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CANYON OF FOOLS Deep within the Canyon of Fools Canyon of Fools might be the weirdest hike in Sedona.   Located in the Mescal Mountain cluster of trails northwest of town, the keynote feature of the route is a gnarly, half-mile walk through a red-earth labyrinth. Unlike other Red Rock Country hikes, this one ditches open air, ooo-ahhh vistas in favor a cloistered trudge through a dirt tunnel.   The adventure begins within a few yards of the trailhead off Boynton Pass Road where the trail ducks into a serpentine gulch that morphs from a roomy corridor into a claustrophobic, high-walled canyon with tree roots protruding in arthritic tangles. Roots protrude from the canyon walls Mescal Mountain The rough-cut passage twists among flaking shelves of sandstone and side canyons sculpted into bizarre forms by running water and erosion. Yucca fruit You�d earn the title of fool by trying to hike here during a rainstorm for you�d surely be swept away in a torrent of mud and debris. The creepily d

Wag & Walk Dog Adoption Hikes 2017-2018 Season A Wag & Walk participant takes a snuggle break A handsome boy and his volunteer handler. October brings cooler temperatures, sunny days and the beginning of hiking season in the Valley. Few creatures are happier about this than the adoptable dogs at the Maricopa County Animal Care & Control shelter in Mesa. That�s because on the first Saturday of every month from October through April, they get to strut their stuff along the Merkel Trail at Usery Mountain Regional Park. Shelter volunteers are on hand to assist you   The public is invited to join the four-legged sweeties on these easy, 1-mile Wag & Walk Dog Adoption Hikes and also stick around for a meet-and-greet play session back at the trailhead. Shelter volunteers will be on hand to answer your questions about each dog�s personality, activity level, trick repertoire and history. You can even �test drive� the dogs to see how well they behave on leash. For those looking

WOLVERTON MOUNTAIN and QUARTZ MOUNTAIN Summit of Quartz Mountain Over its 54-mile course, the Prescott Circle Trail tours some of the most spectacular country in Arizona�s central highland region. The city-circumnavigating route is organized into 10 segments that range from 2.7 to 9.1 miles in length with unique features that transport hikers through shady pine forests, lakeside coves, granite dells, grasslands and juniper scrub. Summit of Quartz Mountain But if highpoint vistas are your thing, Segment 4 delivers two juicy side trips: One tops out on an exposed crest with terrific sights while the other explores a solitary quartz-studded knoll. The segment is tethered by two trailheads. The White Spar Road trailhead is near a campground while the Aspen Creek trailhead is hike-in only.   The quickest access to the peaks is via the latter. Begin on Aspen Creek Trail #48 across from the parking area on Copper Basin Road. First up is Wolverton Mountain. Wolverton Mountain Trail To get the

WILLOW SPRINGS LAKE LOOP TRAIL Aspens and pines around Willow Springs Lake Although it�s best known as one of the best mountain bike trails on the Mogollon Rim, the Willow Springs Lake Trail also provides an invigorating trek for those who prefer to hoof-it. Located 30 miles east of Payson with easy to find trailheads along State Route 260, the route is made up of closed double-track dirt roads and lakeside footpaths that ramble through ponderosa pine forests and boggy backwaters above the spring-fed fishing hole.  Blue diamond tree blazes and generic bike signs mark the way.  Willow Springs Lake Some turns are easy-to-miss, so be sure to spot the next marker at each junction. The loop swings through prime wildlife habitat where there�s always a good chance of spotting deer, elk and waterfowl during the hike. Black bears also inhabit the pine-aspen woodlands but are much more elusive. Hikers take a break at the lake Where the forest is thickest, you�ll notice orange and blue bands on s

[Episode 111] Today's episode of the Social Work Podcast is about engaging people who are suicidal into professional mental health services. I spoke with Dr. Dana Alonzo from Fordham University. We talked about some of the reasons why people might not want to seek professional mental health services when they are suicidal, and some of the things that mental health professionals do to make it hard for folks to want to stay in treatment. Dana sees this as a problem of engagement. She described the process of how she developed her intervention and what it entails. She ends with some tips on how to improve engagement in treatment for anyone, regardless of suicide risk. Download MP3  [36:33] If you�re feeling suicidal, please talk to somebody. You can reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255; the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860; or the Trevor Project at 866-488- 7386. Text �START� to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. If you don�t like the phone, consider using t

SUNFLOWER FLAT & J.D. CABIN EXPLORATION Kaibab National Forest J.D. Cabin site on the Kaibab National Forest Literature is rife with tales of creatures both real and imaginary. Books like J. K. Rowling�s "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and the 1963 classic "Where the Wild Things Are" by Maurice Sendak introduce readers to magical places and whimsical creatures. These fanciful tales might inspire you to explore the equally enchanting real-life critters and locations of Arizona. There�s an easy way to indulge your curiosity and step back in history along the dirt roads and prairies southeast of Williams.  T his two-part outing begins at Sunflower Flat Wildlife Area. Situated in a high-country wet meadow surrounded by mountain peaks of Kaibab National Forest, the site is unique in that its condition varies with rainfall, and visiting wildlife responds accordingly. When there�s lots of rain, the 160-acre Arizona Game & Fish property is a shallow lake t