Highline Hold’Em 2023: if you build it they will come

By Michele Nelson Payson Roundup ~ Saturday’s event marked the third year for the Highline Hold’Em mountain bike fundraising ride, and ridership increased by 70%. And that shows how a million-dollar Forest Service investment in the Highline Trail can spur the local economy and increase use of the forest. The Forest Service, the Rim Country Mountain Bike Association and other […]

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Camping Ban Near Flagstaff Impacts Passages 31, 32, 33, 34

The Coconino National Forest has expanded the boundaries of the existing year-round camping and campfire ban located adjacent to the City of Flagstaff in an attempt to lower the hazard from human-caused wildfires. A full map of the expanded camping and campfire ban, which went into effect May 1, 2023, is available on the Coconino National Forest’s website. This information is also on all Arizona Trail navigational resources, including […]

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New National Monument Includes Protection for 40 Miles of the Arizona National Scenic Trail

On August 8, members of the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition and leaders from conservation, sportsmen, recreation, faith and outdoor organizations joined President Biden as he used his authorities under the Antiquities Act to protect 917,618 acres adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park as Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument. This includes nearly 40 […]

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New Coalition Expands Access to Environmental Education to Students Across Northern Arizona

Arizona Daily Star ~ August 5, 2023 ~ by Adrian Skabelund New Coalition Expands Access to Environmental Education to Students Across Northern Arizona With thousands of children preparing to return to the classroom across Flagstaff next week, a new coalition is working to better connect northern Arizona students to outdoor and environmental educational opportunities. The Environmental Education Coalition, spearheaded by […]

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Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Legislature Support the Arizona Trail

The 2023 Arizona budget includes a historic $500,000 investment in the Arizona National Scenic Trail. The bipartisan budget shows the dedication of elected officials to support outdoor recreation and conservation efforts.  Senator David Gowan (LD-19) sponsored the original appropriation bill. “The Arizona Trail is a gem within our state and creates an incredible opportunity for people of all shapes, sizes, […]

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Stage 1 Fire Restrictions Begin

Beginning Thursday, June 29th Stage 1 fire and smoking restrictions will be in effect across the entirety of the Coconino National Forest and the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. Portions of the Tonto National Forest have been under Stage 1 restrictions since June 6, including the Mazatzal, Four Peaks and Superstition Mountain ranges. For information on all […]

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Coronado National Forest Releases Santa Catalina Trail Plan

After 18 months of hard work, our partners at the Coronado National Forest have released the first comprehensive trail plan for the Santa Catalina Ranger District, which includes the northern slope of the Rincon Mountains, Mount Lemmon, Summerhaven and Oracle Ridge.  According to Adam Milnor, Recreation, Heritage and Lands Staff Officer for the Forest, the plan includes projects to “diversify […]

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IN MEMORIAM: Laurie “Lulu” Martin

Laurie “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 […]

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This New Map Highlights How Hiking Trails Intersect With Indigenous Lands

For 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 […]

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Public News Service – Arizona Trail

Public 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 […]

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Special Membership Offer for the Month of May

As 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 […]

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1,500-Gallon Rainwater Collector Installed on Arid Section of Arizona Trail

The 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 […]

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Rainwater Collector Installed Along Arid Segment of Arizona Trail in Pinal County

On 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 […]

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New National Monument Proposal Would Protect Forty Miles of the Arizona National Scenic Trail South of Grand Canyon National Park

Yesterday, 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 […]

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Walking between two worlds

White 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 […]

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We are Hiring An Administrative Director

We 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, […]

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Award-winning author Tom Zoellner explores his relationship with Arizona in his latest book, written while thru-hiking the Arizona Trail

Tom 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 […]

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History PhD candidate turns 46-day walk into a love letter to Arizona

ASU 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 […]

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The Arizona Trail Association Supports Federal Climate and Clean Energy Investments

The 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 […]

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So Far. So Good.

Arizona 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, […]

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Poll Results Show Overwhelming Support for Arizona Trail & Arizona’s Outdoor Recreation Economy

In 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 […]

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