The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a

National Scenic Trail The National Trails System is a series of trails in the United States designated "to promote the preservation of, public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation of the open-air, outdoor areas and historic resources of the Nati ...

from

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

Utah Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...

that traverses the whole north–south length of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Arizona Arizona ( ; nv, Hoozdo Hahoodzo ; ood, Alĭ ṣonak ) is a state in the Southwestern United States. It is the 6th largest and the 14th most populous of the 50 states. Its capital and largest city is Phoenix. Arizona is part of the Fou ...

. The trail begins at the

Coronado National Memorial The Coronado National Memorial commemorates the first organized expedition into the Southwest by conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1540. The memorial is located in a natural setting on the Mexico–United States border on the southeas ...

near the US–Mexico border and moves north through parts of the Huachuca, Santa Rita, and

Rincon Mountains The Rincon Mountains ( O'odham: Cew Doʼag) are a significant mountain range east of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, in the United States. The Rincon Mountains are one of five mountain ranges surrounding the Tucson valley. The other ranges include ...

. The trail continues through the Santa Catalina north of

Tucson , "(at the) base of the black ill , nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town" , image_map = , mapsize = 260px , map_caption = Interactive map ...

and the Mazatzal Mountains before ascending the

Mogollon Rim The Mogollon Rim ( or or ) is a topographical and geological feature cutting across the northern half of the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately , starting in northern Yavapai County and running eastward, ending near the border ...

north of Payson, and eventually leading to the higher elevations of

Northern Arizona Northern Arizona is an unofficial, colloquially-defined region of the U.S. state of Arizona. Generally consisting of Apache, Coconino, Mohave, Navajo, and Gila counties, the region is geographically dominated by the Colorado Plateau, the sout ...

and the San Francisco Peaks. The trail then continues across the

Coconino Plateau The Coconino Plateau is found south of the Grand Canyon and north-northwest of Flagstaff, in northern Arizona of the Southwestern United States. Geography The Coconino Plateau lies south of Grand Canyon Village and the South Rim of the Grand Ca ...

and in and out of the Grand Canyon. The Arizona Trail terminates near the Arizona–Utah border in the

Kaibab Plateau The Kaibab Plateau is a plateau almost entirely in Coconino County, Arizona (but extending slightly north into Kane County, Utah) in the Southwestern United States. The high plain is also known as the Buckskin Mountain, Buckskin Plateau, and ...

region. The long Arizona Trail was completed on December 16, 2011. The trail is designed as a primitive trail for

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

equestrians Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

, mountain biking, and even

cross country skiing Cross-country skiing is a form of skiing where skiers rely on their own locomotion to move across snow-covered terrain, rather than using ski lifts or other forms of assistance. Cross-country skiing is widely practiced as a sport and recreatio ...

, showcasing the wide variety of mountain ranges and ecosystems of Arizona. The idea for the trail was originally developed and promoted in 1985 by Dale Shewalter, a Flagstaff, Arizona, teacher. The Arizona Trail was designated as a National Scenic Trail on March 30, 2009 by the

Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (, ) is a land management law passed in the 111th United States Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2009. The bill designates millions of acres in the US as protected a ...

. It forms part of the shortened version of the Great Western Loop. This version includes the Grand Canyon National Park. ArizonaTrail-01

History

The Arizona Trail was created by interconnecting preexisting trails. In 1994, the Arizona Trail Association incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to bring volunteers and the necessary resources to create maps, identify water sources, build and maintain the trail, and help raise funds for the trail.

Hiking

Map of the trail

The Arizona Trail is divided into 43 passages, and categorized into Southern, Central, and Northern sections.

Trail finishers

Trail finishers are individuals who have reported completing the Arizona Trail. They receive a copper belt buckle (or pin/pendant) in celebration of their accomplishment. This list includes: * Thru-hikers and segment hikers * Speed record ultra runners * Yo-yo’s (those who do the trail in one direction, then turn around and do it in the other direction) * Horseback riders * Mountain bikers * Those who used a variety of non-motorized modes to travel along every portion of the Arizona Trail * Some pioneers who trekked overland long before the AZT was completely built.

Trail communities

The “AZT Gateway” provides community information (i.e., lodging, staple stores, access information, urgent care, etc.). There are many scenic communities that have fun areas of interest along the Arizona Trail.

Mountain biking

Mountain biking is allowed but segments are off-limits due to wilderness restrictions. Preferred biking routes have been developed to retain a trail experience consistent with National Scenic Trail values.

Animals

Some hikers enjoy the company of their canine companions when hiking the trail. However, the rough terrain, venomous snakes, sharp vegetation, hot ground during the summer, and lack of water in many trail segments can make the Arizona Trail unsuitable for most dogs, and in some sections, they are not allowed. Hikers wanting to bring their dogs should check with the Arizona Trail Association, which recommends that dog owners plan day trips in areas where dogs are allowed and when conditions (particularly heat and water) are suitable for them. Pack goats are sometimes used as companions on the trail, and can help lessen the pain of carrying a heavy backpack. They are allowed on some parts of the Arizona Trail, but prohibited on other segments due to the possibility of diseases from domestic goats spreading to sensitive bighorn sheep populations. Pack goats are not allowed anywhere bighorn sheep live. Therefore, it's not possible to do a thru-hike with pack goats.

Trail Experiences

As of 2015 fewer than 20 people have ridden the entire trail. Some rode the trail all at once; others who rode the trail in segments, taking up to six years. In general, it takes approximately fifty days to hike the trail. The speed record for completing the trail is held by Jeff Garmire, who completed the Arizona trail in fifteen days, thirteen hours. A 21-mile section along the Arizona Trail provides views in the Grand Canyon region, particularly on the Kaibab Plateau. The trail connects the East Rim View and Murray trailheads.