Arizona Republic (September 16, 2021) by Mare Czinar Slung between the edge-hugging dirt track of Schultz Pass Road and the sheer foothills below Mount Elden, Schultz Creek Trail rolls out like an emerald half-pipe. Because of its fluid, north-south track, hairpin turns and mild jumps, the historic route in the Mount Elden-Dry Lakes Hills area just a few miles north […]

Arizona Republic (July 16, 2021) by Roger Naylor Drought, heat waves, wildfires and forest closures. It’s not exactly the post-pandemic summer celebration many of us planned for. We had visions of camping in a cool pine forest atop the Mogollon Rim. Or fishing in a fast-flowing trout stream in the White Mountains. Or hiking above the timberline on Humphreys Peak, climbing past […]

Flagstaff 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 […]

World 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 […]

12 News (Jun 29, 2021) by Brahm Resnik In the wake of the devastating Telegraph wildfire east of the Valley, questions have been raised about the potential role of military aircraft in sparking the fire. Here’s what we know: Wildfire’s impact on area The wildfire has charred almost 200,000 acres of pristine wilderness and forced hundreds of people to evacuate. It […]

Tucson Local Media (Jun 29, 2021) by Ireland Stevenson A hiker was found dead after embarking on the Arizona Trail near Oro Valley, the Pima County Sheriff’s Office reported last week.  71-year-old John “Jack” Menard started his hike on June 17. His hike itinerary included starting from American Flag Ranch in Oracle to the Gordon Hirabayashi Campground (about 18 miles south […]

Arizona 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 […]

Arizona 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 […]

Payson 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 […]

AZ 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.

Payson 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 hated 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, […]

KJZZ (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 […]

Arizona Daily Star (April 23, 2021) by Cindy Coffer Chojnacky Hikers flock to the rugged Santa Catalina mountains north of Tucson, but many trails are still off limits in the wake of last year’s Bighorn Fire. Most trails remain closed within the burn scar of the 119,987-acre Bighorn Fire, which raged from June 5 through July 23. Some trails are […]

Outside 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 […]

Signals (April 5, 2021) The 300-acre McMillan Mesa Natural Area is one of the last intact native grasslands within the city of Flagstaff and provides habitat for deer, prairie dogs, American kestrels, and other fauna. To preserve the native grassland, the city of Flagstaff’s Open Space Program will work with partners to remove invasive trees, starting on April 7, 2021. […]

WANE-TV (March 25, 2021) by Fernie Ortiz Rescue crews plucked a woman from the rugged Huachuca Mountains of southeastern Arizona after she broke a leg while hiking alone, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release. The Cochise County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team requested air support to get the woman to safety after she became stranded on […]

Arizona Daily Sun (Mach 23, 2021) by Adrian Skabelund After a decade, a new windfarm appears to be moving forward on an area about 30 miles north of Flagstaff. The project, by the Florida-based company NextEra Energy Resources, hopes to bring about 61 wind turbines and between 400 and 600 acres of solar panels, as well as a battery storage […]

New York Times en Español (16 de marzo de 2021) Por Simon Romero y Zolan Kanno-Youngs La prisa para construirlo duró hasta el último día del mandato del expresidente. El esfuerzo dejó secciones raras e incompletas de una barrera cuyo destino está ahora en manos del presidente Biden. Durante mucho tiempo, los excursionistas que completaban el Sendero de Arizona, una ruta de 1287 kilómetros que […]

KTAR News (March 16, 2021) by Kevin Stone A New York man hiking along the Arizona Trail was rescued after unexpectedly getting stranded in deep snow 12 days into his trek, authorities said. The 41-year-old started his excursion in Superior on March 2 and had been camping out along the way, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday in a […]

New York Times (March 16, 2021) by Simon Romero and Zolan Kanno-Youngs  A last-minute rush to build lasted through Donald J. Trump’s last day in office. The effort left odd, partially completed sections of a barrier whose fate President Biden must now determine. The sweeping view of undefiled wilderness on the border with Mexico long rewarded hikers who completed the Arizona Trail, […]

Travel Awaits (March 12, 2021) by Cindy Barks Equal parts outdoor hotspot and artsy Western outpost, Patagonia, Arizona, packs an improbable number of fun attractions into its community of fewer than 900 people. Located about 18 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, charming Patagonia is among the communities known as Sky Islands (Sonoita, Elgin, and Patagonia) for their relatively high elevation and […]

Payson Roundup (February 9, 2021) by Michele Nelson Call it a silver lining, the lack of a monsoon and little winter precipitation has given the Forest Service the confidence to open up the Four Peaks recreation area less than a year after the Bush Fire. The Arizona Trail Association has already spread the news on its website. As of Feb. […]

Vail Style Magazine (February 2021) by Kevin Boerup As darkness fell on the high, lonely desert at Cienega Creek one summer night in 1887, a Southern Pacific passenger train suddenly slammed on its brakes. Gunfire pierced the night and the Doc Smart Gang stepped out of the darkness. After robbing the train, a sheriff’s posse was soon formed, and the […]

The Trek (December 22, 2020) by Abigail Kessler Though it’s listed as the South Rim section of the trail, this passage mostly takes you through Kaibab National Forest and the back ways of Grand Canyon National Park, only occasionally hinting at the chasm to come. There’s plenty to enjoy about the trip, however– as well as a number of options […]