By Michele Nelson ~ Payson Roundup “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” That’s the question Jody Bartz put to Gabby, a middle school-aged girl attending the Gateway Community Girls Mountain Biking Camp in Pine the weekend of May 20-21. The two locked eyes over the front tire and handlebars of a mountain bike, Gabby in the saddle, Bartz […]
Read moreLaurie “Lulu” Martin ~ May 14th, 2023 Laurie entered this world on June 10, 1954 in Geneva, IL and peacefully passed into the next world on May 14, 2023 in Wickenburg, AZ. She was the youngest of Richard and Margaret Shewalter’s four children. Laurie moved to Arizona when she was 17 and spent 51 wonderful years as a pillar of […]
Read moreFor time immemorial, trails have been an integral part of Indigenous life and wellbeing, serving as routes for migration, trade, everyday travel, connection, and communication with neighboring communities—and today, many of these ancient footpaths are part of the National Trails System, whose tracks stretch more than 89,000 miles across ancestral lands in the US. Yet many trail names honor European settlers […]
Read morePublic News Service (May 17, 2023) by Alex Gonzalez The Arizona Trail stretches 800 miles across Arizona, from Mexico to Utah. The trek is considered by many a “lifeline,” under threat with fire season fast approaching. Matthew Nelson, Executive Director of the Arizona Trail Association, said the trail helps sustain communities such as Superior and Miami, Arizona, which benefit from […]
Read moreAs you gaze in awe at the wildflowers and enjoy a memorable hike, run or ride along the Arizona Trail, please help us celebrate by donating today in support of our important Spring Fundraiser! During the month of May, a $25 donation will get you a one-year Arizona Trail Association membership and this special edition retro sticker. This classic Southwestern design was […]
Read moreThe Trek (May 12023) by Rachel Shoemaker The Arizona Trail Association recently installed a 1,500-gallon Remote Rainwater Collector along an arid segment of trail in Passage 15 in Pinal County. The installation of this collector, which was completed on April 6, is a welcome addition that will bring much-needed relief to hikers on this 28.1-mile dry stretch of trail. The unit, which is the […]
Read morePayson Roundup (April 25, 2023) by Michele Nelson Mountain biking has been a male dominated sport, but the Forest Service hopes to encourage more girls to take up the sport. Arizona Trail Association program directors noticed that when boys and girls from this age group did a mountain biking clinic together, the girls let the boys take over the questions […]
Read moreOn April 6, Arizona Trail Association staff and volunteers completed installation of a Remote Rainwater Collector along a particularly arid segment of trail on Passage 15 in Pinal County. This unit is located north of the Freeman Road Trailhead on the ancestral lands of the O’odham and Western Apache, and holds 1,500 gallons of water. This is the second remote […]
Read moreYesterday, tribal leaders of the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, joined by Congressman Raúl Grijalva and Senator Kyrsten Sinema, launched an effort to call on President Biden to use his authorities under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. Baaj Nwaavjo means “where tribes roam” for the Havasupai Tribe, and I’tah Kukveni […]
Read moreThe North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will open on Friday, June 2 at 6 a.m. to mark the official start of the 2023 season. Following a record-setting snow season, this delayed opening is necessary to ensure the safe plowing of State Route 67 and allow staff to reopen visitor facilities on the North Rim. Key changes this […]
Read moreKNAU (March 21, 2023) by Bree Burkitt Arizona-born writer and journalist Tom Zoellner is out with a new book about his 46-day journey hiking the nearly 800-mile Arizona Trail. Rim to River: Looking into the Heart of Arizona is a collection of essays Zoellner created as a way to better understand his home state after years at odds with Arizona’s sprawling urban […]
Read moreWhite Mountain Independent (March 22, 2023) by Michele Nelson Meandering along the face of the 2,000-foot-tall Mogollon Rim, the Highline Trail threads the boundary between ponderosa pine and pinyon juniper forests. The soaring cliffs capture storms, creating springs, drainages and hidden canyons. These storms and the Rim’s geology provide a unique ecological meeting place for plants and animals from the […]
Read moreRecent reports from hikers show that the crossing at the East Verde River is at a record high! Crossing this river requires wading in cold, deep water. You will see AZT signs on both sides of the river, however most hikers cross at the rapids 20 yards downstream since this is where it’s the most shallow. The calmer water is […]
Read moreWe are excited to announce an employment opportunity with the Arizona Trail Association! The Administrative Director is a core member of the ATA staff and is responsible for overseeing administrative details, bookkeeping, payroll, membership, public engagement, and a variety of duties to ensure the success of the organization. Experience with nonprofit financial bookkeeping and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles is required, […]
Read moreIf you weren’t able to join us at the Desert Botanical Garden for the Arizona Trail Association’s 29th Annual Meeting on Sunday, March 5, please check out the video on our YouTube page here. Thanks to Craig Baker for capturing video and photographs from the big day!
