Arizona PBS (February 3, 2026)

On February 19, 2026, a new documentary will premiere at the Scottsdale Center for the Arts titled “Trailblazers” about two brothers who walked across Arizona in the 1980s.

Back in 1982, the Gillenwater brothers set out a plan to walk across Arizona with two mules. Their quest to pursue the frontier helped inspire what became the Arizona National Scenic Trail, combining mountains, deserts, canyons, and cultures.

The premiere of “Trailblazers” will also kick off the Arizona Trail Association Endowment, which supports the organization protecting the Arizona Trail, one of just 11 National Scenic Trails in the country. This event is a fundraiser to benefit the Endowment, supporting the production, stewardship, and future of the trail.

The film includes old footage and current interviews with Bruce Babbitt, former Arizona Governor and U.S. Secretary of the Interior, and Kevin Fedarko, author of “The Emerald Mile” and “A Walk in the Park.”

Matt Nelson, Executive Director of the Arizona Trail Association, and Robert Stieve, Editor of “Arizona Highways,” joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss the documentary and the fundraising event.

“The route they took follows a lot of the Arizona trail, as it exists today,” Stieve said, “…it was an adventure for them, but they also kind of wanted to walk back in time a little bit. They wanted to walk in the footsteps of not just the pioneers, but also the natives who explored this land centuries ago.”

The two brothers were accompanied by some mules and pets as the trip took them months to complete.

“Started fabricating this plan and realized that water wasn’t a reliable source,” Stieve said, “…they needed to carry their water, so they got these two mules.”

The Arizona Trail is 800 miles long and connects Mexico to Utah, through some of Arizona’s most incredible landscapes, as the trail includes canyons, mountains, deserts, and forests.

“For the past 32 years, our organization has been committed to building, protecting, and maintaining this 800-mile trail,” Nelson said, “…so that anybody can get out there and enjoy it.”

 

To watch the video segment on Arizona Horizon, click here.