Arizona Trail Conditions

Users of the Arizona Trail are advised of the following Arizona Trail conditions. Please contact the Arizona Trail Association’s passage stewards listed on the ATA website for the most current information.
 

Huachuca Mountains
Canelo Hills East
Canelo Hills West

The AZT along the AZ/Mexico border continues to be impacted by illegal border crossers. Many new side trails are being created by the border crossers. And trail users should watch for illegal trails, intersecting the Arizona Trail, as the illegal trails are often more distinct and heavily traveled. Trail users may meet illegal border crossers and are advised to not hike alone in these areas. Also, overnight users are advised to camp away from the trail as far as possible. In the Huachuca Mountains passage: A large section of the trail near Miller Peak is very dangerous for equestrians. Even walking your horse through this area could be difficult. Trail users should be alert where the Arizona Trail meets the Oversite Canyon Trail junction and where it meets the Carr Peak Trail junction. Signs may be confusing or down. So until signs are replaced, pay close attention to the correct route. Also, there is a site along the trail about one half mile south of Miller Peak Trail junction where illegal border crossers have left large amounts of trash and clothing. The Arizona Trail was re-routed in Scotia Canyon in January, 2010. The new trail route is signed and ready for use. The previous trail route was badly eroded and a safety hazard for mountain bikers and equestrians.

Temporal Gulch

Please use extreme caution when hiking this section. Due to heavy summer rains, the four wheel drive road northwest of Temporal Gulch trailhead is impassable for most four wheel drive vehicles for about 5 miles.

Santa Rita Mountains

The trail access point at FR 785 / Flume / Gardener Creek has been realigned to support a resource protection closure of the existing vehicle capable access point. Fencing has been installed across the top of this entry point and there is no room for exit or entry without inflicting resource damage. When crossing the creek the trail will break to your right and is signed. The rough construction ends in a drainage which will be used temporarily to access an existing parking area. The tread should be completed by end of May. When accessing the trail from the South / West, enter through the parking area on FR 785 that is just west of the old entry point. The temporary entry point is signed. The "Link Trail" is also now open for use.

Las Colinas

The trail is completed from the turn north on Oak Tree Canyon Road (0.8 miles west of Highway 83) for approximately 10.5 miles to the Coronado National Forest boundary with State Trust lands. Both FR 4064 (Mile 44 on Highway 83) and FR 231 (Mile 46.5 on Highway 83) have excellent parking and FR 231 is easy for horse trailers to turn around. The trail crosses FR 231 exactly 1.4 miles from Highway 83. All fence crossings are gated. At this time, work on the trail in State Trust lands has not started. Prior to the CNF boundary there is a detour sign and trail users follow a construction hike-in path to the Lakes Road for 0.4 miles. Follow the Lakes Road for two miles to the start of the Rincon Valley Passage. Fiber glass posts have been placed with trail logos and arrows to keep users on the right road. Trail users wanting to start at the Lakes Road should use the gate at Mile 51.5 on Highway 83.

Las Cienegas

When you exit the gate on the north side of Sahuarita Road, the reroute of the existing trail crosses Sahuarita Road (we no longer cross Route 83 at Sahuarita Road) and heads for one-half mile following orange flagging. When you come to a large wash you will see four concrete box culverts to your right that will take you under Route 83. After you go under Route 83, you will see an upslope to your right that is now the trail. Trail users headed north to south will follow the new trail to the large wash crossing and just reverse the process after going under Route 83.

Rincon Valley

Construction of this passage is now complete except for the final 0.3 miles up to Hope Camp as of Spring 2009. Some bushwacking will be required for trail users. Also, trail users that approach Marsh Station Road from the south will now find posts with logos and arrows to direct them to the Marsh Station Road highway bridge following a utility right of way. CAREFULLY cross the highway bridge, step over the guard rail, go under the high trestle and pick up the trail on the other side of fence. Mountain bikers and equestrians should go around the end of the guard rail. Equestrians should walk their horses or mules over the bridge. Trail users headed north to south should reverse the process and once across the Marsh Station Road highway bridge veer on an angle to the left and pass thru the open fence to follow the utility corridor.

Rincon Mountains

Considerable effort has gone into starting construction of the roughly 4.5 mile section of the trail that will go from the Saguaro National Park Boundary, in the vicinity of Hope Camp, to tie into the Manning Camp Trail approximately 2 miles above the Madrona Ranger Station. At this time what has been built is not open for use. Arizona Trail users still need to go to the SNP Rincon Mountain District Visitor's Center to gain access to the Park and get a camping permit if plans include camping within the Park. Some users are hiking on the completed trail to Rincon Creek and then cutting back to the northeast to find the Manning Camp Trail. If you elect to do this you are trespassing on the X9 Ranch Association's roads or individual's private property. Please do not do this as it sends the wrong message and may lead to the X9 Ranch Association taking stronger measures to preclude this from happening.

Santa Catalina Mountains
Oracle Ridge

The section of these passages near the junction of the Mt. Lemmon Trail and the Sutherland Trail has been impacted by a fire in the Romero Canyon area and is closed. Users are advised to not take the Canada del Oro route. Instead, users are advised to follow the Wilderness of Rocks Trail or the Mt. Lemmon Trail into the Summerhaven community and then follow the Oracle Ridge Trail and reconnect with the AZT at Dan's Saddle.

Oracle

As of October, 2009 Oracle State Park is closed to the public for day-use due to budget reductions. The section of the trail that is in the park is open. For more information, see the park's website.

