Arizona Daily Sun (Sept 2, 2018) by Nancy Wiechec – Hiking the Arizona National Scenic Trail is an experience “full of pleasure and pain,” said 64-year-old Ellen Shopes, a lifelong backpacker who has hiked its 800 miles three times. Shopes will join the Arizona Trail Association and other trail friends for Arizona Trail Day at Buffalo Park next Saturday, Sept. 8, […]
Read moreOn August 30, 2018, 27 students from Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy’s Outdoor Explorations classes walked from their school towards the Schultz Pass trailhead to study edible plants local to our area. We examined sunflowers and learned to tell when the seeds would be ready for harvesting. We looked at lambs quarters and pigweed, both of which have edible […]
Read moreOn August 29, 2018, 39 students from Mr. Ross and Mrs. Chapman’s 5th grade class at Flagstaff Junior Academy visited Wupatki National Monument near Flagstaff, Arizona. Students put on their social scientist hats to look for evidence of how the residents of this monument would have met their fundamental human needs like shelter, food, water, defense, community, art and […]
Read moreRocks removed between spring box and rock wall exposing clear water spring. The new collector box is located directly below the large rock left of the tree in the center of the photo. The cavity between the collector box opening and the spring source was filled with small rocks. These rocks and the collector box were […]
Read moreOn March 29th, 2018, 9 students from Mansfeld Middle School embarked on a rugged adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains. This was the second of three expeditions, and on this day, we planned to hike Sunset Trail to explore the secret flowing pools of water that crown this area. Our goal was to discuss the relationship between desert Sky Islands […]
Read moreOn February 14, 2018, 10 students from Mansfield Middle School in Tucson, Arizona headed outdoors to explore their local public lands. This was their first expedition with the Seeds of Stewardship program. Welcome, Mansfield Middle School! We hiked about 4 miles in total via the West Yetman Trail in Tucson Mountain Park. We also incorporated some off-trail hiking as part […]
Read moreOn February 1st, 2018, 13 students from Imago Dei Middle School embarked on an adventure into Kings Canyon in Tucson Mountain Park. Our goal was to explore the anthropological significance of this area by observing petroglyphs and culturally important flora and fauna in this area. The students were very excited for another desert hike and the chance to adventure through […]
Read moreOn January 23rd, 2018, 13 5th grade students from Imago Dei Middle School embarked on an adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains. This was the 3rd of 5 expeditions planned with Imago Dei this semester, making these students seasoned outdoor adventurers. On this expedition, we planned to explore passage #11 on the Arizona Trail in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Partnered […]
Read moreOn January 29, 2018, 11 from Empire High School in Vail, Arizona, traveled to the nearby Santa Rita Mountains. Previously, the students studied Sky Island ecology by exploring desert arroyos and rocky grasslands of The Little Rincon Mountains. On this trip, we fully immersed ourselves in Sky Island ecology by climbing high to Josephine’s Saddle. This particular trip presented the […]
Read moreOn February 20th, 2018, 14 students from Empire High School geared up for an adventure into the Ironwood National Monument. Our goal was to explore the natural history and the anthropological significance of the area, but that is far from how this expedition turned out. Instead, we learned how to make the most out of spontaneous obstacles, how to dig a […]
Read moreOn January 30, 2018, 9 students from Empire High School in Vail, Arizona, traveled to the nearby Santa Rita Mountains. Previously, the students studied Sky Island ecology by exploring desert arroyos and high rocky grasslands in the Little Rincon Mountains. On this trip, we fully immersed ourselves in Sky Island ecology by climbing high to Josephine’s Saddle. This particular trip […]
Read moreOn March 27th, 2018, 20 students from Empire High School from Vail Arizona set out for a day of stewardship on the Arizona Trail. Using Gabe Zimmerman Trail Head, we hiked north toward Cienega Creek to do trail rehab and narrowing work. This portion of the trail used to be a two-track leading to the creek. For the last two […]
Read moreOn March 13th, 2018, 13 students from Edge High School set out for a rugged adventure into the Little Rincon Mountains. This area is off the beaten path and rarely traveled, allowing us the chance to truly leave other humans behind and explore a wild place. For nearly two months, this area has received decent rains, and our hope and […]
Read moreOn February 16, 2018, 9 students from Edge High School in Tucson, Arizona, headed to Oracle State Park on the north side of the Santa Catalina Mountains. This was their second expedition with Seeds of Stewardship. We hiked about 4 miles in total via the Granite Lookout Trail, Bellota Trail, and Mariposa Trail. Our main goals for the day were […]
Read moreOn May 19th, 2018, the Coronado Youth Corp set out for another work day on Mt.Lemmon. We were asked to help repair and restore sections of Butterfly Trail, which is a connector route to the Arizona Trail and is a beautiful detour. This trail is on a northern slope and is lushly smothered with vibrantly green foliage. Hiking through here […]
