thetrek.co~ MAY 20TH : GOOD ZEN Part 9: Oracle to Kearney: The Prometheus of Poo Much of the land after Oracle is a flat expanse between mountains. A good place for music, audiobooks, or conversation. The trail flew by for once, and with Mt. Lemmon a recent memory, Ice Cream and I were grateful to have some cruisy ground to […]
Read moreThe Cody Fire started on May 21 and has forced an evacuation of the town of Oracle as well as a closure of the Arizona Trail’s Passages 12 (Red Ridge) and 13 (Oracle). Please avoid the AZT between Red Ridge Trailhead on Mt Lemmon and Tiger Mine Trailhead until the fire is under control and the trail has been determined […]
Read moreThis is the time of year when the Arizona State Legislature returns from recess to hammer out the final details of next year’s budget. We need your help to encourage them to dedicate funding for Arizona Trail maintenance and construction. There is a line item in our state budget for Arizona Trail Fund, and it is used to pay conservation […]
Read morewww.audubon.org ~ By Haley Paul Annual state budget needs to include funding that protects Arizona’s lands and waters- $250,000 from the General Fund for the Arizona Trail: The Arizona Trail spans 800 miles from the Utah border south to the border with Mexico, crossing important habitats for birds like Coopers Hawks and American Goshawks. The Trail is open to non-motorized […]
Read moreIn response to recent concerns about gastrointestinal illness along the Arizona Trail and potential causes being the Gila River and Remote Rainwater Collector, the ATA took water samples to a local laboratory for analysis. Results can be found here: Gila River – Passage 16 Rainwater Collector – Passage 17 The only alarming result is the presence of E. coli in […]
Read moreStage II Fire Restrictions are now in place on public lands throughout southern Arizona. The following are prohibited on lands, roads, and trails: Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building Welding or operating any acetylene or other torch with an open area Discharging a firearm, air rifle, or gas […]
Read moreFrom May 4-10, we are celebrating the deserts, mountains, canyons, forests, lakes, streams, and trails that make Arizona such an incredible place to live, work, play and explore. Today, we are encouraging you to stand up for public lands, which are currently being threatened. The time for you to take action is NOW. There are members of Congress pushing for […]
Read moreVisit Arizona (April 21, 2025) As the city where Pluto was discovered, Flagstaff is famous for its dark skies. And as this episode of “Arizona Revealed” shows, it’s also beloved as a four-season destination where the changing seasons set life’s cadence. Featuring the Arizona Trail, Lowell Observatory, Museum of Northern Arizona, and Arizona Nordic Village, click here to watch this […]
Read moreDid you get sick while visiting the Arizona National Scenic Trail in the 2025 spring season? The Arizona Department of Health Services is following up on reports of people with gastrointestinal illness while hiking the Arizona Trail this spring. This online survey will help gather information from individuals that were sick with a gastrointestinal illness after visiting the Arizona National […]
Read moreThe Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) reminds the public to protect themselves and their pets by keeping a safe distance from wildlife, especially animals that may be behaving abnormally, such as those that appear aggressive and/or lacking a fear of humans. The reminder comes as an increasing number of rabies-related incidents have been reported statewide. A recent Arizona Department […]
Read moreKVOA (April 14, 2025) by Zachary Johnson Over the weekend, U.S. Border Patrol agents successfully rescued two U.S. citizens stranded in the remote deserts of Southern Arizona. On Saturday, Tucson Sector BORSTAR agents, alongside the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a hiker near the Superstition Mountains who reported a potentially broken ankle. A rescue team aboard Pinal Air 1 […]
Read moreNorovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastrointestinal illness and has recently affected hikers and bikers along certain sections of the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT), particularly around Kearny, Superior and Roosevelt. This advisory is intended to help trail users understand the risk and take proper precautions. What is Norovirus? Norovirus spreads easily through contaminated food, water, surfaces, […]
Read moreThe Lumberjack (April 5, 2025) by Darby Walker Protesters gathered at the Arizona Capitol building on March 27 to hold a “Rally for Public Lands,” showing support for national parks, monuments and federally protected public land being threatened by policy changes. Rally attendees advocated for various issues, the most prominent of which included a lawsuit in Utah that could open federal […]
Read moreThe U.S. Senate, by a slim three-vote margin, has approved public lands being sold to reduce the federal deficit as well as the total acreage managed by federal land management agencies. During a late-night session April 4, 51 senators voted against an amendment that would have blocked the sale of public lands. All but two Republicans —Senator Daines and Senator […]
Read moreURGENT: The fate of our public lands is on the line. Right now, lawmakers are considering selling off public lands to cover tax cuts and federal expenses—putting forests, mountains, deserts, canyons and trails at risk. This is a short-sighted move with irreversible consequences. Once public lands are gone, they’re gone forever. Tonight, the Senate will vote on Senator Heinrich’s Amendments […]
