How Two Indigenous Runners Made a Film Connecting Running and Environmental Activism

Runners World (October 25, 2021) by Taylor Dutch After dedicating years of intense study to earning a Ph.D. in environmental science, Lydia Jennings couldn’t wait to celebrate at her graduation in May 2020. But like most major events during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the program’s ceremony at the University of Arizona was canceled. Instead of receiving her diploma […]

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Hiking the Arizona Trail in a Day

The Desert Leaf (October 2021) by Linda Brewer Some people hike the Arizona Trail (AZT) in sections, called “passages,” accumulating a couple of hundred miles each year. Some people–the valiant thru-hikers–do it all in one go, with or without a support crew. Since 2017 there has been another way to complete the trail, the many-feet-walking method known as Arizona Trail […]

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Member Survey Results

Earlier this year we asked active members of the Arizona Trail Association to participate in a survey to help inform our organization’s Strategic Plan for 2022-2026. A total of 763 ATA members took the survey (that’s more than 33%) and shared their thoughts and opinions about the greatest assets and challenges facing the trail and the ATA. Both quantitative and […]

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In Memoriam: Phil Garcia

Phil Garcia 02/01/1968 – 09/25/2021 Phoenix, Arizona An avid hiker and trail steward, Phil Garcia enjoyed spending time in the outdoors of Arizona. Phil is survived by his wife Vikki, and children Cori and Wes. Phil was an avid traveler with his family, and loved hiking/backpacking, photography, DIY projects, and playing sand volleyball. He volunteered his time as a Phoenix Park Steward, […]

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Video: Fastest For Now

Velo News (September 29, 2021) by Betsy Welch On Christmas Eve of 2018, ultra-endurance mountain biker Kait Boyle wasn’t sure if she would ever walk again. Two years later, she set a fastest known time record (FKT) on the 137-mile Kokopelli Trail, a remote and arduous route between Moab, Utah, and Loma, Colorado. The new film Fastest For Now chronicles […]

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About One Week to My AZT Blast Off

The Trek (September 28, 2021) by David Smith When you live in Phoenix, you escape what feels like endless summer by going to the mountains.  Generally that means going to AZT country, either the Mongollon Rim or Flagstaff.  A few days ago, we spent a few nights car camping near  Mormon Lake, and I had the opportunity to do some […]

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Arizona Trail Association releases video essay calling on US Senators to “Protect Arizona” by fighting climate change

On September 20, the Arizona Trail Association released a three-minute video essay featuring a diverse collection of outdoor enthusiasts urging Arizona’s US Senators to protect the Arizona National Scenic Trail by fighting climate change. The video includes inspiring imagery from various passages along the Arizona National Scenic Trail as well as footage of wildfires and extreme weather events that threaten the […]

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Shady, swooping trail in Flagstaff is fun for hikers, mountain bikers. Here’s how to do it

Arizona Republic (September 16, 2021) by Mare Czinar Slung between the edge-hugging dirt track of Schultz Pass Road and the sheer foothills below Mount Elden, Schultz Creek Trail rolls out like an emerald half-pipe. Because of its fluid, north-south track, hairpin turns and mild jumps, the historic route in the Mount Elden-Dry Lakes Hills area just a few miles north […]

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A Smoky Trail Across The Country

National Parks Traveler (September 10, 2021) by Barbara “Bo” Jensen Here at the border of Wyoming and Montana, Bad Pass Trail is all but invisible to me. It winds across the upper reaches of the Pryor Mountains through Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area. Road signs note I’ve crossed the trail, but I cannot see it stretching 50 miles from the […]

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Ecosystem Interconnectedness with Flagstaff Junior Academy

August 26th marked the first Seeds of Stewardship outing of the 2021-2022 school year! In fact, it was the first outing we’ve gotten to do with a school group since the lockdown started in March 2020. It was wonderful to once again bring the classroom outdoors. SoS instructors met Flagstaff Junior Academy fifth graders in Mrs. Chapman’s classroom for an […]

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New Arizona Trail Tech Shirts & Cycling Jerseys