White Canyon

This 13.7 mile track will take you from the Florence-Kelvin bridge over the Gila River to the confluence of White and Walnut Canyons where the artesian well is located. Just after the railroad tracks immediately north of the bridge over the Gila River, take the first left onto a road heading west. Stay on this road over Mineral Creek and past a house at the top of a small climb (0.28 miles). Take the road heading left/westerly (not up steep hill). Keep on road left past parking area above railroad tracks, taking next left until reaching cairn and flagging at 0.6 miles. Follow flagging/staked route for 3.1 miles until reaching a gate at a corner north of the railroad trestle bridge (33.10583 N, 111.00167 W). Follow brushed trail just north of fence, then climb about 0.1 miles to a newly built trail. The next 6.4 miles of new trail go to a major wash (33.11520 N, 111.02984 W). (Do not take the wash with the large cairn, but continue west for about another 0.25 miles.) At major wash turn right/north heading up the wash for 1.0 miles (33.13313 N, 111.06751 W). Turn left/west onto a two-track rocky road for about 1.85 miles which drops into Walnut Canyon. Head north up Walnut Canyon (33.14843 N, 111.07909 W) for about 0.8 miles until reaching the artesian well (33.15732 N, 111.08051 W). The Data Book outlines the rest of the passage to the Forest Service boundary. Alternative route to the Walnut Canyon artesian well. Continue on paved road from bridge for 1.4 miles to Highway 177 then north for 6.1 miles to Battle Axe Road 0.2 miles beyond mile post 158. Take Battle Axe Road southwest for 1.7 miles, turning right/north 0.1 miles beyond the steel corral. Follow road for 1.9 miles to artesian well.

Superstition Wilderness

As you pass through Cottonwood Canyon on the northern end of the passage, it will be very rocky and the tread often suffers from the effects of flash floods. The canyon corridor was cleared in early 2009, but the summer monsoons usually cause damage to the tread as it meanders from one side of the canyon to the other. It is passable by hikers using care; on occasion equestrians pass through, but the Forest Service does not recommend horse or bicycle traffic.

Four Peaks

The remote 7 mile section between Granite Springs and Shake Springs can make for a challenging hike due to Scrub Oak and Manzanita overgrowth; resultant from a combination of recent fires and the summer monsoons. The corridor tends to fill in annually making it very difficult to follow. A portion of the trail corridor was cleared in October 2008 and again in May 2010. The Forest Service has scheduled crews to clear the entire mid-section this Fall. It is highly recommended you have adequate navigation aids and skills before hiking this segment. A GPS receiver with current track data loaded before hand, along with map and compass, are recommended.

Mazatzal Divide

The deadfall and erosion from the 2004 Willow Fire continue to create major problems. There are numerous blow downs from the tremendous high winds over the past winter months. (A 2010 hiker says up to a thousand trees are down). Expect your hiking to be very difficult and your time to average close to 1 MPH. Much of the signage burned. The Mazatzal Wilderness area trail signs have not been replaced after the fire, but an AZT wooden sign exists at each major trail junction. A GPS receiver with current track data, along with map and compass, are recommended. Horseback travel is not recommended.

Blue Ridge

The AZT is temporarily closed from FR 751 south to East Clear Creek due to a prescribed burn in that area. For the most current information please call the Coconino National Forest office at 928-527-3600, or go to their website.

Mormon Lake

The AZT is closed and rerouted around a forest thinning project for a few miles south and north of Mormon Lake Village. The AZT is signed at both ends of the reroute. The temporary reroute takes the AZT through the Mormon Lake Village and back to the AZT at either end. When the forest thinning project is complete about September, 2010 the AZT will be repaired by the thinning contractor and reopened.

Mt Elden

The equestrian bypass around Flagstaff is closed indefinitely between Highway 89 and Schultz Pass due to the Schultz fire. For the most current information please call the Coconino National Forest office at 928-527-3600, or go to their website.

Flagstaff

The southern end of this passage is closed due to the Hardy fire. It is closed from the beginning of the passage near Fisher Point north to the duck pond just south of the I-40 underpass at the Rio de Flag. For the most current information, please call the Flagstaff Metropolitan Planning Organization/City of Flagstaff at 928-226-4850. A short section of this thru-town, resupply route, is not complete. Approximately 0.8 miles of the AZT has not been built from the intersection of Enterprise St. and Route 66 up to the Ponderosa Parkway on McMillan Mesa. The AZT will eventually follow an extension of Enterprise St. when it is completed. Meanwhile, trail users will need to bushwack across this area or find other routes to the Buffalo Park TH.

San Francisco Peaks

A section of this passage has been temporarily closed from the beginning of the passage near Schultz Pass along the Weatherford and Kachina Trails. An emergency fire closure order was implemented on June 21, 2010 due to the Schultz fire. For the most current information please call the Coconino National Forest office at 928-527-3600, or go to their website, Approximately 9 miles of trail need to be constructed in this passage between Schultz Pass and the Snowbowl parking area. Until this section of the AZT is constructed, hikers are advised to use the Weatherford and Kachina Wilderness trails from Schultz Pass to the Snow Bowl parking area. From the Mt. Humphreys TH parking lot follow the Aspen Loop connector trail west, down the slope to the Arizona Trail. The AZT is completed north from this point to the end of the passage at Cedar Ranch.

Grand Canyon South Rim

The Tusayan Bike trail (which the AZT follows) ends 0.3 miles north of Tusayan. From that point the AZT is signed across the old Moqui Lodge area, about 0.5 miles to a new gate in the GCNP boundary fence. From the gate the route is signed all the way to the South Kaibab Trailhead.

Kaibab Plateau South
Kaibab Plateau Central

Some parts of these passages were impacted by the 2006 Warm Fire. The Kaibab National Forest has closed a section of the AZT from Crane Lake to the FR 205 TH. This section will likely be closed thru 2010 while standing timber is harvested. Contact the Kaibab National Forest for more information.