On May 1st, 2019, forty-two students from the 5th grade class at Flagstaff Junior Academy visited Griffith’s Spring to study concerts old and new. With large groups, it’s always important to spilt into smaller groups for optimal learning and minimizing impact. On this day students rotated between collecting aquatic macro invertebrate specimens, measuring water chemical qualities, and looking for […]
Read moreBACKPACKER Magazine (May/June 2019) by Ryan Wichelns We talk about solitude like its last bastions are disappearing. But there’s a place where isolation still rules and evidence of the last travelers is erased before the next ones arrive. You just have to head west to the vast wilds held by the Bureau of Land Management. There are few permits, fewer […]
Read moreNothing helps a person feel the fall vibes quite like a sycamore tree. Its red star shaped leaves carpet creek banks and offer an orange tinted light to the surrounding world. It was a perfect day for a hike, and Empire High School took full advantage of this. On November 14th, 6 students traveled into the Little Rincon Mountains in […]
Read moreOn April 26, 2019, sixty-one students from Mount Elden Middle School 8th grade traveled to the Arizona Trail north of the San Francisco Peaks to learn more about the way water travels downhill, how to design trail to make minimal impact on the watershed and make some drainage improvements to the trail. Students rotated between working with volunteers and […]
Read moreOutdoor Evolution (April, 2019) by Heidi Blankenship, Stephen Chaffee & Sarah Jansen Three authors share their three different experiences on one trail… Inspiration on the Arizona Trail by Heidi Elizabeth Blankenship The Arizona Trail: Passages in Poetry by Stephen N. Chaffee Pedaling Home on the Arizona Trail by Sarah Ruth Jansen To read the complete article, click here.
Read moreGear Junkie (April 23, 2019) by Nate Mitka Jeff Garmire hiked and ran the 800-mile Arizona Trail, which stretches across the entirety of Arizona, faster than anyone else. For the feat, he averaged more than 50 miles per day. Verified by FastestKnownTime.com, Garmire set the self-supported and overall fastest known time for the Arizona Trail on April 21, 2019. He completed […]
Read moreOn April 18, 2019, twenty-seven students of Ms. Esparza’s 5th grade class at Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School visited Griffith’s Spring near Flagstaff to continue their semester long study of watersheds, water quality, and human impacts on the environment. Students hiked a total of a mile round trip. While at Griffiths spring they conducted water chemical quality testing to […]
Read moreSunset Magazine (April, 2019) by Dina Mishev An epic backpacking trip is one way to see the Arizona Trail. But a chill hiking weekend in the throwback town of Superior will do just fine, where you’ll find frontier ruggedness mixed with a Mayberry-in-the-desert vibe. The Arizona Trail, the Southwest’s answer to the Appalachian Trail, stretches from the state’s Mexican border […]
Read moreWCAX (April 8, 2019) A Vermonter is recovering after a hike in Arizona turned into a trip to the hospital. Kaija Johnson planned to spend two weeks hiking the Arizona Trail but halfway through her journey, she was bitten by a rattlesnake. She says it happened deep in a canyon and the snake never gave any warning before striking her […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (April 14, 2019) by Julie Hammonds “Runners coming,” the volunteer shouted. It was midnight, and the Watson Tank aid station on the Stagecoach 100 course sprang into action. As volunteers left the campfire to cheer the incoming relays, I took my place on the trail, adjusted my gear and began swinging my arms to release the tension. […]
Read moreWarming springtime temperatures throughout southern and central Arizona welcome reptiles to emerge from their winter brumation. They’re out in abundance right now, and you can expect to see an impressive variety of lizards and snakes while on the Arizona Trail. Obviously, one of the biggest concerns is rattlesnakes. These pit vipers are active during both day and night (depending on […]
Read moreOn April 11, 2019, twenty-five students of Mr. Caslin’s 5th grade class at Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School visited Griffith’s Spring near Flagstaff to continue their semester long study of watersheds, water quality, and human impacts on the environment. Students hiked a total of a mile round trip. While at Griffiths spring they conducted water chemical quality testing to […]
Read moreThe first of the winter rains bring a sense of joy and excitement to every living thing in the desert. Some things seek refuge from the rain, but with Seeds of Stewardship, we chase the rain looking for where it pools and collects. This journey takes us into mountain landscapes and valleys, and for our sake we seek the places […]
Read moreJust an hour south of Tucson, the landscape transitions from a spacious desert landscape to a sea of golden grasses. The high deserts that surround the Sonoita/Patagonia area are filled with staple plants such as yucca, juniper, oak, ocotillo, and pine. The fauna types include pronghorn antelope, mountain lion, black bear, jaguar, ocelot, golden eagles, and much more. This diversity […]
Read moreOctober was the month we explored water in the desert. Like most deserts, where there is water there is life. Often a dense and diverse range of species, even the same individuals, cohabitating in a very isolated area. For Seeds of Stewardship, the soft weather months become our time to migrate to this place, and we become a part of […]
