The One Incredible Trail That Spans The Entire State Of Arizona
Are you looking for new ways to experience all the beauty Arizona has to offer? One of our favorite ways to do so is through hiking! Our state is home to hundreds of trails—short and long, easy and treacherous—so you won’t encounter any difficulties seeking a new trail that shows off a side of Arizona that you might have never seen before. Today, we’re actually going to check out one incredibly long trail that most people don’t realize even exists!
The Arizona National Scenic Trail—better known simply as the Arizona Trail—is an 800-mile long trail that runs the entire length of the state, from the border we share with Mexico all the way up to Utah.
Most people tend to hike the entire trail by hiking each passage individually, which range from 8 to 35 miles each.
A portion of the trail is also part of the Great Western Loop, a 6,875-mile trail that links several other massive trails, like the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail.
The section of the Arizona Trail that forms the Great Western Loop is just 320 miles, from the Grand Canyon to central Arizona.
The trail is still considered a work in progress; it was designated in 2009 after more than 20 years as the brainchild of Arizona resident Dale Shewalter.
You can learn more about the Arizona National Scenic Trail by visiting the trail’s official website. Here, you will find maps, updates about trail conditions, a list of those who finished the trail, and much more.
Monica is a Diné (Navajo) freelance writer and photographer based in the Southwest. Born in Gallup and raised in Phoenix, she is Tódich'ii'nii (Bitter Water People) and Tsi'naajinii (Black Streak Wood People). Monica is a staff writer for Only In Your State, photo editor for The Mesa Legend, and previously a staff writer for The Navajo Post. You can reach her at monica.d.spencer@gmail.com.
