Payson Roundup (July 9, 2020) by Alexis Bechman After winds initially pushed the Polles Fire northeast for a few tense days, crews on Thursday reported marked containment on the 572-acre fire west of Payson. As of Thursday morning, the fire was 61% contained. There has been no reported growth on the fire since Sunday evening. After a helicopter pilot was […]

July 3, 2020 (City Sun Times) Residents looking for a big goal to keep them healthy and motivated during a time of social distancing are invited to sign up for the Arizona Trail Virtual Adventure. This do-it-yourself event encourages participants to hike, run or ride anywhere and accumulate miles toward completing all or a portion of the 800-mile Arizona Trail. […]

June 8, 2020 (Wisconsin Gazette) The Trump administration wants to build a border wall across the terminus of the 800-mile long, federally protected Arizona Trail. A 30-ft steel barrier could soon rip through the rugged Huachuca Mountains, stopping migrating jaguars and ocelots in their tracks and changing the experience of thousands of hikers forever. Watch Matthew Nelson of the Arizona […]

Arizona Republic (June 24, 2020) by Mare Czinar Since prehistoric times, the fertile forests around Mormon Lake have served Native peoples, wildlife, commerce and recreationists. The geologically complex area of volcanic landforms and natural lakes is situated among historic travel corridors that have been used for centuries by early inhabitants, loggers and ranchers. Gooseberry Springs, which sits at the base […]

The Trail Show (May 26, 2020) by Lawton “Disco” Grinder The Trail Show, America’s greatest hiking podcast, features a conversation with Arizona Trail Association Executive Director Matthew Nelson about how a border wall and infrastructure would impact the southern terminus of the AZT. You can listen to Episode #94 here. The Arizona Trail segment begins at 1:25:42 into the podcast.

Arizona Republic (May 18, 2020) by Rafael Carranza Kimberly Lea and Kimberly Knebel hiked around Phoenix for months, carrying weights and monitoring their water use, in preparation to start hiking the first section of the Arizona Trail. The scenic 800-mile-long route stretches from the Arizona-Utah state line south to the Coronado National Memorial, 4,750 acres of protected mountain landscapes and grassy plains on the […]

Bikepacking.com (May 15, 2020) by Lucas Winzenburg A new 74-mile segment of the border wall between the United States and Mexico is threatening the southern terminus of the 750-mile Arizona Trail, and the Arizona Trail Association is seeking public comments through the end of today. Read more here, with details on what’s at stake and how you can help… Customs […]

KNAU (May 15, 2020) by Ryan Heinsius The Hopi Tribe says the Trump administration’s plan to build 74 miles of barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border would disrupt a ceremonial migration route. According to Hopi Vice Chairman Clark Tenakhongva it would cut off the Palatkwapi Trail, which the tribe uses to maintain cultural and ceremonial connections to Indigenous groups in Mexico […]

Latin Post (May 13, 2020) by Danielle Ong Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf recently toured Southern Arizona’s borderlands to inspect the ongoing wall construction projects. He also gauged his department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Wolf began his tour with a visit to the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales-a critical crossing point for millions of manufactured products and immigrants. He […]

KNAU (May 12, 2020) by Ryan Heinsius The Arizona Trail Association says the Trump administration’s plan to expand its border wall would destroy one of the trail’s most important sites. KNAU’s Ryan Heinsius reports. The proposed 74-miles of new border barrier would cut through the southernmost section of the Arizona National Scenic Trail in the Huachuca Mountains and Coronado National […]

Associated Press (May 12, 2020) by Astrid Galvan Tess Mullaney remembers looking at endless rolling desert hills, covered in a thin layer of white snow just as the sun was rising the day she embarked on a 2½-month journey through the Arizona Trail, an 800-mile system that starts at the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona and ends at the Utah one. […]

Payson Roundup (May 12, 2020) by Peter Aleshire So, here’s an unusual way to prepare for a harsh political campaign: Hike 800 miles in two months through the Arizona wilderness — mostly all alone. While you’re at it, throw in a torn ligament and bloody, infected blisters. Hiking the Arizona Trail might not suit most political candidates, but it gave […]

Phoenix New Times (May 12, 2020) by Ray Stern The southern end of the 800-mile Arizona Trail is a wonder of open space running across the international line from the Coronado National Memorial to a vast, desert area of Mexico far from any paved roads. It could also soon be the site of two miles of Trump’s border wall, along […]

KJZZ (May 12, 2020) by Michel Marizco The Trump administration wants to build a new section of border fence through the Huachuca Mountains in Cochise County. The Arizona Trail Association says that would destroy the trailhead to the legacy hiking path. Customs and Border Protection is taking public comment through May 15 on the project. It wants to build an […]

