b"beautiful. Here youll encounter different types of cactusinto civilization, is called a thru-hike. The youngest and desert wildlife, such as javelina, desert tortoise, andperson to thru-hike the trail was 19 years old and theFUN FACTS, ACCORDING the cactus wren. This section crosses the Gila River, theoldest hiker was 78. In its entirety, the Arizona Traillowest point on the Arizona Trail. known to serious hikers as the AZTmight seemTO THE ARIZONA TRAIL daunting but there are sections in theASSOCIATION:After leaving the desert, hikersPhoenix area that are challenging-yet-will cross several wildernessdoable day hikes.Everyone who finishes the AZTareas and climb some of the(either all at once or after many years rugged and wild mountainThe Arizona Trail Associations mission ranges that lie east of Phoenix,is to protect, maintain, enhance,of hiking, biking, or riding segments) including the Superstition andpromote and sustain the Arizona Trailreceives a copper belt buckle from Mazatzal Mountains. This sectionas a unique encounter with the land.the Arizona Trail Association as a ends at the Mogollon Rim, theFor all the details about the AZT visitcompletion award.1,000-foot cliff that runs for 200their website at AZTrail.org. miles across central Arizona and The AZT passes through Grand ends near the border with NewSince last March, more people haveCanyon, with an average depthMexico. been heading into the great outdoors than ever before and the Arizona Trailof 1 mile.NORTHERN SECTIONhas received record visitation and (Passages 27-43) provides a safe outdoor space at a time The highest point of the trail is the After leaving the Mogollon Rim,when it is needed most. Kaibab Plateau, at 9,148 feet.the Arizona Trail enters the San Francisco Plateau region as it The AZT passes through theapproaches Flagstaff. The Arizonalargest contiguous ponderosa pine Trail splits here with passage 32 traversing the rolling hills around Flagstaff and passage 33, the bypass,forest in North America and its rim-heading into town where there are ample shoppingto-rim spanning of the Grand Canyon areas and lodging for hikers. The next milestone is themakes it the only trail that traverses San Francisco Peaks which are the eroded remains ofone of the Seven Natural Wondersone of Arizona's most active volcanoes. The Arizonaof the World.Trail skirts the highest peaks in this section, passing instead on the western flank as it heads towards the Eighty-five percent of the AZT is on Coconino Plateau and the Grand Canyon. federally owned land and the trail The northern part of the Arizona Trail is dominatedcould not exist without public lands. by the Grand Canyon. You will climb the canyon reaching up to 7,400 feet. Traffic is heavy in this area as the Arizona Trail crosses the canyon on trails used by visitors to the national park. As the Arizona Trail approaches Utah, hikers are challenged by the high elevation as they reach the Kaibab Plateau, the highest point on the Arizona Trail.A continuous journey from one end of the trail to the other, without restful diversions ArizonaRealCountry.com March 2021 25"