YouTube (Feb 8, 2026) by Eric Hanson

The Arizona Trail is one of the most iconic long trails in the country, as it runs 800 miles from The US – Mexico border up to Utah. For any thru-hiker, hiking the Grand Canyon State is an incredible achievement. But as of January 2026, construction resumed along the border in the Huachuca Mountains, one of the most rugged stretches of the 2,000-mile-long border. The wall will wreak havoc on vital wildlife corridors, destabilize water tables, and heavily affect the border communities. But the Department of Homeland Security issued waivers for more than 40 environmental laws in order to build the wall. I wanted to hike this final stretch of trail before the southern terminus at Monument 102 was closed behind the border wall forever.

Watch the video here.