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 […]

Arizona Daily Sun (January 13, 2019) by Alexandra Wittenburg It is clear that Lyndsay Hupp, creator of Huppy Bar, the locally-produced, nationally-eaten natural whole food energy bar, loves adventure. The Ohio native grew up playing all kinds of sports. When she was a teenager, she discovered whitewater rafting, mountain biking and climbing. At 17, she visited the southwest and fell in […]

KVOA-Tucson (January 11, 2019) by Jeff Beamish It’s a gateway to the Arizona Trail and honors one of the lives lost in the January 8th tragedy. The Gabe Zimmerman Trailhead resides at Davidson Canyon on Tucson’s southeast side. Part trail, part memorial, complete with namesake, mural and one of Gabe’s poems etched in stone. Within the trailhead: a 32 mile […]

FootNotes (December 2018) by Bonnie Stevens Efforts are aligning 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 move forward with single-track trail development and maintenance along an 11-mile segment […]

Dec. 22, 2018 (AZ Family.com) by Briana Whitney If there was ever a man who defined the phrase “age is just a number,” it’s Art Huseonica. “It’s been a passion since I was 10 years old,” he said. “I’m 67 years old! Why do I want to do this?” he laughed. He goes by “Karts” on the trails these days. He’s […]

The Bulletin (December 6, 2018) by Jon Stewart Bend, OR–The Fourth National Climate Assessment, a detailed 1,600-page report compiled by 13 federal agencies, has little good to say about the future impacts of climate change for America. Released by the Trump administration on Black Friday in the hopes of being overlooked in the holiday news cycle, it clearly contradicts those who […]

American Trails Magazine (November, 2018) by Mike Buckley Just the briefest moment of fear and concern might best describe the emotion I felt when I opened the January 26th 2018 email from Warrior Expeditions that said “we have an opening in our Warrior Hike Arizona Trail Program and since you were at the top of our alternate list, below is […]

AZ Central (November 16, 2018) by Nicolaus Hawbaker Somewhere between sleeping in a feces-filled river and carrying my bike through the Grand Canyon, I began to re-evaluate the wisdom of allowing cattle to graze on public lands. A year of research did not prepare me for the profound effect the Arizona National Scenic Trail would have on me. Biking the […]

KNAU (September 7, 2018) by Gillian Ferris, Aaron Granillo, Matt Nelson & Dale Shewalter This week’s segment of Poetry Friday honors the 50th anniversary of the National Trail System Act, legislation that helped establish a series of trails across the nation dedicated to preservation, conservation, public access and enjoyment of the outdoors. In the Southwest, the Arizona Trail stretches 800 […]

KNAU (September 7, 2018) by Aaron Granillo This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Trail System Act. The legislation cleared the way for a series of national trails, aimed at preserving “the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the nation.” The Arizona Trail is part of that system. It stretches more than 800 miles from the US-Mexico […]

Arizona Public Media (September 26, 2018) by Tony Paniagua After retiring as a national park ranger, Green Valley resident Stephen Chaffee decided add a major journey to his life — literally. He hiked the Arizona Trail twice — more than 1600 miles total — and he wrote a poetry book about his adventures. Each poem celebrates the individual 43 passages of […]

Arizona Highways blog (October 1, 2018) by Kirsten Kraklio Author Rodo Sofranac is passionate about Arizona’s diverse environment, children’s literacy and giving back to his community. Those passions unite in his latest project: the children’s book The Red Tail Tale on the Arizona Trail, which he wrote with his wife, Susan. The book is divided into three parts. The first part educates young readers about […]

Better Homes and Gardens (October 2018) by Marty Munson Happy 50th anniversary to the National Trails System! Soak in nature, experience American history, and get exercise with a visit to one of the thousands of trails across the country. Arizona Trail The 800 miles link deserts, mountains and forests. The northern section includes a stretch along the Grand Canyon. You’ll […]

Wausau Daily Herald (June 4, 2018) by Keith Uhlig – USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Brett Stepanik was 22 years old and searching for a place in the world when he took off from Rib Mountain on his first cross-country bike trip in the late summer of 2007. The 2003 graduate of Wausau West High School had been a summer bike mechanic at Rib Mountain […]