big man tips

SPRINGS TRAIL Pinetop-Lakeside Thompson Creek Have you ever wondered about how forest trails came to be? Their origins range from repurposed game trails and Depression Era Civilian Conservation Corps projects to collaborative efforts between grassroots teams and land management organizations. The White Mountains Trail System represents the work of TRACKS, a group of volunteers dedicated to the development and preservation of non-motorized trails within the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests and surrounding communities. Their ongoing work harnesses partnerships between government, business, private organizations and dedicated volunteers to raise the funds and provide labor to build and maintain a 200+ mile system of linking trails with its epicenter around Show Low and Pinetop-Lakeside. Wildflowers and meadows on Springs Trail A good introduction to this system is the Springs Trail. The easy to find, 3.6-mile loop located just off State Route 260 in Pinetop-Lakeside showcases the pro

SKUNK CANYON-ARIZONA TRAIL-FLAGSTAFF LOOP CIRCUIT Flagstaff Entrance to the Skunk Canyon slot This pleasant stroll links a short, lesser known route with two of Flagstaff's most popular trails. Offering a backdoor into a heavily used recreational corridor, Skunk Canyon Trail is a sleepy little gem accessible off of Flagstaff's Lake Mary Road near Walnut Canyon that shares dirt with the Flagstaff Loop and Arizona Trail. Over its 2.7-mile course, the 2-track trail follows the contours of a shallow gorge that morphs from a sun drenched, gaping meadow of hip-deep grasses and wildflowers into a skinny path in a woodsy slot canyon dripping in moss. Inside the slot "jewel" of the trail, towering pines, shallow limestone caves and tangled brambles complement its deeply shaded drainage. Flagstaff Loop Trail  After emerging from the dark forest, the trail enters another meadow before plugging in to Passage # 33 of the Arizona Trail. The AZT leg of the hike is a mile-long walk o

BLUE RIDGE PASSAGE #28 of the ARIZONA TRAIL Mogollon Rim Blue Ridge views on the Mogollon Rim Passage #28 of the Arizona Trail traverses some of the state's most scenic territory. Packed with history and ever-changing exposure to creek and canyon riddled terrain, the 16.1-mile trek is a summertime favorite especially among hikers who also like to camp. The route passes near several popular Mogollon Rim campgrounds including Moqui, Blue Ridge and Rock Crossing and there are plenty of dispersed camp sites along the trail for backpackers who prefer to rough it. Traveling from south to north, the segment begins in the enchanting cloister of General Springs Canyon. There's an historic forest service cabin at the trailhead and the ruins of the Fred Haught homestead off a side trail roughly 3 miles in. Canyon-bound meadows flushed green by perennial pools and monsoon rain burst with butterfly-magnet wildflowers. Keen-eyed hikers might spot our state amphibian, the Arizona Tree Frog.