Sirena Rana - Best Day Hikes on the Arizona National Scenic Trail

Best Day Hikes on the Arizona National Scenic Trail

Copyright 2020 Sirena Rana

All rights reserved

Manufactured in the United States of America

Published by Wilderness Press

Distributed by Publishers Group West

First edition, first printing

Editor: Kate Johnson

Cover design: Scott McGrew

Cartography: Scott McGrew and Steve Jones

Photos: Sirena Rana, except as noted on page

Interior design: Annie Long and Monica Ahlman

Proofreader: Emily C. Beaumont

Indexer: Joanne Sprott/Potomac Indexing

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Rana, Sirena, 1974 author.

Title: Best day hikes on the Arizona National Scenic Trail / Sirena Rana.

Description: First edition. | Birmingham, AL : Wilderness Press, [2020]

Summary: The 800-mile Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) crosses the state, from Mexico to Utah. It travels up and down Sky Island mountain ranges, across the saguaro-studded Sonoran Desert, through the largest ponderosa pine forest in the world, past Arizonas highest peak, and from rim to rim of Grand Canyon. But you dont need to hike the entire route to experience its historical, geological, and botanical significance. Many scenic views and important sites are accessible within a few hours journey. Trail expert Sirena Rana guides you along the most interesting and accessible portions of the trail in 30 carefully crafted routes. Each entry includes navigational information and interpretive facts about the trails cultural history, natural history, and geography. Provided by publisher.

Identifiers: LCCN 2020016154 (print) | LCCN 2020016155 (ebook) | ISBN 9781643590097 (pbk.) ISBN 164359009X (pbk.) | ISBN 9781643590103 (ebook)

Subjects: LCSH: HikingArizonaArizona TrailGuidebooks.

Classification: LCC GV199.42.A72 D84 2020 (print) | LCC GV199.42.A72 (ebook) DDC 796.5109791dc23

LC record available at loc.gov/2020016154

LC ebook record available at lccn.loc.gov/2020016155

WILDERNESS PRESS An imprint of AdventureKEEN 2204 First Ave. S., Ste. 102 Birmingham, AL 35233 800-443-7227, 888-604-4537, fax 205-326-1012

Visit wildernesspress.com for a complete listing of our books and for ordering information. Contact us at our website, at facebook.com/wildernesspress1967, or at twitter.com/wilderness1967 with questions or comments. To find out more about who we are and what were doing, visit blog.wildernesspress.com.

Cover photos: (Front) The author strides among wildflowers in the Gila River Canyons ().

Safety Notice Though the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book is accurate at press time, they are not responsible for any loss, damage, injury, or inconvenience that may occur while using this bookyou are responsible for your own safety and health on the trail. The fact that a hike is described in this book does not mean that it will be safe for you. Always check local conditions (which can change from day to day), know your own limitations, and consult a map.

For the latest information about places in this book that have been affected by the coronavirus, please check aztrail.org/covid-19-and-the-arizona-trail, as well as the Land-Management Agencies and Gateway Community contacts in each hike profile. For general news and updates about the coronavirus in Arizona, check az.gov/government-0 and tinyurl.com/covid19arizona.

Table of Contents

By Roger Naylor

Metal signs on the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT) list mileages to Utah and/or Mexico.

Map Legend

Dedication

To Brian Dufault for supporting my Arizona Trail dreams, and to my father, Budh Prakash Rana, for instilling in me a love of the outdoors and photography.

Acknowledgments

THIS BOOK TOOK OVER TWO YEARS OF WORK from proposal to completion, and I was fortunate to have the support of the following folks during the process:

Thanks to Brian for supporting my dreams and holding down the house while I was away on the Arizona Trail and the many scouting trips for this book.

I am forever grateful for my parentsAnna and Budh Prakash Rana, but especially my dad, for inspiring a love of the outdoors when I was growing up. Hes also a great support crew and has come out to Arizona to join me for part of my 200809 section hike, most of my 2014 thru-hike, and even some of the research for this book. Despite being a native of India who lives in Chicago, hes seen more of Arizona than most Arizonans. Thanks also to my aunt Candida Kyle, who took me on my first camping trip with my uncle Patrick and taught me to appreciate nature as a child. Gratitude to Wilderness Press for publishing this book and to my editor, Kate Johnson.

The Arizona Office of Tourism supported my research for this book, and eight of my articles about the trail are published on its AZT landing page (arizona.com/uniquely-az/unique-communities/arizona-trail). Gossamer Gear (gossamergear.com) has sponsored me since my 2014 Arizona Trail Trek and supplied me with the equipment I needed for researching the book. Huppybar (huppybar.com), makers of Wild Mesquite, the official energy bar of the AZT, provided tasty snacks, and the skirt I wore for most hikes was supplied by Purple Rain Adventure Skirts (purplerainskirts.com). Summit Hut (summithut.com) has been a great supporter of my adventures and was my first sponsor back in 2008.

Many people hosted me during my research and writing, and I am especially thankful to Leigh Anne and Denny Thrasher, Anne and Greg McGuffey, Sarah Weichberger, Li Brannfors, Geneva Hickey, Niall Murphy and Kyle Meehan, and Bernie and Margie Stalmann. Thanks also to Eve Lindsey, Cate Bradley, Christy Snow, and Jeff Harris, Heather Anish Anderson, Liz Snorkel Thomas, Terri Gay, India Hesse, Wendy Lotze, and Meredith Marder for their help. I appreciate the time that Madeline Shewalter took to speak to me about Dale and the early days of scouting and creating the trail. I enjoyed working with Lyle Balenquah, Hopi archaeologist and artist, on the information about ancestral lands in this book. Much gratitude to Roger Naylor for his thoughtful .