Arizona Trail Association

After a full school year of anticipation from students and teachers, the Arizona Trail Association: Seeds of Stewardship Program educators arrived at STAR School with a 15-passenger van and a trailer loaded up with all camping gear, food and kitchen equipment needed for the trip. Students loaded their personal items into the trailer and we set off for our first destination: the Tribal Welcome Center in Grand Canyon National Park.

Lakin Espaloose (Zuni) and Anthony Edaakie (Zuni), Tribal Affairs Education Interns, met students before leading an interpretive program inside the Desert View Watchtower. They shared about the importance of Indigenous art and presence in the park, and led some fun activities with the students. After visiting the tower, we were joined by Kelkiyana Yazzie (Diné), Tribal Program Coordinator, who emphasized the cultural importance of sites like the Grand Canyon

Kelkiyana, Lakin, and Anthony all shared their personal pathways that brought them to the Grand Canyon as cultural interpreters. Lakin told students, “This canyon is important to my Zuni people, and many other tribes. That’s why I’m here.”

Anthony focused on the importance of Indigenous representation in National Parks, and its impacts on Indigenous youth. All three wrapped up our time at the Watchtower by sharing various pathways to careers in cultural stewardship and interpretation, such as Conservation Legacy’s Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps.

After lunch, we visited the Tusayan Pueblo, where Kelkiyana led an interpretive walk exploring what life was like in an Ancestral Pueblo. She discussed traditional farming practices along with native plants and their uses. Many students drew connections between their own cultural knowledge and experiences and those of people living in ancestral pueblos, including the practice of gathering piñon nuts.

Next, we headed to our group campsite at Mather Campground to set up camp and rest and relax before dinner and a sunset outing to Shoshone Point.

To read more about the students’ adventures, complete with photographs and reflections from youth participants, please check out the trip report “Beautiful Like My Culture” on our website: https://aztrailmedia.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Trip-Report-Beautiful-Like-My-Culture.pdf?mc_cid=8efb1d2831&mc_eid=ff3ae48088

Rogue Panda Designs has been designing bikepacking bags purpose-built for the rigors of the Arizona Trail and beyond since 2014, maintaining its position in the industry by innovating, embracing new manufacturing methods, and adapting. Read the article:

Inside Rogue Panda Designs: A Decade of Innovation and Efficiency Miles spent a few days at Rogue Panda in Flagstaff, Arizona, exploring the shop and the local machine shop they partner with.

🔥Rock Canyon Fire Forces Closure of Arizona Trail and Stateline Trailhead

The Rock Canyon Fire began Monday afternoon after a lightning strike near the Arizona-Utah border on lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (Arizona Strip Field Office). Extreme heat and drought conditions, combined with high winds, have seen the blaze grow to nearly 3,000 acres overnight. Currently, the fire is only 5% contained.

In the interest of public safety, the BLM has closed Stateline Trailhead and the northern terminus of the Arizona National Scenic Trail and AZT Passage 43 (Buckskin Mountain). Additional closures nearby on the Kaibab National Forest are also expected.

Please avoid this area until the fire is contained and it has been determined to be safe for visitation. For up-to-date information, rely on Watch Duty.

Watch Duty - Wildfire Maps & Alerts Real-time information about wildfire and firefighting efforts nearby

State of Arizona Abandons Funding for the Arizona Trail

On Friday, June 12, the Arizona Legislature and Governor reached a compromise on the state’s budget for fiscal year 2027 (July 2026-June 2027). Within the $18.3 billion budget was a total allocation of $0 for the Arizona Trail. A special Arizona Trail Fund was established in 2006 with an initial investment of $500,000. Since that time, it has only received an allocation four times. This is the second year in a row it has been unfunded. While we recognize it was a tough budget year for AZ, there is really no excuse for a state not investing in its only state scenic trail and national scenic trail.

Our initial ask was for $500,000. This is 0.0027% of the state’s budget. Then, the Senate hacked that down to $100,000. Then the House Land, Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee refused to hear it. And in the end, it was reduced to $0. Dedicated funding for Arizona Trail construction and maintenance is clearly not a priority for the State Legislature or Governor’s Office.

What does this mean for the AZT?

- We won’t be able to put young Arizonans who work for conservation corps (Arizona Conservation Corps and American Conservation Experience) to work on trail projects over the next year.
- Volunteers will need to leap into action to support priority trail maintenance and construction projects.
- We won’t be able to leverage state dollars as “matching funds” within federal grant opportunities, meaning our grant applications won’t be as competitive.
- Big trail construction projects will need to be paused until dedicated funding is secured.
- We won’t be able to support Arizona’s professional trail contractors (Flagline Trails, Cuddy Mountain Trail Construction, and Proline Trails) over the next year – this will have an impact on locals who work for them as well as Arizona’s outdoor recreation economy.
- The Governor is going to have a difficult time reaching her goal of building 200 miles of new non-motorized trail by 2030.
- In order for the ATA to meet our goals and maintain momentum, we will rely on friends like you to provide support.

Our most sincere thanks to everyone who reached out to their state representatives and senators over the past few months. We encourage you to reach out to Governor Hobbs and your state representatives to congratulate them on passing the budget while expressing respectful disappointment for not funding the Arizona Trail.

If you haven’t donated to the ATA this season, please do that soon. We really need your help to step in where the state has failed.

https://aztrail.org/get-involved/donate/

Firefighters Working to Contain the Box Fire in Saguaro National Park

TUCSON, Ariz. – Interagency wildland firefighters are responding to the Box Fire, which was reported on June 13 at approximately 7:15 a.m. in Saguaro National Park. The fire is located in the Rincon Mountains in the east district of the park, just west of Juniper Basin campground. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The fire is estimated to be approximately 40 acres and is 0% contained.

To provide for public safety and allow firefighters to operate effectively, the following trails and areas are temporarily closed:

• Trails originating from Javelina Picnic Area
• Loma Alta Trailhead
• X9 Ranch access routes
• Juniper Basin and Grass Shack backcountry campgrounds

At this time, there are no evacuation orders in place.

Wildland firefighters are actively working to suppress the fire and protect life, property, and natural and cultural resources. Using a direct extinguishment strategy, firefighters are working at the fire’s edge to stop its spread while aviation resources are providing water and retardant drops.