AZ Trail News

National Forest Foundation (Summer/Fall 2026) by Erin Vivid Riley Stretching from near the Grand Canyon to the Little Colorado River in Northern Arizona is a swath of country that’s nearly the size of Rhode Island. It’s a mix of private, state, and federal land—including the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests—historically part of Babbitt Ranches, a family-owned enterprise that was founded in 1886. When Billy Cordasco, the great-grandson of the ranch’s original […]

Payson Roundup (July 10, 2026) by David C. Bolla Rim Country trail builders are riding high following the release of a new federal report. After more than a decade of advocacy from the mountain biking and bikepacking communities, the Biking on Long Distance Trails (BOLT) Act was signed into law in January of last year. And last month the Highline […]

Pima County (June 30, 2026) Finding a place to park in Summerhaven is a little easier now thanks to a recently completed project undertaken by the Pima County Transportation Department in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration and Coronado National Forest. Visitors to Mount Lemmon can now enjoy a new paved parking lot with 75 spaces as well as 21 additional spaces along Sabino […]

Singletracks (June 27, 2026) by Travis Reil The BOLT Coalition’s portfolio of long-distance trails is poised for massive growth, with 13 potential trail additions that would nearly triple the length of its current list. These proposed routes would add approximately 7,778 miles across 10 states to the existing 5,232 miles of currently recognized trails. From the ambitious 5,000-mile Orogenesis stretching […]

Bikepacking (June 18, 2026) by Miles Arbour Rogue Panda Designs has been designing bikepacking bags purpose-built for the rigors of the Arizona Trail and beyond since 2014, maintaining its position in the industry by innovating, embracing new manufacturing methods, and adapting. Miles spent a few days with founder Nick Smolinske in Flagstaff, Arizona, exploring the workspace and the local machine […]

Singletracks (June 15, 2026) by Greg Heil The holy grail of backcountry mountain biking is the point-to-point singletrack trail. Not a loop. Not a convoluted network. Not a dirt road. Uninterrupted singletrack that takes you from A to B via an epic landscape that will leave an impression lasting a lifetime. Unfortunately, many of the iconic — and most-ridden — […]

Arizona Highways (July 2026) Among the things we love most about Arizona are the people. Around the state, ordinary people are doing extraordinary things. Here are just 10 of them — people doing interesting and innovative work that’s making a difference in their communities. Without exception, they resist taking credit, insisting that their accomplishments result from the work of many […]

Arizona Daily Sun (June 14, 2026) by Ian Torrence Cocodona has concluded but have no fear — this year’s local ultrarunning fun isn’t over. This September, Flagstaff’s original 100-mile race guides runners and mountain bikers from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon on the iconic Arizona National Scenic Trail. The racecourse traces the historic stagecoach line tourists took to reach the […]

Arizona Daily Sun (June 8, 2026) The City of Flagstaff was one of 28 cities recognized last month by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) as a “Trail Town,” a new designation intended to honor communities that support access to robust and well-supported trail networks. “IMBA Trail Towns represent communities that understand the powerful role trails play in shaping vibrant […]

KVOA (June 5, 2026) A new bipartisan measure aims to prevent federal public lands from being sold through budget negotiations, according to U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani’s office. U.S. Reps. Ciscomani and Gabe Vasquez introduced the Public Lands Integrity Act on Thursday, according to the release. The legislation would stop public lands like Sabino Canyon Recreation Area from being sold through […]

Islands (May 23, 2026) by Kate Mothes The United States has myriad trails across its vast and varied landscapes. There are 11 official National Scenic Trails, and they offer some of the world’s most beautiful and ambitious walks. Ranging from 65 to 4,600 miles and covering all of the country’s major mountain ranges, the U.S. National Scenic Trails system appeals […]

AZ Family (May 28, 2026) by Mason Carroll An Arizona man is going to great lengths to honor the man who inspired the Arizona Trail. The Trail runs from the border with Mexico to the border with Utah, and completing it is a rite of passage for endurance hikers. The Arizona Trail winds through 800 miles of desert, forest, and even the […]

Forbes (May 21, 2026) by Emese Maczko Following the devastating wildfire in July 2025, the National Park Service announced that the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park reopened on May 15, 2026. “This year’s reopening carries special significance not just for Arizonans, but for the visitors from everywhere who hold this place close to their hearts,” says Josh Coddington, […]

Arizona Horizon (May 20, 2026) by Ted Simon, Arizona PBS In this episode of “Arizona Horizon,” we will also discuss the Arizona National Scenic Trail’s closure, meant to give way to border wall construction after The Department of Homeland Security and the Arizona Trail Association announced a double-layered border wall through the Coronado National Memorial. Trump administration officials say there is […]

Bikepacking (May 20, 2026) by Daniel Jessee Much continues to happen regarding public land management and access in the United States. In this update, we summarize four significant issues that have made headlines in the last few months… As has become common over the last 15 months, it’s almost impossible to keep up with all the changes within the agencies […]

Tucson Sentinel (May 18, 2026) by Paul Ingram Contractors carving a border wall through the Coronado National Memorial may have ignited a wildfire last week that consumed around 60 acres of the protected landscape. Around 1:17 p.m. on Thursday, the Yaqui Fire was first reported near a wall construction area on the southern edge of the Huachuca Mountains, less than […]

Arizona Highways (May 16, 2026) by Annette McGivney After yearsin a demanding state goverment job and a lifetime of frigid Minnesota winters, Mary Jo Kvidera was ready to move someplace warm and peaceful when she retired. In February 2018, she bought a home in Superior, having been drawn by the town’s mild climate and scenic location at the foot of […]

Arizona Daily Sun (May 16, 2026) by Larry Hendricks The wind blows, but we’re protected by the trees. The pines and leafless aspens creak and groan amid the knocks of woodpeckers and flickers rooting out bugs from the trunks of grayed snags. The deer grass, browned and flattened from winter snows, is about to burst alive in vivid green. The […]

KTAR (May 17, 2026) by Serena O’Sullivan Visitors returned to Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim on Friday for the first time since the Dragon Bravo Fire scorched the area last year. The fire burned about 145,000 acres over more than two months, becoming the seventh largest wildfire in Arizona history. Because of safety concerns tied to the fire, the National Park […]

Arizona Republic (May 14, 2026) by Brandon Loomis A fire near the U.S.-Mexico border south of Sierra Vista has closed a mountain pass through the Coronado National Memorial, according to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office. The department released a statement in the afternoon on May 14 saying it was closing Montezuma Canyon Road from the memorial park’s entrance to Montezuma Pass as firefighters were en route […]

KGUN-TV (April 20, 2026) by Kenny Darr A project aimed at easing long-standing parking issues on Mount Lemmon is now in its final stages, with new spaces expected to open just in time for the often busy summer season. While parking may not be a problem on a quiet weekday, business owners and visitors say that’s far from the reality […]