Sedona Red Rock News ~ By Joseph K Giddens – March 27, 2024 The Sedona Heritage Museum packed the apple shed again for its free speaker series on Thursday, Feb. 29, when Neil Weintraub, a retired archaeologist from the Kaibab National Forest, discussed two of his biggest passions: The history of the stagecoach route from Flagstaff to the Grand Canyon […]
Read moreArizona Public Media Podcast (March 14, 2024) by Zac Ziegler, Danyelle Khmara, Tony Perkins Listen to the podcast produced about the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo mountain bike event, which was dedicated to the Arizona Trail Association in 2024!
Read morePublished Mar 18, 2024 ~ Tasha Zemke for Outsideonline.com Why Now: Saguaro National Park was recently certified as one of nine Urban Night Sky Places around the world, and Kitt Peak National Observatory recently reopened with a revamped overnight observation program. The region’s already awesome trail system has expanded, letting hikers into a previously private, geologically rich slice of the […]
Read morePhoenix Magazine (March 17, 2024) by Mare Czinar Officially the closest Arizona Trail entry point to the Valley, the dirt pullout at Bushnell Tanks on State Route 87 half way between Fountain Hills and Payson, provides access to Arizona’s geological transition zone—a swath of mountain ranges and long valleys created over eons of volcanic activity, seismic uplifts and intermittent sea […]
Read morePlease check out our 2023 Annual Report, which includes highlights from all of our programs and operations. Within these 16 pages you’ll find stories, photos and accomplishments from: Trail Operations Volunteer Program AZT VETS Youth Outreach Programs Goals for 2024 Business Partners and so much more Read the Annual Report online here, or download it and enjoy it at your […]
Read morePhoenixMag.org | MARE CZINAR | February 14, 2024 Tonto National Forest, near Superior Notoriously overgrown, unmarked and insanely steep, getting to the top of Picketpost Mountain is a make-it-up-as-you-go prospect. Located outside the Town of Superior, the adventure starts with a hike south on the Alamo Canyon Passage 17 of the Arizona National Scenic Trail. About a mile in, a […]
Read moreShow your love for the AZT by wearing these Wooleater® socks from DeFeet, which feature a plum topographic line print of the Colossal Cave Mountain Park area (Arizona Trail Passage 8). These high-top socks are made for hikers, mountain bikers, runners, backpackers, equestrians, and anyone who prefers Merino wool to other materials. Wool stays cool in heat, warm in cold, […]
Read moreUtah runner embarks on 800-mile race for a child in need of adoption
Read moreBy 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 […]
Read moreOn the AZT’s Passage 19, between Highway 188 and Cemetery Trail Junction, trail users will encounter cattle trails at approximately mile 448.9 southbound (1.2 miles south of Highway 188) due to heavy livestock traffic to and from a metal water tank. Southbound users should remain on the north side of the wash here, proceeding gently uphill on the right bank […]
Read moreThe 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 […]
Read moreOn 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 […]
Read moreArizona 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 […]
Read moreThe 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, […]
Read moreBy Michele Nelson Payson Roundup —- The Arizona Trail crosses 19 communities, but only seven will have a four-panel kiosk installed celebrating the trail and the town. Due to connections, Payson will be one of the lucky kiosk communities. “A resident, Trevor Creighton, told the town about this project. Trevor then contacted the mayor as well,” said Interim Parks and […]
Read moreBeginning 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 […]
Read moreAfter 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 […]
Read moreIn late May, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland joined Raul Grijalva and staff from Senator Kyrstin Sinima’s office in a visit to several tribes in the vicinity of the Grand Canyon and northern Arizona, including a first-ever visit by a sitting Interior Secretary to the village of Supai in the Havasupai Tribe’s lands within the Canyon. Secretary Haaland met with tribal […]
Read moreBy Michele Nelson ~ Payson Roundup “What’s the worst thing that could happen?” That’s the question Jody Bartz put to Gabby, a middle school-aged girl attending the Gateway Community Girls Mountain Biking Camp in Pine the weekend of May 20-21. The two locked eyes over the front tire and handlebars of a mountain bike, Gabby in the saddle, Bartz […]
Read moreLaurie “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 […]
Read moreFor 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 […]
Read morePublic 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 […]
Read moreKGUN 9 News (May 17, 2023) by Hannah Winter Click here to watch a video about the Powell Family and their trek along the Arizona Trail — NOBO in Spring 2023. Eva Powell is the youngest known AZT thru-hiker. She completed the 800-mile trek with her family in three months, 1 day.
Read moreAs 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 […]
Read moreThe 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 […]
Read morePayson Roundup (April 25, 2023) by Michele Nelson Mountain biking has been a male dominated sport, but the Forest Service hopes to encourage more girls to take up the sport. Arizona Trail Association program directors noticed that when boys and girls from this age group did a mountain biking clinic together, the girls let the boys take over the questions […]
Read moreOn 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 […]
Read moreYesterday, 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 […]
Read moreKNAU (March 21, 2023) by Bree Burkitt Arizona-born writer and journalist Tom Zoellner is out with a new book about his 46-day journey hiking the nearly 800-mile Arizona Trail. Rim to River: Looking into the Heart of Arizona is a collection of essays Zoellner created as a way to better understand his home state after years at odds with Arizona’s sprawling urban […]
Read moreWhite 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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