Coronado Peak Trail, Coronado National Memorial, November 2022 Gaining 300 feet in elevation, the Coronado Peak Trail tackles a summit at the southern end of Arizona’s Huachuca Mountains, one of many “sky islands” in the area. Named for famed Spanish explorer Francisco Vasquez de Coronado, this is the most-visited peak in Coronado National Memorial, offering …
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Inspiration Point Trail, Chiricahua National Monument, November 2022 At first glance, the Chiricahua Mountains of southeast Arizona appear little different from the hundreds of other small ranges of the Basin and Range area, which spans from southern Oregon and Idaho down to Mexico: an abrupt north-south range rising from open, scrubby valleys, seemingly the same …
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Fort Bowie Trail Loop, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, November 2022 - Civil War Series - At a time when most eyes were on the major battlefields of the Civil War out east, the Union Army was engaged in 1962 in a series of smaller skirmishes in the American Southwest with Confederate cavalry and an …
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Packrat Trail, Saguaro National Park, November 2022 Southern Arizona’s Saguaro National Park—split into two districts separated by the San Luis Valley—feels in some ways like a local park due to its proximity to Tucson, Arizona’s second-largest city. Taking off from this neighborhood or that, numerous hiking trails wander into the arid, desert landscape, exploring cactus-studded …
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Flatiron and Siphon Draw, Superstition Wilderness, January 2022 Described as “one of the state’s top ten hikes to experience” and one of the “best hikes near Phoenix,” Flatiron in Arizona’s Superstition Wilderness offers an exceptionally scenic vista, but most hikers will remember it for its challenging and unique ascent: a seemingly endless scramble, including one …
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Wildhorse Trail, Saguaro National Park, January 2022 Abutting the northwestern fringes of the Rincon Mountains, the Cactus Forest in Saguaro National Park’s eastern district boasts a rich diversity of plant life, including prickly pear, red barrel, and saguaro cacti and various cholla species. A network of hiking trails crisscrosses the desert ecosystem, while a subset …
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King Canyon Trail, Saguaro National Park, January 2022 Wasson Peak (4,687') is the highest point in the Tucson Mountains, a small range of cactus-dotted heights situated just west of Arizona’s second largest city. Reaching the summit is one of the more popular hikes in Saguaro National Park’s Tucson Mountain District, but the nearly 8-mile loop …
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Arch Canyon, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, January 2022 Stenocereus thurberi, or organ pipe cactus, is the primary draw of the park bearing its name. But visitors to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in southwestern Arizona are also rewarded with sweeping views of rugged mountain landscapes, broad valleys, and a Sonoran desert ecosystem with plants …
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Piestewa Peak, Phoenix Mountains Preserve, November 2020 Piestewa Peak (2,608’) is the second-highest summit in the Phoenix Mountains, a smattering of cactus-covered peaks in the heart of Arizona’s largest metropolis. Situated inside the Phoenix city limits, Piestewa Peak is extremely popular, but the panoramic views across nearly the entire metropolitan area make the crowded climb …
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Live and Let Hike 