big man tips

"Hikernators" Find Inspiration on Scottsdale's Tom's Thumb Trail Iconic Tom's Thumb in McDowell Sonoran Preserve. For Valley hikers, autumn�s balmy temperatures are at the center of a triple conjunction of will, weather and wherewithal that rekindles desert hiking envy. Tom's Thumb seen from the Prairie Falcon Overlook. The inertia is palpable as swarms of �hikernators� emerge from air-conditioned gyms, the darkness of night or mountain climes to once again walk in desert sunlight. It�s a heady time of year for hikers who are anxious to shake off the smell of pine and ditch the 4 a.m. start times. The Preserve is open from sunrise to sunset daily. What better way to inaugurate a new season than to climb to one of the Valley�s iconic geological features for tantalizing views and a chance to build your checklist of places to hike over the coming cooler months. Granite boulders line the upper parts of Tom's Thumb Trail. With its challenging grade and Valleywi...

RECTOR CONNECTOR The Rector Connector opened in January 2018. Silverleaf nightshade grows in sunny spots on the trail. Scenic spot on Rector Connector. A new trail has debuted in a hub of Red Rock Country old standards.   Lodged in the middle of the Big Park Trails system just north of the Village of Oak Creek, the Rector Connector fills a void in the loop-centric routes that orbit iconic Bell Rock and Courthouse Butte.   Rector Connector spins off Courthouse Butte Loop. For years, trail users who were unhappy that the Coconino National Forest trails went around, but not between the massive rock formations along State Route 179 had been blazing their own routes creating unsustainable, dangerous paths that damaged the sensitive environment.   View of Bell Rock from Rector Connector. In January 2018, Friends of the Forest�a non-profit Sedona organization that promotes stewardship of area public lands through financial and volunteer labor support --under the tutelage of the ...

Two Events Will Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Arizona National Trail System Act AZT Passage 15, near Kearny. Help celebrate the 50 th Anniversary of the Arizona Trail System Act and the 25th anniversary of the trail, by participating in one or both of two commemorative events. AZT Passage 28, Blue Ridge, Mogollon Rim AZT IN A DAY AZT Passage 27, Highline near Pine On Saturday, October 8, 2018, hundreds of trail users across the state will join to collectively complete the entire 800-mile Arizona Trail in a single day.   Be part of history--sign up to hike, bike, run or ride a segment on this epic occasion. AZT Passage 32, Flagstaff, Picture Canyon 50 FOR 50 AZT Passage 1, Mexico border AZT Passage 9 Hope Camp, Rincon Mountains, Tucson Sign up to complete at least 50 miles of the Arizona Trail on your own during 2018 and you�ll receive a cool 50 th Anniversary patch! TO REGISTER FOR EVENTS: https://aztrail.org/events/50th-anniversary-events/azt-in-a-day/

ABINEAU-BEAR JAW LOOP Aspens line Waterline Road on Abineau-Bear Jaw Loop. With fall foliage season right around the corner, I�m already feeling the tug of the Abineau-Bear Jaw Trail.   Its location high on the north flanks of Flagstaff�s San Francisco Mountain means it�s one of the first places to show Autumn color.   Anxious hikers who can manage the rugged, 1,870-foot, thin-air climb in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness can get a jump start on aspen overload. San Francisco Peaks seen from Abineau Canyon. Aspens abound on the Abineau-Bear Jaw Loop A short access path leads to a junction where the loop begins. You can go either way, but using the Abineau Canyon leg for the uphill climb affords the best views of the peaks without having to stop and turn around all the time. Aspen color peaks early in Abineau Canyon Abineau Canyon's deep woods. View from the top of Abineau Canyon. Damp and chilly, the moss-laced mixed conifer woodlands of Abineau Canyon is reminiscent of the alpine...

STORM TRAILS Curious rock formations on the Easter Island Trail. The best trails are those that respect the terrain through which they cut, following the  land�s natural contours to unwind like humble spectators rather than intruders. The newest additions to the Prescott Mile-High Trail System do just that in a seemingly impenetrable labyrinth of stone. The Boulder Creek Trail adds a splash of green. Early in 2018, the City of Prescott purchased a 160-acre parcel east of Watson Lake to preserve the geologically-unique space while allowing for recreational use. Shortly after the land was acquired, work on the Storm Trails system got underway and the first routes officially opened on March 31, 2018. Use the Peavine Trail to access the Storm Trails Situated deep in the striking beauty of the Granite Dells, the loopy network spins off from the Prescott Peavine National Recreation Trail 1.5-miles north of the trailhead on Sundog Ranch Road.   The Storm Trails explore Prescott's Gra...