Read moreOn October days in the Sonoran Desert, everything begins to get a little quieter. The summer’s heat is still radiating, though slowly fading away. This is something the entire desert can feel, with cool mornings and comfortable middays, it makes for perfect outdoor learning environments. On October 17th, 9 students from Project More High School embarked on an adventure into […]
Read moreOn February 15, 2019, a group of 7 students from Kino School traveled to Sabino Canyon National Recreation Area to see the effects of a recent winter storm and learn about water in the desert. I am so grateful that the students were willing to be flexible due to the weather. It had rained over 4 inches on top of Mt. […]
Read moreOn March 6, 2019, 60 students from Mount Elden Middle School 6th grade met with SOS educator at the Picketpost trailhead to view and experience a passage of the Arizona Trail very different from the ones they are used to in Flagstaff. Students had the opportunity to take a 1 mile hike to explore the desert ecology and experience […]
Read morePayson Roundup (Feb 19, 2019) by Michele Nelson Mike Buckley stared at the gun on his desk. “It was the night I started to crack,” he said in front of more than 200 members of the Arizona Trail Association at its annual meeting recently. The 30-year Army veteran commanded a bomb squad in Afghanistan, but after months of sending his […]
Read moreOn October 15th, 2018, 8 students from Empire High School Embarked on an adventure into Cienega Creek. Using the Arizona Trail and starting from Gabe Zimmerman Trail Head, our journey took us through a wild and changing landscape. This was the first expedition of the semester for these students, and what trip it was. Our mission was to explore the exotic […]
Read moreOn October 4th, 2018, 8 students from City High School hiked into Cienega Creek using the Arizona Trail. This was the second expedition of the semester. Our goal was to explore perennial waterways that connect the Sky Islands, and understand just how impactful these creeks can be to the surrounding deserts. As well, this is a literacy class and our partnership […]
Read moreSedona Red Rock News (February 6, 2019) by Ivan Leonard After his first fundraiser run in 2017, Hansen has made it a yearly tradition to run for the school. “A couple of years ago my wife asked if I was interested in running a marathon for the school,” Hansen said. “Running a marathon was on my bucket list so she […]
Read moreOn January 30, 2019, forty students from Flagstaff Junior Academy made a visit to the Arizona Nordic Village to experience the joy of learning outdoors in the winter. If you think getting 40 5th graders dressed in snow clothes, boots, and snowshoes is easy, you’ve definitely never done it. Figuring out the straps, getting them tightened down, and then […]
Read moreOn January 24, 2019, twenty students from Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy made a visit to the Flagstaff Nordic Village to make the most out of the remaining snow. Out of 20 students only 5 had ever nordic skied before. Just learning to lace boots tightly, and attach them to the ski was a difficult skill that took focus, […]
Read moreVisit Tucson Magazine (2019) Hikers, mountain bikers, trail runners, and equestrians — an adventure of a lifetime awaits you on the Arizona National Scenic Trail. This non-motorized path, part of the National Trails System, stretches 800 miles from Mexico to Utah. It has numerous access points, allowing you to choose your own adventure — whether it’s a day trip, an […]
Read moreBikepacking.com (January 16, 2019) by Nicolaus Hawbaker Nicolaus Hawbaker rode the length of the Arizona Trail for his first bikepacking trip, and found himself asking big questions about wilderness stewardship as he pedaled through its picturesque landscapes. In this short essay, he reflects on the lasting impression his time on the trail left on him, and offers some thoughts on […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (January 13, 2019) by Alexandra Wittenburg It is clear that Lyndsay Hupp, creator of Huppy Bar, the locally-produced, nationally-eaten natural whole food energy bar, loves adventure. The Ohio native grew up playing all kinds of sports. When she was a teenager, she discovered whitewater rafting, mountain biking and climbing. At 17, she visited the southwest and fell in […]
Read moreKVOA-Tucson (January 11, 2019) by Jeff Beamish It’s a gateway to the Arizona Trail and honors one of the lives lost in the January 8th tragedy. The Gabe Zimmerman Trailhead resides at Davidson Canyon on Tucson’s southeast side. Part trail, part memorial, complete with namesake, mural and one of Gabe’s poems etched in stone. Within the trailhead: a 32 mile […]
Read moreSix Days of Racing on the Arizona Trail Mountain Flyer (Winter 2019) by Kurt Refsnider It took a moment to realize just where I was as I opened my eyes. Still enveloped by the dark of night, my groggy, fatigued brain started to replay memories from the prior day: a strangely humid morning, bonking hard while ascending out of the […]
Read moreA Look at the West’s Water Crisis Via the Arizona Trail Mountain Flyer (Winter 2019) by Ian Catto | Images by Whitton Feer My father would play Johnny Cash often when I was young, so I grew a liking for his music as a kid. His voice is deep and intense, but his lyrics are poetic and entertaining. One song […]
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