Matthew J. Nelson - Your Complete Guide to the Arizona National Scenic Trail

Your Complete Guide to the Arizona National Scenic Trail

1st EDITION 2014

Copyright 2014 by the Arizona Trail Association

Editors: Susan Haynes and Laura Shauger
Project editor: Ritchey Halphen
Overview map: Courtesy of the Arizona Trail Association
Passage maps: Aaron Seifert
Cover design and elevation profiles: Scott McGrew
Text design: Annie Long
Indexer: Galen Schroeder / Dakota Indexing

ISBN: 978-0-89997-747-8; eISBN: e978-0-89997-748-5

Manufactured in the United States of America

Published by: WILDERNESS PRESS

An imprint of Keen Communications, LLC
P.O. Box 43673
Birmingham, AL 35243
800-443-7227
wildernesspress.com

Distributed by Publishers Group West

FRONT-COVER PHOTOS Top : Passage 38, Matthew J. Nelson. Bottom grid, clockwise from top left : Passage 20, Robert Luce; Passage 3, Robert Luce; Passage 37, Fred Gaudet; Passage 10, Catherine Peterson; Passage 16, Bill Zimmerman; Passage 15, Scott Morris.

FRONTISPIECE Sunrise over the Rincon Mountains illuminates the Sonoran Desert along . Photo: David Baker.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher, except for brief quotations used in reviews.

SAFETY NOTICE Though Wilderness Press and the authors 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 book. You are responsible for your own safety and health while in the wilderness. The fact that a trail is described in this book does not mean that it will be safe for you. Be aware that trail conditions can change from day to day. Always check local conditions, know your own limitations, and consult a map.

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED TO DALE R. SHEWALTER (May 16, 1950January 10, 2010), the author of the following poem. His vision and leadership earned him the title Father of the Arizona National Scenic Trail.

The Arizona Trail

In the land of Arizona

Through desert heat or snow

Winds a trail for folks to follow

From Utah to Old Mexico.

Its the Arizona Trail

A path through the great Southwest

A diverse track through wood and stone

Your spirit it will test.

Some will push and pedal

And some will hike or run

Others will ride their horse or mule

What else could be more fun?

Oh, sure, youll sweat and blister

Youll feel the miles each day

Youll shiver at the loneliness

Your feet and seat will pay.

But youll see moonlight on the borderlands

Youll see stars on the Mogollon

Youll feel the warmth of winter sun

And be thrilled straight through to bone.

The aches and pains will fade away

Youll feel renewed and whole

Youll never be the same again

With Arizona in your soul.

Along the Arizona Trail

A reverence and peace youll know

Through deserts, canyons and mountains

From Utah to Old Mexico.

YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE ARIZONA NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL is your ultimate resource for exploring and enjoying the AZT. This magnificent route from Mexico to Utah results from the efforts of thousands of hikers, mountain bikers, equestrians, trail builders, land managers, and donors who participated in building, maintaining, and sustaining the AZT for all. To them and all others who contributed in any way to the development of the trail and this guidebook, we offer our most sincere gratitude.

For that cadre of individuals primarily responsible for the production of this guidebook, we extend additional thanks. Those people include the trail stewards, regional stewards, the trail director, and the board of directors of the Arizona Trail Association (ATA). Seven other contributors deserve to be singled out for their roles in getting this book into your hands:

Sirena Dufault, director of the Arizona Trail Gateway Community Program, has cultivated relationships between trail users and the 32 towns along the trail. She wrote the guide to the and authored several passage descriptions throughout the book. Sirena became involved with the Arizona Trail Association in 2007, helping build many miles of trail near Tucson, and she hiked the AZT in 20082009. Sirena came to Tucson from Chicago to attend the University of Arizona and has enjoyed exploring the diverse beauty of her adopted state through hiking, backpacking, canyoneering, and rafting.

Fred Gaudet is the ATAs vice president of trail operations, and he manages the associations Water Source Databook . For this guidebook, he was instrumental in providing accurate information on water sources (see .

Terri Gay started dreaming of hiking the AZT in 1989, became actively involved with the trail in 2003, and finished section-hiking the route in 2009. She assists the ATA with projects requiring graphic design, event planning, and promotion. She also compiled photographs and updated descriptions to make this guidebook a success.

Wendy C. Hodgson is coauthor, with Dr. Liz Slauson, of . Wendy is the herbarium curator and research botanist at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix, where she has worked since 1974. Her research delves into floristicsrare and endemic plants of the Southwest, particularly the Grand Canyon region; systematics of agaves and yuccas; and Sonoran Desert ethnobotany. She is the author and illustrator of Food Plants of the Sonoran Desert (University of Arizona Press), winner of the Mary W. Klinger Book Award presented by the Society for Economic Botany.

Rick Obermiller contributed two key sections to this book: . He has served as a trail steward, board member, and trail builder for more than a decade. Rick has lived in Arizona since 1972, graduated from Arizona State University, and has been hiking and backpacking throughout the state ever since. As an amateur geologist and mineral collector, he finds the Grand Canyon the perfect location for studying and appreciating the forces that have shaped Arizona and the planet.

Aaron Seifert, a certified geographic information systems (GIS) professional, created the passage maps for this book. Aaron has shown his passion for the outdoors by hiking, biking, backpacking, and trail maintenance since his years growing up in Colorado, then living in Phoenix, Sedona, and, currently, Flagstaff. He is a trail steward for for more information about his GIS products and services.

Dr. Liz Slauson is coauthor, with Wendy C. Hodgson, of The Diversity of Botany. Liz is professor of botany and director of the herbarium at Scottsdale Community College. She holds a BS in urban horticulture and an MS and PhD in botany from Arizona State University. She served as the curator of collections, research botanist, and director of research during her 15-year tenure at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. As a scientific advisor and committee member, she also has been a key participant with the Center for Plant Conservation, the Texas Rare Plant Task Force and Recovery Team, the International Organization for Succulent Plant Study Congress, the Arizona Native Plant Society, the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, and the Malpai Borderlands.