We are delighted to share the news that the Alder Ridge Project is now complete. Thanks to the hard work of conservation corps members from American Conservation Experience, machine operator extraordinaire Rob Bauer, and Arizona Trail Association (ATA) staff and volunteers, there is now 6.7 miles of new trail on the Tonto National Forest. Please join us in celebrating this […]
Read moreDemotiX (April 12, 2021) by Biljana Denic Camping is one of the most enjoyable activities that you can do. One of the best ways to experience camping is by putting all of your camping gear in a backpack and hiking into the backcountry! This is known as backpacking. Backpacking connects us to the pioneer spirit that embodied many of the settlers […]
Read morei Run Far (April 9, 2021) by Meghan Hicks In March and April of 2021, Joe McConaughy aka Stringbean set a new men’s supported fastest known time (FKT) of 13 days, 3 hours, and 21 minutes on the Arizona Trail, which spans the state of Arizona north-to-south over the course of 800-ish miles of desert and mountains. The previous record of 15 […]
Read moreGear Junkie (April 12, 2021) by Mary Murphy With trails like these, something always goes wrong. Luckily, the Stringbean pushed through an ankle injury and miles of snow to complete the Arizona Trail in record time. Last week, accomplished thru-hiker Joe McConaughy (trail name “Stringbean”) finished his latest FKT attempt, running nearly 800 miles. He started south of Tucson, Ariz., up […]
Read moreAZ Family (April 12, 2021) by Nick King Every year, a couple of hundred ambitious hikers tackle the entire length of the Arizona Trail, which traverses 800 miles through the state, from Mexico to Utah. This year, that includes a Valley professional athlete. “I’m a little nervous, but honestly just excited as hell,” says Ryan Lay, in a video he […]
Read moreBackpacker (April 13, 2021) by Mary Beth “Mouse” Skylis What does hiking 800 miles in less than two weeks do to your body? Ultrarunner and FKT holder Joe McConaughy hit the Arizona Trail to find out. Thru-hiking a long trail is one of the harshest tests of endurance out there. Doing it in record time, like Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy did […]
Read morePR Newswire (April 14, 2021) In mid-2020, Instagram model Ona Artist’s partner of 12 years was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive form of cancer and given a 50% chance of survival. Then when his intensive chemotherapy regimen made him unable to work and the medical bills started piling up, she knew she had to do something. So, she joined OnlyFans. Now […]
Read moreThe Native American Law Student Association (NALSA) at the University of Arizona invites you to join them in exploring the Arizona Trail during the month of April while also recognizing the ancestral lands upon which we hike, run, pedal and ride. To participate in this wellness challenge and cultural education initiative, post a photo from your AZT adventure on Instagram, […]
Read moreBikepacking.com (April 1, 2021) by Logan Watts Yesterday evening at 9:22 local time, 35 year-old Timon Fish from Albuquerque, NM crossed the Picket Post Trailhead to finish the ~280-mile AZT 300 course. Timon started at 6:30 AM on Monday giving him a finish time of 38h 52m (1d 14h 52m) and besting the former record held by Kurt Refsnider by […]
Read moreSignals (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. […]
Read moreWANE-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 […]
Read moreArizona 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 […]
Read moreYour support is needed to help us reach our fundraising goal this Spring to support construction of the Temporal Gulch Reroute Project. Please DONATE securely online today! Our goal is to raise enough money between March 22 – April 3 to sustain the next phase of trail construction. This project will remove the AZT from 17 miles of paved and […]
Read moreCanadian Broadcasting Corporation News Radio (March 19, 2021) by Carol Off As It Happens talks with Arizona Trail Association Executive Director about the recent border wall construction and its impacts to the Arizona National Scenic Trail. Listen to the news broadcast here.
