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Thru-hikers Information Sources

This page contains links to various sources of information that should be useful to thru-hikers and others interested in doing long stretches of the Arizona Trail.

Note:  Use common sense when using the Arizona Trail. Try to use more than one source of information about the trail. Some sections of the trail are in very remote areas of the state. Carry appropriate equipment and be prepared for unexpected situations. And most important - water in many areas along the trail is uncertain. Plan accordingly.
We want you to have a safe and fun experience exploring the Arizona Trail!

 

Dialogue with Other Arizona Trail Users

Planning a hike or just interested in the Arizona Trail? Dialogue with past, present and future AZT users at the Trail Forums web site in the "Arizona Trail room".

Books about the Arizona Trail

The Official Guide to the Arizona Trail by Tom Jones, 2006.
Published by Westcliffe Publishers, Inc, Englewood, Colorado. Very useful for day, section and thru-hikers. Available from the Arizona Trail Association, REI or Summit Hut.

Biking The Arizona Trail by Andrea Lankford, 2002.
A good guide for taking your two wheeled friend on a challenging trip. Available at REI, Summit Hut and many bookstores.

Crossing Arizona by Chris Townsend, 2002.
Published by the Countryman Press, Woodstock, Vermont. Veteran hiker and hiking book writer Chris Townsend gives an interesting account of his hike on the Arizona Trail. Available at REI, Summit Hut and many bookstores.

Along The Arizona Trail by M. John Fayhee and Jerry Sieve, 1998.
Published by Westcliffe Publishers, Inc, Englewood, Colorado. An interesting coffee table book of John's Arizona Trail trip and wonderful pictures by Jerry Sieve. Out of print but local Phoenix area public libraries may have copies.

On The Arizona Trail by Kelly Tighe and Susan Moran, 1998.
Published by Pruett Publishing Co, Boulder, Colorado. This is the only resource that was done by an equestrian. Includes information on how equestrians can access the Mexico Border, trailheads that are accessible by equestrians, etc. It's out of print but most public libraries in the Phoenix area have copies.

Water Sources

An excellent source of information about water sources along the trail can be found on ATA member Fred Gaudet's web site. There is current and historic data on his Arizona Trail water source page.

Snow Conditions

Some years there can be snow along the trail late into the spring. For current snow conditions on Mt. Lemmon, call this number:  520-576-1400.
For information on the Mogollon Rim and Flagstaff areas you can go to the USDA's National Resources Conservation Service Snotel site.
For information on the south and north rims of the Grand Canyon, you can call the park at 928-638-7888 or email them using their contact page.

GPS Data

GPS coordinates for the passages are available on the Arizona Trail web site through the passage pages.
Note:  Beginning and ending points are available to everyone, but you must be an ATA member to access the complete trail data set.

Journals and Diaries

Dave Hicks' personal web site contains a large amount of detailed information. Go to Dave's Arizona Trail eBook.

Scott Morris and Lee Blackwell rode the trail in 2005. Scott kept a diary of his trip. There is also a journal with photos at this location.

Tim McCabe has an online journal of his 2006 south-to-north trip by mountain bike. Great photos and a good narrative can be found on his diary page.

Adam Bradley hiked the entire Arizona Trail in less than 31 days in 2007. His journal of that trip can be found on the trail journals website.

In Progress:  Sirena Dufault is hiking the Arizona Trail to raise awareness for Fibromyalgia. Her online journal can be found on her website called Arizona Trail For Fibromyalgia.

In Progress:  Diane Wertz is riding a mule on the Arizona Trail. Her blog can be found on the Blogspot site.

In Progress:  Mike Hayes and his daughter Maureen are doing the Arizona Trail in sections. He writes for the Arizona Republic and the first installment of their blog can be found on the Arizona Republic website.

In Progress:  Dave Baker is hiking the Arizona Trail and is keeping a journal. It can be found on the Summit Hut website.

Ultralight Adventure Equipment based in Logan, Utah has information about the Arizona Trail on their web site. They have an online journal of a trip taken in 2004 starting on this page.

Journals from several other Arizona Trail thru-hikers can be found on the Trail Journals web site.

Other Information Sources

New:  The Arizona Trail Association has just released the first version of a trail data book. It can be downloaded from the data book page.

Information about the various sections of the trail can be found on the Arizona Trail web site on the passage pages.

Current conditions of the various sections of the trail can be found on the Arizona Trail web site on the trail conditions page.

A list of the Arizona Trail stewards and land agencies who have responsibility for the various sections of the trail can be found at the Arizona Trail web site on the stewards page.

 

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Arizona Trail Association, PO Box 36736, Phoenix, AZ 85067-6736

Phone (602) 252-4794. E-mail: