big man tips

THE BACK ROADS TO POTATO LAKE Thistles around Potato Lake attract pollinators. Whether called crayfish, crawfish, crawdads or aquatic cockroaches, there are two sure things about the prolific freshwater crustaceans--they harm native species and they love bacon. With few natural agents to control them, the population of non-native crayfish released into Arizona lakes and streams via bait bucket dumps or other means, has exploded. Potato Lake is surrounded by pine forests. Their voracious appetites and territory-hogging talents are decimating indigenous aquatic wildlife. They consume the eggs and larvae of native fish, amphibians and reptiles and gobble up critical food supplies. Invasive crayfish threaten native species. Plus, their nearly year-round reproductive cycle means they can commandeer a waterhole in no time flat. They need to go. Forest Road 9362T serves as the trail. The best way to help eradicate them is to prevent their introduction in the first place. The second-best way i...

MILITARY SINKHOLE TRAIL View from the Rim Lakes Vista Trail About halfway up the Military Sinkhole Trail, I thought of Michael Corleone. In a memorable scene from the 1972 film The Godfather, protagonist Corleone rebuffed a ride as he approached his ancestral Sicilian village for the first time, deciding to savor the experience by walking to it instead. I get it. Mixed conifer woodlands on Military Sinkhole There�s a sort of reverence associated with trekking to special places. A slower, boots-on-the-ground pace syncs well with epic experiences. Like the village of Corleone, the Mogollon Rim is a place best crept up to on foot. Arizona Thistle grow in Rim-top meadows The Rim is a roughly 200-mile escarpment at the edge of the Colorado Plateau that runs east-west across central Arizona.   It�s easy enough to drive right up to its precipitous cliffs and take an edgy, 40+-mile motor tour along Rim Road 300, but to get a better sense of the scale and structure of this geological wonde...

VISHNU TRAIL: A Tiny Trek on the Edge of the Grand Canyon. A hiker on the Vishnu Trail approaches G.C. views. Whether hiked as an inspirational appetizer, warm up walk or add-on trek while exploring around the South Rim of the Grand Canyon near the town of Tusayan, the Vishnu Trail is a quick and easy diversion with tantalizing views and opportunities to engage with the Arizona Trail.   Vishnu Trail connects with the Arizona Trail The hike begins directly under the Grandview Lookout Tower, where the well-marked path heads north through wildlife-rich pine-oak woodlands and shrubby enclaves.   After roughly a quarter-mile, glimpses of the hazy, russet chasm begin to appear through the trees. Grandview Lookout under stormy skies. Yes, we got soaked! An oak-shaded passage on the Vishnu Trail. As the trail progresses to its overlook spur, scenic vistas unwrap like unexpected gifts that surprise and thrill.   Vishnu Temple (right) seen from the trail overlook. A metal gate mark...

Cultural Heritage Hikes at Walnut Canyon National Monument View from a "shady side" dwelling Walnut Canyon is one of Northern Arizona�s most fascinating natural wonders.   Over its 20-mile course, the 400-foot-deep gorge cuts through pine-studded plateaus and eons of Earth�s history.   Sinagua cliff dwellings Located just a few miles southeast of Flagstaff, the chasm�s wavy course was created over millions of years by a complicated series of geological events. The canyon�s tilted layer-cake appearance is partly made up of eroded limestone deposits and the lithified remains of ancient coastal sand dunes.   Edible mahonia (barberry) also has medicinal qualities. Although you�d need a Ph.D. to thoroughly understand its geological anatomy, the canyon�s more relatable human element is the focus of a hike along the trails of Walnut Canyon National Monument.   240 stairs descend to the Island Trail The park was established in 1915 to protect and preserve the cultural artifa...