We are excited to announce the release of our Summer 2021 long sleeve tech shirts and cycling jerseys, featuring an original design from Shannon Villegas inspired by the San Francisco Peaks Passage of the AZT. All proceeds from the sale of this product will directly benefit mountain bike projects on the AZT, including rollover gates, singletrack construction to replace roads, […]

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Walking Toward Peace: Auburn Veteran Shares Story of Healing in New Book

Auburn Examiner (August 4, 2021) by Lindsay Hicks When soldiers return from deployment and hang up their combat fatigues, a different kind of baggage sometimes lingers within that they can’t easily pack away. For some, connecting with nature provides the best respite from the weight that baggage brings. Flashbacks, hypervigilance, avoidance, survivor’s guilt, irritability, lack of trust, severe anxiety—these are […]

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In Memoriam: Connor McKnight

Connor David McKnight Born in Spokane, WA and resided in Flagstaff, AZ 7/11/1996 – 6/28/2021 Trail Name: Ragebow Charismatic, creative, and funny, Connor drew smiles across anyone’s face that met him with his disheveled hair, his 6’4″ stature, and his contagious smile. An enigma personified.  Conversations with Connor were vast and intricate, much like the landscapes he traveled across. His preferred conversations […]

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Avoid Wet Trails

Now that monsoons have returned (with a vengeance), it’s important to avoid wet trails. As tempting as it may be to head for the hills after a storm, the hard work that our trail stewards and volunteers do to maintain the Arizona Trail can be destroyed when people hike and ride on muddy trails. The damage that feet, tires and […]

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Arizona on Fire

Flagstaff Business News (July 5, 2021) by Bonnie Stevens Billy Cordasco and Ryan Butler sat on a hilltop behind Cedar Ranch and watched as the Slate Fire pushed its way east through juniper, pinyon and ponderosa pine forest from Highway 180 toward the historic ranch house, barn, wells and pipeline north of the San Francisco Peaks. Cordasco, president and general […]

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Theodore Roosevelt Lake

World Atlas (July 1, 2021) Arizona is located in the southwestern region of the United States. The State has diverse geography featuring volcanoes, mountains, canyons, plateaus, and deserts. Situated in the central part of the US State of Arizona, mostly within Gila County is the majestic Theodore Roosevelt Lake. This large lake is located in the Salt River Valley about 130km […]

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AZ Wildfires Prompt Forest Closures, Shutting Down 38% of Arizona Trail

The Trek (June 23, 2021) by Kelly Floro Wildfires currently raging across Arizona have prompted full closures of several national forests within the state in the interest of public safety. The move effectively shuts down 300 miles of the Arizona Trail in the northern part of the state. Kaibab, Coconino, and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests announced the closures on Tuesday afternoon, […]

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71-year-old man missing on hike of Mount Lemmon found dead

Associated Press (June 22, 2021) A 71-year-old hiker reported missing on Mount Lemmon has been found dead, authorities said Tuesday. Pima County Sheriff’s officials said the body of John “Jack” Menard was located about three miles northwest of the Gordon Hirabayahsi Campground. Menard started hiking the Arizona Trail on June 17 in Oracle and planned to hike from American Flag […]

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ATA Ambassador Program: New Perspectives

On November 1st, 2020, The Arizona Trail Ambassadors gathered under Cienega Creeks Riparian Gallery Forest canopy. This was our third trip together, and the group seemed more confident and comfortable. The landscape was beginning to change as winter approached. In the Sonoran Desert, seasonal changes are observed in daily temperature swings, systematic flower blooms, and odd rains; unlike other places […]

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Here’s why funds are needed to maintain and enhance Arizona Trail

AZ Big Media (June 22, 2021) Supporters of one of the state’s most important recreational trails are advocating for an injection of funding by the Arizona Legislature to help protect and advance this key resource. State funding is vital to the maintenance and protection of the Arizona Trail – the incredible 800-mile path from Mexico to Utah that connects deserts, mountains, canyons, forests, […]

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