KNAU (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 miles from Utah to Mexico and includes Buffalo Park in Flagstaff. The effort to create that section was led by the late Flagstaff teacher Dale Shewalter, known as the Father of the Arizona Trail. He died of cancer in 2010. Today, his poem ‘The Arizona Trail’ is read by Matt Nelson, executive director of the Arizona Trail Association. 

To listen to the poem, click here.