Sierra Magazine (June 2, 2019) by Megan Hill Before Jean Taggart left home to conquer the 800-mile Arizona Trail last year, she made a detailed spreadsheet to organize her resupply provisions. To update friends and family on her progress, she bought a Garmin inReach Mini, which is a GPS and satellite messenger. She poured over hiker blogs and absorbed detailed […]
Read moreArizona Jewish Post (May 31, 2019) Israeli elite mountain bike racer Chanoch Redlich won the 750-mile Arizona Trail Race, a self-supported ride that stretches from Mexico to Utah. Redlich won this year’s ride in just over eight days, riding in 20-22 hour stretches with two to four hours of sleep before the next stretch. Redlich stayed at the home of […]
Read moreMay 28th, 2019, twenty-three students from Ms. Patterson’s class at Flagstaff Junior Academy finally had a well deserved trip to Griffith’s Spring to remove invasive species and study water health. The previous day, students participated in several simulations to look at both how invasive species disrupt an ecosystem and the way energy flows from producers, to primary, secondary, and […]
Read moreWe are delighted to offer the third in a series of commemorative mugs celebrating the natural beauty of the Arizona National Scenic Trail! This handmade mug features a scene from the Kaibab Plateau Passage of the AZT near the North Rim of Grand Canyon, including lush meadows, dense fir forests, and an American bison. This was the first segment of […]
Read moreBackpacker Radio (May 24, 2019) Episode 38 In today’s episode of Backpacker Radio, myself plus a very special guest co-host are joined by Legend. He’s back, and does he have new stories to share. We chat all about his previous year, which was arguably busier than anyone in the backpacking world, including his Great Western Loop, a 7,000 mile hike, […]
Read moreJournalAZ.com (May 21, 2019) by John Hecht In 2009, the Arizona Trail became a National Scenic trail, finalizing a project to connect many of the trail systems in the state that had been first proposed in 1985. Traversing Arizona from Mexico to Utah, the Arizona Trail crosses over 800 miles of the Grand Canyon State. Now, the idea of another […]
Read moreThe Fountain Hills Times (May 19, 2019) by Bob Charzuk Almost halfway through his 800-mile hike on the Arizona Trail, John (Jay) Waters, a 30 year career Army man, spent two nights dining with local veterans and enjoying a comfortable bed and shower. By the time Waters arrived May 6 at Lakeshore Hotel and Suites, he had been on the […]
Read moreThis is Tucson (May 18, 2019) by Angela Pittenger There are so many hiking trails to explore in and around Tucson. But having so many options also makes it kinda hard to decide where to go, especially for the casual weekend hiker. That’s where I come in. (Hi!) I’m going to hike some of these trails and tell you what […]
Read moreOn May 16th, 2019, fifty-two students from Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School visited Marshall Lake south of Flagstaff near the Arizona Trail to remove invasive weed species. Prior to our visit students participated in a simulation to demonstrate the way invasive take over an area and why they can be so problematic. They also learned to identify some common […]
Read moreBike Magazine (May 14, 2019) by Kurt Refsnider The 2019 edition of the self-supported Arizona Trail 300 saw Scottish adventurers win both the women’s and men’s fields. Impressively, neither Annie Lloyd-Evans nor Huw Oliver had ever before ridden in the desert, but despite that, both found the slow, technical trail much to their liking. The AZT300 is one of the […]
Read moreTucson Sentinel (May 13, 2019) by Dylan Smith Smoke will be visible in the Rincon Mountains east of Tucson this week as more than 500 acres on Mica Mountain are set to be cleared with a prescribed fire, officials said. With weather conditions “finally looking ideal” to clear underbrush and downed trees with a moderate-intensity blaze, Saguaro National Park fire […]
Read moreArizona Daily Sun (May 11, 2019) by Scott Buffon Many in Flagstaff love their trail systems that can help them avoid paved roads while winding through the ponderosa pines and scaling mountainsides. But love alone can’t build new trails or refurbish old ones. Currently, the Flagstaff Trails Initiative is creating a master plan through the unified effort of agencies and citizen […]
Read morePayson Roundup (April 9, 2019) by Keith Morris Margaret de Hesse knows a thing or two about distance running. We’re not talking marathons either. No, longer than that. “I’m an ultrarunner,” said de Hesse. “These are typically all trail races in the U.S. and internationally of at least 50 miles. There are many 50-kilometer (31.24 miles) and 100-K (62.5 miles) […]
Read moreExploring the Arizona Trail with Matt Nelson (May 1, 2019) by Lori the Explorer Today’s guest is Matt Nelson, Executive Director of the Arizona Trail Association. Matt has a passion for the mountains, being outdoors and providing opportunities for the next generation to become adventurers and stewards of the land. The Arizona Trail stretches 800 miles across Arizona from Mexico […]
Read moreOn 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 […]
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