big man tips

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...

OLDHAM TRAILS Coconino National Forest, Flagstaff Orange paint marks tress to save during 4FRI (Okay Orange) The heat is on and with it comes the annual migration of Valley hikers to the cool forests of Northern Arizona. While trekking along high country trails, you might encounter trees bearing orange or blue paint blazes. These colorful codes are part of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative (4FRI), a planned 20-year effort to restore fire-adapted ecosystems in Kaibab, Coconino, Apache-Sitgreaves and Tonto National Forests through hand thinning, logging and prescribed burns. Orange paint designates trees that will not be cut (and may also indicate treatment area boundaries) while blue marks those to be removed. An easy way to remember this: Okay Orange, Bye Bye Blue. Scars of the 2010 Schultz Fire Many Arizona forests are rife with unhealthy, tinderbox conditions. The major goals of 4FRI are to reduce fuels that contribute to unnaturally catastrophic wildfires, protect watershed re...