Read moreNew 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 […]
Read moreKTAR 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 […]
Read moreAfter the hottest, driest year on record, precipitation has finally returned to Arizona, blanketing much of the state with rain and snow over the past week. As hundreds of individuals make their journey north on the Arizona Trail, this surprise springtime weather will be a blessing — replenishing natural water sources, sustaining wildlife, and giving every plant clinging to life […]
Read moreNew 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, […]
Read moreTravel 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 […]
Read moreValdosta Daily Times (March 12, 2021) KB Home today announced the grand opening of Silver Ridge, a new, gated community of single-family homes in Rocking K, one of Tucson’s most highly anticipated master plans. Silver Ridge at Rocking K, nestled in the picturesque foothills of the Rincon Mountains, is located within the community of Vail, southeast of downtown Tucson. The […]
Read moreThe Fence Post (March 2021) by Matthew Nelson Hiking, biking or horseback riding along the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) has always been a challenge. Through deserts, canyons, mountains and forests, the AZT climbs and descends over 110,000 feet in 800 miles between Mexico and Utah. Ask anyone who has completed the entire trail— either all at once or one […]
Read moreToday, the Coronado National Forest rescinded the Fire Closure Order for the portion of the Arizona National Scenic Trail that has been in place since the Bighorn Fire started in June, 2020. Thanks to Arizona Trail Association staff, stewards and volunteers, as well as the crews at Arizona Conservation Corps and staff from the Santa Catalina Ranger District, the AZT […]
Read moreThe Grand Canyon Protection Act passed the U.S House of Representatives today! This important conservation legislation would protect the Arizona Trail from dangerous uranium mining north and south of Grand Canyon National Park. Thank you, Congressman Raul Grijalva, and all Representatives who voted in favor of the Act (Gallego, Kirkpatrick, O’Halleran, Stanton). Now, it’s on to the Senate. Please encourage your […]
Read moreFor our last outing, we wanted to celebrate. Over the winter season of After School on the AZT, participants collectively hiked and cross country skied 104 miles; each spent 18 hours learning and adventuring outdoors; visited 6 unique sections of the Arizona Trail; and engaged in numerous outdoor skills and ecology-based lessons. Immeasurable, but perhaps even more important this season, […]
Read moreBackpacking Routes (February 23, 2021) by Hugh Owen Seven months after the southernmost mile of the Arizona Trail (AZT) was closed because of border wall construction, open trenches, unstable soil from blasting, and abandoned construction areas continue to make the trail unsafe for hikers. The AZT (also the Yaqui Ridge Trail) from the Joe’s Canyon Trail junction south to Border Monument 102 […]
Read moreThe southern mile of the Arizona Trail and the southern terminus remain closed and off limits to the public. The trail and terminus have been closed since border wall construction began in July of 2020. A total of 1,250 feet of cement-filled steel barriers have been installed near Border Monument #102. Although President Biden’s Proclamation on January 20, 2021 terminated […]
Read moreOn February 17, After School on the AZT spent a brisk afternoon hiking at Rocky Ridge, learning proper muddy trail etiquette, and diving into the fascinating topic of public lands. With the recent snowmelt, we were very intentional about where we chose to hold this outing. Because, in Flagstaff, wet trails mean muddy trails, and traveling on muddy trails can […]
Read moreOutside Magazine (February 13, 2021) by Grayson Haver Currin The first night Magpie asked Constantine to make out, he demurred—at least initially. The two long-distance hikers had met ten days or so into a thru-hike of the remote Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT). For three weeks they burned through the miles and, that night, crammed into a double bed in a stranger’s house in Washington, they […]
Read moreFor our fourth outing of winter After School on the AZT, we met for an afternoon of hiking, team building, and some good ol’ forest relaxation. It was a lovely afternoon, which only seemed to get sunnier and more pleasant as we progressed along the trail. The Arizona Trail led us toward a beautiful view of Mount Elden, passing […]
Read moreTucson Electric Power/UniSource Energy Services Newsletter (February 2021) As interest in outdoor activities escalated during the pandemic, the Arizona Trail Association stepped up its efforts to educate youth about our surroundings and encourage them to get outside in a safe manner. Through the Seeds of Stewardship program, the association is giving free, outdoor classes to students; providing online, printable guides for […]
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