On November 13, 2018, 50 Students from Northland Preparatory Academy went to Gooseberry Springs on the Arizona Trail Mormon Lake Passage to attempt some trail work and trail design lessons. It turned out, that though we studied trail design and cross slope a little, our biggest lesson was how to prepare for and manage very cold temperatures, frozen ground […]
Read moreOn November 8, 2018, 17 students from Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy went to Campbell Mesa to learn about trail design and do maintenance on the 2 mile Campbell Mesa loop. With plenty of help from our partners at the US Forest Service and Arizona Conservation Corps, the group was able to hike and repair drainage on the entire […]
Read moreOn November 6, 2018, 40 students from Mount Elden Middle School Alpine Academy joined us for a day of trail work and design. With large groups we tend to divide the group in half. One group learning about trail design and hydrology, the other group repairing trail. After a hearty lunch and, of course, cookies we trade. Students first […]
Read moreOn November 1, 2018, 48 students from Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School visited Aspen Corner and the Arizona Trail to build trail and learn about trail design and construction. Students dug drains, discussed hydrology, and practiced designing their own trails. Though the day was chilly, they kept warm moving dirt and exploring. Experts from the US Forest Service were […]
Read moreOn October 30, 2018, 38 students from Mount Elden Middle School Alpine Academy joined us for a day of trail work and design. With large groups we tend to divide the group in half. One group learning about trail design and hydrology, the other group repairing trail. After a hearty lunch and, of course, cookies we trade. Students first […]
Read moreFor many years a group of dedicated volunteers, based primarily in Tucson, has kept the Arizona Trail, and others, free of deadfall, a major maintenance chore on the Arizona Trail. To do this safely, the Forest Service requires that everyone is trained and certified every three years; 2018 was the year. Zac Ribbing, an enthusiastic crosscut saw aficionado now with the […]
Read moreOn October 25th, 2018, 19 students From Montessori Charter School of Flagstaff Middle School gave their all to some trail work on Deer Hill Trail from Little Elden Horse Camp. This group is always keen, enthusiastic and ready to work! Students first had a lesson in trail design, hydrology and the process for getting a new trail approved. Next […]
Read moreOn October 23, 2018, 19 students from the Peaks School in Flagstaff had an outing to the Elden family homestead site and Elden Spring on Little Elden Trail. Students had a big day of learning! We learned the history of the Elden family and other homesteaders like them. Why they came to Flagstaff and why, in this case, they […]
Read moreHikers reported trail damage at the wash crossing immediately south of Picketpost TH. The creeks there flash flooded during summer storms, deepening the wash a couple feet or more, and creating a dangerous drop-off. And not far away, the Forest Service needed help with a gate on the LOST relocation project in Arnett Canyon. With the drop in temperatures the crew […]
Read moreOne of the most important skills educators, especially outdoor educators, need to have is flexibility and a willingness to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. On October 18th, 2018 we had to put this skill into action. Both 5th grade classes from Kinsey Inquiry and Discovery School were scheduled for outings to the Arizona Trail on the San Francisco Peaks this […]
Read moreOn September 6th, 2018, Seeds of Stewardships first expedition of the fall semester began. 5 students from City High School embarked on an adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains. Unlike other SOS groups, our partnership works to specifically build greater literacy skills through reading and being read to. Our partnership is designed to bring the students into beautiful Sonoran Desert […]
Read moreOn October 4th, 2018, 19 students from Ms. Lemke’s class at Peaks School visited the Arizona Trail on the San Francisco Peaks to view the changing leaves. Students started their hike at the Aspen Loop trailhead. We walked through tunnels of beautiful peaking fall leaves to a warm and sunny spot in a meadow. Here we learned some Arizona […]
Read moreKNAU (September 7, 2018) by Gillian Ferris, Aaron Granillo, Matt Nelson & Dale Shewalter This week’s segment of Poetry Friday honors the 50th anniversary of the National Trail System Act, legislation that helped establish a series of trails across the nation dedicated to preservation, conservation, public access and enjoyment of the outdoors. In the Southwest, the Arizona Trail stretches 800 […]
Read moreKNAU (September 7, 2018) by Aaron Granillo This year marks the 50th anniversary of the National Trail System Act. The legislation cleared the way for a series of national trails, aimed at preserving “the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the nation.” The Arizona Trail is part of that system. It stretches more than 800 miles from the US-Mexico […]
Read moreArizona Public Media (September 26, 2018) by Tony Paniagua After retiring as a national park ranger, Green Valley resident Stephen Chaffee decided add a major journey to his life — literally. He hiked the Arizona Trail twice — more than 1600 miles total — and he wrote a poetry book about his adventures. Each poem celebrates the individual 43 passages of […]