El Inde (May 10, 2020) by Devyn Edelstein Patagonia has a lot of visitors who walk a long way to spend a short time there. Former professional cyclist Chuck Veylupek is one of them. He passed through Patagonia in February, eight days into a four-month, 800-mile trek on the Arizona Trail. Veylupek, 51 years old, has a beard, grey hair, […]

The Trek (May 11, 2020) by Hugh Owen The Arizona Trail Association is speaking out against a border wall project that it says would “significantly impact the Southern Terminus of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, transform the landscape and its visual resources, and forever alter the Arizona Trail experience.” The federal Customs and Border Protection agency plans to build 30-foot-tall […]

Tucson Weekly (May 8, 2020) by Austin Counts The Arizona Trail Association is hoping the community will voice concern to help to stop construction of the border barriers near its southern trailhead through the Huachuca Mountains in Cochise County. And fast: The deadline is May 15. Customs and Border Protection officials announced plans to continue a 30-foot steel barrier across […]

Payson Roundup (April 27, 2020) by Alexis Bechman Searching for a new spot to hike recently led to a wonderful discovery west of Payson. With many developed trailheads closed and looking for something outside the popular Payson Area Trail System (PATS), we set off down Main Street to the City Creek trailhead, near the Doll Baby Ranch. While I have […]

Chicago Tribune (April 27, 2020) by Melanie Radzicki McManus Fat drops of rain tap out a mournful melody on the nylon ceiling stretched over my head. Peeking out from under a thick down quilt, I watch tiny rivulets of water drip down the sides of my tent and sigh. It’s not supposed to be raining here, at the entrance to […]

The Trek (April 6, 2020) by Effie Drew Through the Great Southwest is a newly released documentary film in which Darwin Rakestraw makes his directorial debut, in partnership with the Arizona Trail Association. The film follows the community behind the 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) that spans the length of Arizona, between Mexico and Utah. A trail deeply diverse in […]

Flagstaff Business News (April 4, 2020) by V. Ronni Tierney Marathon hours of river running and hiking in the Grand Canyon can stir up more than just endorphins. For field biologist and outdoorswoman Lindsay Hupp, sweltering heat and canyon sweat inspired her to create a nutrition bar that is making a lot of people happy. The epiphany for nutritional fuel […]

USA Today (March 31, 2020) by Nicquel Terry Ellis and Weldon B. Johnson As social distancing guidelines continue another month and temperatures warm up in some regions, many Americans will search for safe outdoor activities. Medical experts say hiking is safe as long as you do it alone or with someone from your household at a trail or park that isn’t crowded. Some […]

AZ Central (March 25, 2020) by Weldon B. Johnson Some of the best advice for helping to slow the spread of the new coronavirus remains to have people stay home and avoid contact with others whenever possible. But many Arizonans still want to get out in the fresh air and sunshine. Unfortunately, that has led to crowded conditions at popular hiking trails and other […]

Arizona Daily Sun (March 24, 2020) by Sam McManis Outdoor recreation activities, such as hiking and running and mountain biking, remain unaffected by the civic restrictions necessitated by the coronavirus outbreak. That’s provided, of course, that people maintain proper social-distancing protocols. Even Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institutes of Health, says he still runs each morning. But what […]

The Trek (March 16, 2020) by Katie Kommer You’re doing the socially responsible thing, but you’re going crazy. Hopping between the couch and bed might be nice for an afternoon or one lazy weekend, but after a few days the stir-crazy creeps in. If you’re longing for adventure while doing your civic duty and socially distancing, these documentaries bring all […]

Click here to listen to a podcast with Dr. Eric Marcotte, National Champion road cyclist and integrative health practitioner, and Matthew Nelson, Executive Director of the Arizona Trail Association. Dr. Marcotte talks with Mr. Nelson about public lands advocacy, volunteerism, and what it takes to protect and maintain an 800-mile multi-use trail across some of the most rugged terrain in […]

24-year old Arizona native Bryce Brooks, recently had the opportunity to see Arizona through his own lens. Adventure Lives At Home is an 18-minute film that explores the question: Can you have an epic, life-changing adventure right in your own backyard?

Freehub Magazine Without an agenda, time becomes irrelevant. When it comes to bikepacking, this is the perfect mindset to have. Void of all expectations and obligations, Jackie Paaso and Stan Jorgensen set off on a three-day, 90-mile mission on the Arizona Trail, embracing the moment and abiding only by the rhythm of mother nature. Watch the 7-minute video here.   […]

Payson Roundup (January 31, 2020) by Alexis Bechman On a sunny Sunday in January, I joined Mike Brandt, president of Pine Strawberry Fuel Reduction, Inc. (PSFR), at the Pine Trailhead. We took a leisurely three-mile hike, made possible because Brandt, the PSFR board and volunteers are diligent in educating the community about fire protection and fuel reduction, creating partnerships and […]