supported ride that stretches from Mexico to Utah. Redlich won this year’s ride in just over eight days, riding in 20-22 hour stretches with two to four hours of sleep before the next stretch. Redlich stayed at the home of […]

Backpacker Radio (May 24, 2019) Episode 38 In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, myself plus a very special guest co-host are joined by Legend.  He’s back, and does he have new stories to share.  We chat all about his previous year, which was arguably busier than anyone in the backpacking world, including his Great Western Loop, a 7,000 mile hike, […]

JournalAZ.com (May 21, 2019) by John Hecht In 2009, the Arizona Trail became a National Scenic trail, finalizing a project to connect many of the trail systems in the state that had been first proposed in 1985. Traversing Arizona from Mexico to Utah, the Arizona Trail crosses over 800 miles of the Grand Canyon State. Now, the idea of another […]

The Fountain Hills Times (May 19, 2019) by Bob Charzuk Almost halfway through his 800-mile hike on the Arizona Trail, John (Jay) Waters, a 30 year career Army man, spent two nights dining with local veterans and enjoying a comfortable bed and shower. By the time Waters arrived May 6 at Lakeshore Hotel and Suites, he had been on the […]

This is Tucson (May 18, 2019) by Angela Pittenger There are so many hiking trails to explore in and around Tucson. But having so many options also makes it kinda hard to decide where to go, especially for the casual weekend hiker. That’s where I come in. (Hi!) I’m going to hike some of these trails and tell you what […]

Bike Magazine (May 14, 2019) by Kurt Refsnider The 2019 edition of the self-supported Arizona Trail 300 saw Scottish adventurers win both the women’s and men’s fields. Impressively, neither Annie Lloyd-Evans nor Huw Oliver had ever before ridden in the desert, but despite that, both found the slow, technical trail much to their liking. The AZT300 is one of the […]

Arizona Daily Sun (May 11, 2019) by Scott Buffon Many in Flagstaff love their trail systems that can help them avoid paved roads while winding through the ponderosa pines and scaling mountainsides. But love alone can’t build new trails or refurbish old ones. Currently, the Flagstaff Trails Initiative is creating a master plan through the unified effort of agencies and citizen […]

Payson Roundup (April 9, 2019) by Keith Morris Margaret de Hesse knows a thing or two about distance running. We’re not talking marathons either. No, longer than that. “I’m an ultrarunner,” said de Hesse. “These are typically all trail races in the U.S. and internationally of at least 50 miles. There are many 50-kilometer (31.24 miles) and 100-K (62.5 miles) […]

Exploring the Arizona Trail with Matt Nelson (May 1, 2019) by Lori the Explorer Today’s guest is Matt Nelson, Executive Director of the Arizona Trail Association. Matt has a passion for the mountains, being outdoors and providing opportunities for the next generation to become adventurers and stewards of the land. The Arizona Trail stretches 800 miles across Arizona from Mexico […]

Outdoor Evolution (April, 2019) by Heidi Blankenship, Stephen Chaffee & Sarah Jansen Three authors share their three different experiences on one trail… Inspiration on the Arizona Trail by Heidi Elizabeth Blankenship The Arizona Trail: Passages in Poetry by Stephen N. Chaffee Pedaling Home on the Arizona Trail by Sarah Ruth Jansen To read the complete article, click here.

Gear Junkie (April 23, 2019) by Nate Mitka Jeff Garmire hiked and ran the 800-mile Arizona Trail, which stretches across the entirety of Arizona, faster than anyone else. For the feat, he averaged more than 50 miles per day. Verified by FastestKnownTime.com, Garmire set the self-supported and overall fastest known time for the Arizona Trail on April 21, 2019. He completed […]

Sunset Magazine (April, 2019) by Dina Mishev An epic backpacking trip is one way to see the Arizona Trail. But a chill hiking weekend in the throwback town of Superior will do just fine, where you’ll find frontier ruggedness mixed with a Mayberry-in-the-desert vibe. The Arizona Trail, the Southwest’s answer to the Appalachian Trail, stretches from the state’s Mexican border […]

WCAX (April 8, 2019) A Vermonter is recovering after a hike in Arizona turned into a trip to the hospital. Kaija Johnson planned to spend two weeks hiking the Arizona Trail but halfway through her journey, she was bitten by a rattlesnake. She says it happened deep in a canyon and the snake never gave any warning before striking her […]

Arizona Daily Sun (April 14, 2019) by Julie Hammonds “Runners coming,” the volunteer shouted. It was midnight, and the Watson Tank aid station on the Stagecoach 100 course sprang into action. As volunteers left the campfire to cheer the incoming relays, I took my place on the trail, adjusted my gear and began swinging my arms to release the tension. […]

Payson Roundup (Feb 19, 2019) by Michele Nelson Mike Buckley stared at the gun on his desk. “It was the night I started to crack,” he said in front of more than 200 members of the Arizona Trail Association at its annual meeting recently. The 30-year Army veteran commanded a bomb squad in Afghanistan, but after months of sending his […]

Sedona Red Rock News (February 6, 2019) by Ivan Leonard After his first fundraiser run in 2017, Hansen has made it a yearly tradition to run for the school. “A couple of years ago my wife asked if I was interested in running a marathon for the school,” Hansen said. “Running a marathon was on my bucket list so she […]

Bikepacking.com (January 16, 2019) by Nicolaus Hawbaker Nicolaus Hawbaker rode the length of the Arizona Trail for his first bikepacking trip, and found himself asking big questions about wilderness stewardship as he pedaled through its picturesque landscapes. In this short essay, he reflects on the lasting impression his time on the trail left on him, and offers some thoughts on […]