Read moreArizona Highways blog (October 1, 2018) by Kirsten Kraklio Author Rodo Sofranac is passionate about Arizona’s diverse environment, children’s literacy and giving back to his community. Those passions unite in his latest project: the children’s book The Red Tail Tale on the Arizona Trail, which he wrote with his wife, Susan. The book is divided into three parts. The first part educates young readers about […]
Read moreOn September 27, 2018, 17 students from the Montessori Charter School of Flagstaff’s Middle School made a visit to Little Spring and Bismark Lake near the San Francisco Peaks Passage of the Arizona Trail. We had a full day of learning and outdoor experiences. Using the Jr. Explorer Handbooks students learned about C. Hart Merriam’s Life Zone theory that […]
Read moreOn September 26, 2018, 38 students from Flagstaff Junior Academy’s 5th grade visited Picture Canyon along the Elden Mountain passage of the Arizona Trail. Students hiked a 3.5 mile round trip removing invasive weeds and learning about the local area as we went. A few days earlier during a classroom visit, the students had been introduced to the idea […]
Read moreOn September 25th, 2018, 7 students from Flagstaff High School’s Outdoor Discovery class went for a hike on the Arizona Trail San Francisco Peaks passage. The goal of the day was simple. Students wanted to hike 5 miles total and experience the beauty of the mixed conifer forests at a higher elevation than town. Prior to setting out on […]
Read moreOn September 9th, 2018, 19 students from Mountain Vista Elementary School gathered for a rugged adventure into Catalina State Park. This was the first expedition of the semester, and the students were more than excited. Some of the kids were nervous to go on a hike, worried about snakes, ants, bees, and all of the other wild animals in the […]
Read moreOn September 21st, 2018, 16 members of the Flagstaff Junior Academy Mountain Biking Club gave back to the Flagstaff community by doing trail maintenance on the Arizona Trail Elden Mountain Passage. As mountain bikers, and some of them as returning trail builders, they have developed a great sense of how to sculpt a drain for good water flow and […]
Read moreOn September 20th, 2018, 8 students from the Pre-AP Biology class at Flagstaff High School headed to Little Elden Trail at Elden Spring Road to finish off a section of trail that had recently been rerouted. Little Elden Trail, which is also the Arizona Trail Flagstaff Equestrian Bypass section, has for years followed unsustainable fall line paths up and […]
Read moreBetter Homes and Gardens (October 2018) by Marty Munson Happy 50th anniversary to the National Trails System! Soak in nature, experience American history, and get exercise with a visit to one of the thousands of trails across the country. Arizona Trail The 800 miles link deserts, mountains and forests. The northern section includes a stretch along the Grand Canyon. You’ll […]
Read moreOn May 16th, 2018, 10 students from Miami High School set out for a day of trail work on the Arizona Trail north of Picketpost Trailhead. Only 14 days since our last trip in the snow, this expedition was under a bright and hot sun. Our mission was to drive nearly 5 miles north on Happy Camp Rd to a […]
Read moreOn May 2nd, 2018, 6 students from Miami High School saddled up for a massive adventure. Our mission was to hike to a remote place called Hells Hole in the Salome Wilderness, discuss the variety of biomes and their many species of plants, and explore the rumored pools and waterfalls that are said to exist in the depths of this […]
Read moreOn February 13, 2018, 11 students from Miami High School in Miami, Arizona made the very long journey to our side of the Santa Catalina Mountains. We went to the tip top of Mt. Lemmon to hike and explore the amazing Sky Islands. This was their second trip with Seeds of Stewardship. We hiked about 5 miles round trip via […]
Read moreOn September 11th, 2018, 80 students from Mount Elden Middle School’s Alpine Academy took a short walk from their classrooms to learn about the science of phenology and take a baseline observation. Phenology is the study of seasonal changes in plant and animal life throughout the year. It is the timing of the budding of flowers and the changing […]
Read moreAward-winning local author Rodo Sofranac just released the first-ever children’s book celebrating the Arizona Trail! The Red Tail Tale on the Arizona Trail is a full-color book featuring photographs, illustrations, and tons of educational material in 62 exciting pages. The book follows Rowen, a young, red-headed explorer, and Rojo, a clever, red-tailed hawk. The two meet, bond, and experience a wonderful adventure on […]
Read moreOne September 10, 2018, 120 students from The Mount Elden Middle School APEX program visit Picture Canyon in Flagstaff along the Arizona Trail Elden Mountain Passage. With such a large group we need to divide things up. So one group started the day with a tour of the Wildcat Hill Wastewater Treatment facility where they learned about the process […]
Read moreOn September 5th, 2018, 25 students from Ms. Esparza’s 5th grade class had an introduction to the Arizona Trail and a short hike from school to the urban trail near their school. We learned about trail courtesy and Leave No Trace practices that are expected on our SOS outings and had a chance to practice on our short hike from […]
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