big man tips

MUD TANK TRAIL, BRAD'S TRAIL & FROG TANK LOOP Munds Park Trail System Mud Tank Just off Interstate 17 a few miles south of Flagstaff, a mix of Coconino National Forest roads and footpaths have been adopted by the Munds Park Trail Stewards-- a non-profit organization that maintains and builds recreational routes around the mountain community. The Munds Park Trail System offers a varied menu of both ATV and hiker options enhanced with a plethora of eye candy and points of interest. Typical scene on the Mud Tank Trail The Iron Springs Trailhead serves as the system�s nerve center with a map kiosk showing an overview of the entire matrix as well as providing a launch point for the Mud Tank Trail, Brad�s Trail and Frog Tank Loop. A good way to get warmed up before exploring the system�s longer routes is to step out on the Mud Tank Trail.   This effortless walk among Ponderosa pines is open to hikers, bikers and equestrians and culminates at a stock pond. The watering hole is a quiet...

NASH POINT Coconino National Forest. Hikers approach the Calf Pen Canyon overlook Forest Service road maps can burn the eyeballs. Black tentacles sprawled across paper maps or smart devise screens bearing nondescript numbers and letters give clues about road conditions, where you can take a motorized vehicle and nearby towns and landmarks. But, where do the roads go? Why would a road end abruptly at no particular destination? The best way to find answers is to park and hoof it. Forest Road 9365R north of the town of Strawberry is a good one to try because its terminus-- marked only by an �X� on most maps-- is a memorable sight.   View from Nash Point Located on the Mogollon Rim just outside of Fossil Springs Wilderness Area, the road begins as a typical backwoods Jeep route. On a base of sandstone, smothered in a forest of Alligator junipers and Ponderosa pines, hikers pass through a pinecone cluttered corridor bolstered by massive rock slabs. At about a mile into the trek, the roa...

CORNVILLE NON-MOTORIZED TRAILS View of Mingus Mountain and Jerome from Backbone Trail Spanning the space Northeast of the Verde River between the communities of Bridgeport and Cornville is a system of trails that just got a shot in the arm. Although the trails have been around for awhile, a recent influx of grant dollars has helped fund new trailheads, signs and fresh trail construction. The Cornville Non-Motorized Trails project is being coordinated by Yavapai County and the Cornville Community Association in partnership with the Forest Service. The overall goal is to establish a 12-mile network of routes to link the two towns. The work-in-progress is coming together quickly and is now open to hiking, biking and equestrian use. New signs were installed in March 2017 The trails located between Zalesky and Tissaw Roads are mostly complete, signed and easy to follow. This segment of the system is anchored by the Backbone Trail which passes through a wash-riddled high desert with views o...

BOULDERS LOOP Payson Stewart Creek trickles along Boulders Loop Sometimes, a trail�s name and its reputation dovetail like a fine hewn joint. The Boulders Loop Trail in Payson is such an excellent example of this that it has earned a local moniker: �Boulderpalooza�.   And that�s not the only home-grown terminology inspired by this twisted little trail that whirls through creek-scoured back country a few miles southeast of town. Resident trail maven, photographer and hike-stick-maker Randy Cockrell, who leads treks for the Payson Packers hike group, shared some insight into the informal names locals have bestowed upon landmarks along the route. Hikers navigate "Boulderpalooza". But first, let us discuss why this entertaining Payson Area Trails System (P.A.T.S.) route might also be dubbed, �Boulder Confusion�. Finding the trailhead is the first of several challenges. To get to the loop from the Monument Peak trailhead, hike 0.5 mile down FR 435 to where the gorge of Stewart Cre...

BUBBLING PONDS PRESERVE Blackhawk Trail at Bubbling Ponds Preserve Hikers who enjoy wildlife viewing will have a heyday at the Bubbling Ponds Preserve in Cornville. Cradled among desert hills, wineries and dewy green zones along Oak Creek, the site has two formal trails that loop among the property�s rare and varied habitats. The flat, soft paths pass through mesquite forests, meadows, cattail wetlands, a warm water hatchery for raising native fish and a shady riparian corridor. Informational signs, viewing benches and observation decks help maximize the visitor experience. Lower Oak Creek Important Bird Area Because of its reliable water and favorable nesting niches, the property is a sanctuary for resident and migratory birds, reptiles and mammals including several threatened species. Hikers are practically guaranteed sightings of Great blue herons, Red-winged blackbirds and many common species of waterfowl. With luck, you might also spot a more elusive Snowy Egret, Vermillion Flycat...

WAG & WALK DOG ADOPTION HIKE  Take a hike with a tail-wagging pack of adoptable dogs from the Maricopa County Animal Care & Control Mesa shelter as they strut their stuff on an easy desert trail.  The final Wag & Walk Dog Adoption hike of the season will take place on Saturday, April 1, 2017 at Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa. It's a great opportunity to interact with the dogs outside of the kennel environment where they're more relaxed and able to show their true (mostly silly) personalities. You can even "test drive" the dogs to see how well they walk on leash. Shelter volunteers will be on hand to provide information on each dog's breed, exercise needs and history at the shelter. There will also be information on how you can become a volunteer. You don't have to be looking for a new fur baby to join the hike. Your participation gives the dogs a chance to practice their social skills and pander for belly rubs and treats.  Leashed, well-behav...

HOMOLOVI STATE PARK TRAILS Winslow Tsu'vo Trail Please don�t call this place a �ruin�.   Homolovi State Park is a Hopi ancestral village on the high plains of northeastern Arizona that teems with both animated and spiritual life.    Air-breathing, water-slurping terrestrial entities share space with invisible, but very present human souls who occupied the area from prehistoric times to 1400 AD. March is the perfect time to visit the park. Balmy temperatures and festivities associated with Archeology & Heritage Awareness Month add bonus points to a day trip that�s enjoyable any time of year.   The park is situated at the southern edge of the Colorado Plateau where the ruddy, sun-backed terrain smacks of NASA images of the surface of Mars.   Homolovi I The lifeline of this unforgiving yet striking landscape is the chocolatey flow of the Little Colorado River which feeds a fringe of greenery on the site�s western edge.   Five easy hiking trails explore pue...