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. ...

Have you been seeing these colorful patches attached to hiker packs, shirts and hats while trekking Arizona trails?  They signify that the wearer is a member of the Arizona Hiking Facebook Group . The group has over 23,000 active members who share their hiking adventures, photos and advise. Join us and get a patch (NOT a requirement) of your own, too. CHECK IT OUT: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1428020817423751/ ORDER PATCHES HERE: https://arizona-hiking-group.myshopify.com/ GROUP STANDARDS OF CONDUCT The goal of Arizona Hiking group is t o provide a forum for hikers of all levels to share experiences and tips. As a member, you are expected to: � Contribute helpful and inspiring hike-related posts. � Respect fellow members by keeping comments civil. � Stay on topic. � Provide positive feedback and encouragement. � Disagree constructively, not hatefully. �Do not post business ads and links to draw readers to your social media sites/website/Instagram/blog/store/YouTube cha...

CLOVER SPRING Williams Clover Spring On a mountain with no shortage of summit-busting hiking trails, it takes will power to swerve off the epic routes onto one with a subtler kind of charisma. Whether bypassed due to time constraints, bad weather or dwindling supplies, secondary routes often get ignored in favor of heavily travelled arterial trails. Clover Spring Trail #46 epitomizes the joy to be found on the little trails that compete for love with the summit routes on Bill Williams Mountain. Trough at Clover Spring More an option than a diversion, this shady, moderate path is toggled to challenging Bill Williams Mountain Trail #21 and can be hiked as either a short loop or an alternative leg that adds less than a mile to the standard summit route. The "C"-shaped connector moves through beautiful woodlands overlooking the city of Williams. A short section of climbing among lichen-cloaked boulders precedes the arrival at a rustic concrete trough marking Clover Spring. Don...

LITTLE SPRING to BISMARCK LAKE Flagstaff Approaching Little Spring From the looks of the place, it's hard to imaging a stage coach lurching through the bumpy terrain below the north face of Flagstaff's San Francisco Peaks. Between 1892-1900, the Flagstaff to Grand Canyon Stagecoach line did just that, braving rough back roads to shuttle guests to the South Rim during the summer season. The stage service is long gone, but portions of its former route live on as footpaths used by hikers, bikers and for ultra running and long distance trekking events. One of the most beautiful segments of the historic trail wanders along the eastern edge of Hart Prairie just outside of the Kachina Peaks Wilderness Area. The hike begins near Little Spring, a popular stop along the stagecoach route that's now part of a national historic landmark. Picking up the trail is a little bit tricky in the beginning. From the parking spot, h ike 0.4 mile on an old dirt road to where there�s a split ra...

HASSAYAMPA RIVER PRESERVE Wickenburg Sacred datura bloom along River Ramble Trail The month of June is notoriously rife with wildfire activity. Historically, it's our driest month leading into monsoon season. Hikers who like to escape the heat on high elevation trails may find their plans thwarted by road closures, smoke and the possibility of more fires popping up with no warning. During those weeks when it seems like the whole state is on fire, it's good to know that that there's an alternative cool hiking destination located not too far from Downtown Phoenix. The trails at Hassayampa River Preserve in Wickenburg offer respite from the heat under canopies of cottonwoods, willows, mesquite, alders and enormous Desert fan palms. Straddling one of the few places where the 100-mile-long river flows above ground, the preserve has trails that explore the site's diversity. River Ramble Trail follows a channel of trickling perennial water through a tangled, green forest flu...