AZ Trail News

To determine the Best of Tucson each year, readers of the Tucson Weekly are asked to vote for their favorites — from taco shops to barbers to outdoor adventures. In the Best of Outdoors 2022 category, readers named the Arizona Trail the Best Backpacking Trail! We are proud that of all the amazing backpacking options near Tucson, the AZT remains the […]

HJ News (October 14, 2022) by Shawn Harrison Michael McKnight is at it again. The Cache Valley ultra runner is taking on the Arizona Trail, beginning this weekend. While he wants to beat the FKT (fastest known time) for the 800-mile trail that runs from the Utah-Arizona border to the Mexico-Arizona border, McKnight is also running for Marianne. He wants […]

Trail Runner (October 14, 2022) by Drew Dawson In possibly the first of its kind, two ultrarunners will go head-to-head for the fastest known time (FKT). Literally.  Starting Saturday, October 15, at 8 a.m. Arizona Time, Mike McKnight will head south and Ben Light will head north on the 800-mile Arizona Trail in pursuit of the FKT. To do that, they’ll […]

Gila Herald (September 27, 2022) This month, staff from the office of Congressman Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01) joined a volunteer forest conservation effort with Arizona Trail Association’s Veteran Engagement & Trail Stewardship (VETS), a program intended to give veterans the opportunity to practice conservation on Arizona’s public lands while building healthy, service-focused bonds within the veteran community. Derek Duba, a Wounded […]

White Mountain Independent (September 20, 2022) Copperstate Farms, a vertically integrated Arizona cannabis operator, today announced a community partnership with the Arizona Trail Association (ATA), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect, maintain, enhance, promote and sustain the Arizona Trail as a unique encounter with the natural environment. As a Premier Legacy Partner, Copperstate Farms is donating $20,000 to […]

azmarijuana.com (September 18, 2022) by Dan Kingston Copperstate Farms, a vertically integrated Arizona cannabis operator, announced a community partnership with the Arizona Trail Association (ATA), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to protect, maintain, enhance, promote and sustain the Arizona Trail as a unique encounter with the natural environment. As a Premier Legacy Partner, Copperstate Farms is donating $20,000 to support new […]

The Trek (September 14, 2022) by J. Taylor Bell Oh, those halcyon days of knowing exactly what was necessary on a thru-hike and what was absolutely frivolous and decadent. Simpler times they were, friends. But they seem to be well behind us these days. And if you don’t believe me, then strap in for this very toasty ride. Many things […]

The Discoverer Blog (Autumn 2022) Autumn is the best time of year in the Southwest. While dropping temperatures mean breaking out the sweaters and heaters everywhere else in the country, in this corner of the U.S. it means the weather is just right for some outdoor exploring. While most minds immediately jump to the Grand Canyon when thinking of Arizona, […]

The Travel (July 21, 2022) by Aaron Spray There are currently eleven national scenic trails in the United States – almost all of them are well over 100 miles long. One of the trails is the Arizona National Scenic Trail which completely traverses the whole north-south length of Arizona. It has been designated a National Scenic Trail since 2009. A […]

Payson Roundup (July 22, 2022) by Myndi Brogdon Adventurer Gary Morris, 75, has completed the 800-mile-long Arizona Trail. A Strawberry resident and retired Pine-Strawberry Fire Department chief, Morris is an outdoorsman to his core and continues to add miles to his pedometer. About 100 people have completed the Arizona Trail every year since 2015, as they only completed it in […]

The Trek (June 28, 2022) by Richard It was a disappointing start to the day. I’d chosen my hotel, in part, because of its free breakfast, but they wouldn’t be serving anything that morning. Oh well. Some days your Pop-Tarts have no frosting. Other days, you find an extra tortilla in the pack. The trail giveth, and the trail taketh […]

Arizona Republic (June 21, 2022) by Mare Czinar At the tail end of the twin reservoirs of Upper and Lower Lake Mary, an airy draw closes in on the murky meanders of Walnut Creek. Cutting through dry stubble and emergent grasses, the entrenched creek course snakes south through coniferous woodlands in Coconino National Forest. Earthen dams on the creek contain […]

The Trek (June 21, 2022) by Richard According to the weather report, temperatures in the Phoenix metro area were 10 degrees above normal. Meanwhile, about 30 miles to the northeast, I was walking a dirt road through the Four Peaks Wilderness. The road’s elevation is about 4000 feet above that of Phoenix, so the temperature was actually pretty comfortable. The […]

The Trek (June 14, 2022) by Richard The town of Kearny has a reputation for being one of the friendliest “Gateway Communities” on the Arizona Trail. In my opinion, its reputation is well deserved. I didn’t have to wait for long beside Highway 177 before a local resident (thanks, Frank!) stopped to give me a ride. He dropped me off […]

VeloNews (june 10, 2022) by Betsy Welch Pivot Cycles, the Arizona-based bike brand, has announced a multi-year partnership with The Cyclist’s Menu (TCM) in Patagonia, Arizona. The relationship between Pivot and TCM will focus on gravel and sustainable recreation development in the borderlands region of southern Arizona. The Cyclist’s Menu was founded in 2014 by Heidi and Zander Ault. For nearly […]

The Trek (June 7, 2022) by Richard Even at lower elevations, views from the Arizona Trail were impressive – there were no pesky trees to get in the way. There was also nowhere to hide from the sun, so I’d get up at least half an hour before sunrise, and take less than an hour to break camp. By the […]