Read moreNewsbreak (April 1, 2025) by John Goodman In the southern stretch of Arizona, where the desert climbs into forested mountains and saguaros give way to sycamores, you’ll find the Sky Islands—an archipelago of peaks rising from the Sonoran lowlands like green ships in a sea of ochre. It’s a strange and wonderful geography: a mix of sky-high wilderness and borderland […]
Read moreThe Arizona Trail Association does more than just maintain the 800-mile Arizona Trail. We also install gates and interpretive signs, improve water sources, and construct new trail segments to remove the AZT from roads. We also build community, foster stewardship, and provide life-changing opportunities for people of all ages. This season, your donation supports vital programs like AZT VETS, which helps military […]
Read morePlease join us at the Arizona State Capitol on Thursday, March 27 at 1 pm for a non-partisan Rally for Public Lands! This is an opportunity to come together in celebration of the lands, waters, trails, wildlife and outdoor recreation activities that make the Grand Canyon State so special. Currently, there are many threats at the state and federal levels […]
Read moreBackpacker (March 11, 2025) by Nathan Pipenberg With the busy summer season around the corner, there’s one prevailing sentiment among those who look after the nation’s trails: uncertainty. After news of mass firings and funding cuts at federal agencies like the National Park Service, many hikers and other outdoors recreationists held out hope that nonprofits, conservation corps, and volunteers would […]
Read moreGrand Canyon National Park has officially confirmed that walk-up backcountry permits will be available for spring thru-hikers in 2025 with the following date ranges: April 1 – May 14: Sites will only be available at Cottonwood Campground May 15 – June 11: Sites will also be made available at Bright Angel Campground If you are arriving before or after these […]
Read moreSingletracks (March 12, 2025) by Greg Heil Arizona is littered with thousands of miles of fantastic singletrack. Here are 5 of the best mountain bike trails to explore. Thousands of miles of narrow, rocky, sandy singletrack trails lace the state of Arizona from north to south and east to west. Arizona has it all: from rugged backcountry trails to urban […]
Read moreUSA Today (March 11, 2025) by Dave Stamboulis Once the snow melts and the spring blooms start, it’s the perfect time to get out on the trails. The U.S. boasts a wealth of spectacular natural beauty and protected national parks and wilderness areas, including the National Scenic Trails. Part of the National Trails System, which comprises almost 25,000 miles, they link […]
Read moreBackpacker (March 11, 2025) by Nathan Pipenberg With the busy summer season around the corner, there’s one prevailing sentiment among those who look after the nation’s trails: uncertainty. After news of mass firings and funding cuts at federal agencies like the National Park Service, many hikers and other outdoors recreationists held out hope that nonprofits, conservation corps, and volunteers would […]
Read moreThe Trek (March 10, 2025) by Caitlin Hardee It’s every international thru-hiker’s worst nightmare: training for a long hike, saving enough money for the trip, and clearing your calendar, only to be stopped at the border and turned back before ever setting foot on US soil — let alone the trail. Seasoned German thru-hiker and Trek blogger Annika “Ravenclaw” Ananias says that […]
Read moreTucson Sentinel (Mar 9, 2025) by Alysa Horton Arizona national parks and forests are already feeling a strain on resources after President Donald Trump’s executive order for a federal hiring freeze and extensive firings. Grand Canyon National Park, one of the state’s 22 national park sites, reported wait times being twice as long as usual just a week after the National […]
Read morePhoenix New Times (March 6, 2025) by Alysa Horton Arizona national parks and forests are already feeling a strain on resources after President Donald Trump’s executive order for a federal hiring freeze and extensive firings. Grand Canyon National Park, one of the state’s 22 national park sites, reported wait times being twice as long as usual just a week after the National […]
Read moreSubstack (March 5, 2025) by Greg Runge On March 4, 2025, former President Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress, and among the topics he touched on was the supposed unfairness of transgender athletes in women’s sports. In his speech, transcribed by The Associated Press, he cited an example of a cycling record that he claimed was proof of the […]
Read moreCronkite News (March 5, 2025) by Alysa Horton Arizona National parks and forests are already feeling a strain on resources after President Donald Trump’s executive order for a federal hiring freeze and extensive firings. Grand Canyon National Park, one of the state’s 22 national park sites, reported wait times being twice as long as usual just a week after the National […]
Read moreCronkite News (March 5, 2025) by Emily Fox-Million The trails in Arizona are full of people enjoying our public lands. We look at how the National Park and Forest Service layoffs are impacting tourism in our state. Watch the video here.
Read moreKJZZ | By Ginia McFarland Published February 26, 2025 at 9:26 AM MST The U.S. Forest Service laid off 10% of its workforce. The state relies on the Forest Service for maintenance of trails, fighting wildfires and access to public lands throughout Arizona. Read More.
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