Arizona Daily Star (December 22, 2021) by Cindy Coffer Chojnacky About 20 miles of trails — closed for more than a year due to damage from the 2020 Bighorn Fire — have reopened in the Santa Catalina mountains north of Tucson. After Bighorn burned almost 120,000 acres between June 5 and July 23, 2020, the Forest Service closed the burn […]
Read moreTucson 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 […]
Read moreArizona 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 […]
Read moreThe Coronado National Forest has updated the Bighorn Fire Closure Order to include the reopening of trails impacted by the Bighorn Fire. Most trails in the Santa Catalina Mountains remain closed, including the majority of the front range trails close to Tucson. Passage 10, 11, and 12 of the Arizona National Scenic Trail have been reopened. Passage 11b – Pusch […]
Read moreSummertime is when hundreds of hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians are planning the logistics of a long-distance trip on the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT). Especially since many individuals canceled their springtime AZT adventures due to COVID-19, the Arizona Trail Association (ATA) has been anticipating the busiest autumn in history. However, Arizona’s intense wildfire season – with three major wildfires […]
Read moreTucson Local Media (June 14, 2020) by Jim Nintzel As hotshot crews and aircraft continue to battle the Bighorn Fire in the Santa Catalina Mountains, residents of Mount Lemmon, including the community of Summerhaven, have been warned to be prepared to evacuate. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department announced that Mount Lemmon residents should remain “set” to evacuate under the Ready, Set, […]
Read moreThe northern end of this passage should not be used by equestrians. It is narrow, steep and rocky in places. The ATA strongly suggests using the Pusch Ridge Wilderness Bypass instead.
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