Read moreTom Zoellner walked across the length of Arizona to come to terms with his home state. But the trip revealed more mountains behind the mountains. Rim to River is the story of this extraordinary journey through redrock country, down canyons, up mesas, and across desert plains to the obscure valley in Mexico that gave the state its enigmatic name. The trek […]
Read moreASU News (Feb 28, 2023) by Scott Bordow Award-winning author Tom Zoellner explores his relationship with AZ in his latest book Tom Zoellner was born in Colorado but he’s an Arizonan through and through. His great-great-grandfather was a cotton farmer on Homestead Act land near Papago Buttes. Zoellner went to elementary school and high school in Arizona, and later worked […]
Read moreThe Arizona Trail Association acknowledges our support for the federal climate and clean energy investments as part of The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to encourage Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs, the new Office of Resiliency, state agencies, and Arizona’s elected leaders to deploy these investments to ensure they are getting to the communities that need them the […]
Read moreArizona Highways (February 2023) by Kelly Vaughn I’VE LOST ROB KRAR. Well, kind of. It’s midafternoon on a Thursday, and we’re running a segment of the Arizona Trail near the San Francisco Peaks. Krar detours into the woods. So, I am — if only briefly — outpacing one of the world’s elite endurance athletes. Within seconds, though, I hear him, […]
Read moreIn December, a multi-modal survey from TargetSmart engaged adults registered to vote in the state of Arizona to assess top priorities within the Grand Canyon State. Over 800 individuals participated via phone, text and online platforms to share their thoughts on policy priorities relating to our economy, environment, border issues, healthcare, education, partisanship and more. The poll has a credibility […]
Read moreInside Grand Canyon National Park, the composting toilet facility at the Tip Off on the South Kaibab Trail will be closed February 23-March 27 for maintenance. There will be no restroom facilities available for public use during this time. Hikers should plan ahead before entering the canyon and use either the restroom facilities at Cedar Ridge or at Phantom Ranch. […]
Read moreCurrent members of the Arizona Trail Association are asked to please take just one minute to vote in our annual Board of Directors using this simple online ballot. Your vote will help elect community members who are interested in guiding the future of the Arizona Trail Association as volunteer board members. There are four prospective Board Members interested in serving […]
Read moreOur 29th Annual Meeting is happening on Sunday, March 5 at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, and you are invited to attend. ATA Board and Staff will highlight some of greatest accomplishments from 2022, honor outstanding volunteers and agency partners, hear from guest speakers, and much more. The event is scheduled from 10 am – 1 pm and will include […]
Read moreLF Ranch is closed to visitors. Please respect the private property owner by staying on the AZT to the east of the ranch.
Read moreBe aware that the flow of the Gila River near the historic townsite of Cochran is established by releases from the San Carlos Dam upstream and, with seasonal runoff, is highly variable. When in doubt, don’t cross the Gila River at Cochran. Instead, drive to the Kelvin Access Trailhead or the Florence-Kelvin Highway Trailhead nearby.
Read moreNorth of Walnut Spring the trail sharply descends and ascends 1,000 feet over a 1.8 mile horizontal distance. Equestrians have had problems in this steep area, the south side of which burned severely in 2019. Near the north end of this passage, the trail passes through rocky and narrow Cottonwood Canyon for 3 miles, and tends to suffer from the summer monsoon […]
Read moreWe encourage you to tell your Arizona Trail story with the help of this new membership perk – an Arizona Trail word magnet. Put it on your refrigerator or other metallic surface at home and let the creativity flow! Haiku, limericks, prose, inspirations and memories are all encouraged. Mix it up daily or weekly, and get stoked to get back […]
Read moreDue to private property issues, there is no public access along Red Rock Canyon Road between Harshaw Road and the Arizona Trail. Please do not use Red Rock Canyon Road to connect the AZT back toward the town of Patagonia.
Read moreKVOA (Jan 7, 2023) by Gabrielle Parish Tomorrow marks the twelve-year anniversary of the January 8th, mass shooting that killed six people, and injured more along with former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. Beyond kicked off its 12th annual walk to honor those impacted by the mass shooting that took place in Tucson on January 8th, 2011. “Gabe’s not gonna come back,” […]
Read moreTrail Runner Magazine (January 3, 2023) by Brian Metzler The FKT of the Year voting panel was asked to select the top five women’s FKTs of 2022 (from a pool of 22 finalists culled by the Fastest Known Time staff) and rank them in order from first to fifth. Katie Brown’s Arizona Trail FKT was second with 60 points. Brown […]
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