Read moreOn March 17th, 2018, Coronado Youth Corps officially began with its first trail work expedition. 12 crew members signed up for the Coronado Youth Corps, excited to work on the Arizona Trail. Our first work day was set to take place in passage 13 beginning at Tiger Mine Trailhjead, hiking 2 miles north to our project location. This season all […]
Read moreOn March 8th, 2018, 13 students from City High embarked on an adventure into the Santa Catalina Mountains for a snow day. In Tucson, bright sunshine poured down with warm temperatures, but with an hour drive from the school, we found ourselves in a winter wonderland. The students had been looking forward to this all semester, and I was happy […]
Read moreOn January 11, 2018, 16 students from Bisbee High School embarked on an adventure into the Little Rincon Mountains. This was the third of five expeditions this semester, allowing this group to be seasoned and prepared explorers. Our goal was to hike the canyons and study the flora, fauna, and geology of the area. This area provided off-trail exploration opportunities, […]
Read moreOn February 10, 2018, 8 students from Basis North Tucson completed a stewardship project along the Arizona National Scenic Trail. More specifically, we worked on the AZT Section 5 between Gardner Canyon and Oak Tree. This was our 5th trip. We hiked about 2 miles round trip to get to the work site, and we worked on a .25 mile-long […]
Read moreOn January 20th, 2018, 19 students from Basis North adventured into the Coyote Mountain Wilderness. These rugged mountains offered missive monolithic views, deep ravines, and anthropological wonders to explore and learn from. Together we trekked through areas with an abundance of archeological artifacts, played in tall grass fields, and ventured into wilderness that knew no trails and held our imaginations to […]
Read moreOn June 11th, 2018, the Coronado Youth Corps assembled to undertake a massive project near Happy Jack Arizona. An 18-mile reroute has been designated for the Arizona Trail, a project that is estimated to take three years to complete. They are the first of many Youth Corps and volunteer groups to come on this 3-mile reroute, intended to […]
Read moreA noted author of several popular Superstition hiking books recently reported that the sign located where the AZT joins (or leaves) FR 650, a mile south of Rogers Trough, showed the wrong trail number. The ATA commissioned a new sign and volunteers installed it today. Temperatures were climbing as the group made their way up the FR 172, never a […]
Read moreMaureen Elizabeth (McGuire) Sipple passed away on March 22, 2017. She was born on April 10, 1949 in Mahanoy City, PA, and grew up in Landisville, PA. She moved to Henderson, NV in 1985 with her husband, Art, and two children. Maureen worked for American Airlines from 1989 until she retired in 2012. She moved to Payson, AZ with her […]
Read moreWausau Daily Herald (June 4, 2018) by Keith Uhlig – USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Brett Stepanik was 22 years old and searching for a place in the world when he took off from Rib Mountain on his first cross-country bike trip in the late summer of 2007. The 2003 graduate of Wausau West High School had been a summer bike mechanic at Rib Mountain […]
Read moreOn May 24th, 2018, 16 students from Peaks School visited Ashurt Lake near the Mormon Lake passage of the Arizona Trail. The goal of the day was to conduct a “bioblitz” on the plants and animals we could find in the area and upload our findings to iNaturalist, an app where citizen scientists can add to the database of known […]
Read moreOn May 22nd, 2018, 38 students from Flagstaff Junior Academy visited Marshall Lake at the intersection of the Walnut Canyon and Anderson Mesa passages on the Arizona Trail. The goal of the day was to conduct a “bioblitz” on the plants and animals we could find in the area and upload our findings to iNaturalist, an app where citizen scientists […]
Read moreOn May 21, Flagstaff Biking Organization recognized Sabrina Carlson as the recipient of the 2018 Brick Award for Bicycle Advocacy. As the Youth Outreach & Education Coordinator for the Arizona Trail Association’s Seeds of Stewardship program, Sabrina has led thousands of children into the woods for the past three years. She regularly integrates mountain biking into her outdoor education programs and […]
Read moreOn May 18th, 2018, 9 members of the Flagstaff Junior Academy Mountain Biking Club had the chance to participate in a trail work day on the Deer Hill Trail with leadership from American Conservation Experience and Seeds of Stewardship staff. Whether mountain bikers, trail runners, hikers, equestrians, or motorcyclists, those of us who enjoy and use trails have the […]
Read moreBackpacker (June 2018) — On its 50th birthday, the National Scenic Trails system boasts nearly 19,000 miles. Not sure where to start? We’ve scoured the whole network to bring you the best 50 miles. Click here to read the article, which features 0.5-mile of the Arizona Trail within Grand Canyon National Park and 3 miles along the Buckskin Mountain Passage […]
Read moreVolunteers installed four of the iconic AZT steel gates on the north end of the project. Forest closures threatened the effort but the crew was able to get the work done within the time allowed, although extra water and several fire extinguishers were added to the equipment list. Six more gates are planned for this season but will have to wait […]
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