FUN Outdoor Adventure
See More of Pinal County From Its Trails by Blake Herzog
T
he variety and number of trails, and users of trails, across Arizona has exploded in recent years as people have fallen in love with the fitness benefits and the sheer joy of witnessing nature and its vistas at a slower pace. So much is missed from driving past at 50-plus mph — the calls of birds, the rustle of grass, the crunch of gravel under feet, bicycle tires or horse hooves that remind us of our connection to and impact on the planet we call home. Pinal County’s diverse topography gives residents and visitors a chance to absorb mountains, valleys, deserts, grasslands and forests. Depending on ability and preparation, they can choose from trails as long as the nearly 100 miles of the Arizona National Scenic Trail that cuts through the Copper Corridor in the east to shorter, more accessible ones throughout the rest of the county. Remember, wherever and however long you’re hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding (where allowed), at least bring a good supply of water, and be careful around any snakes or other potentially dangerous wildlife you may come across.
ARIZONA TRAIL
The Arizona National Scenic Trail is an 800-mile path for nonmotorized traffic stretching from Buckskin Mountain on the Utah border to 92
G OL D E N COR R I DO R LIVIN G
the Huachuca Mountains on the international border with Mexico. It attracts hikers and mountain bikers from around the state and country who travel its entire length, as well as day trippers and those checking it out for the first time. It enters Pinal County from the south at Oracle Ridge and sweeps through the heart of the county’s mining country, carving its own path to the west of Highway 177 once it leaves Oracle. Hikers get to see the Black Hills, Tortilla Mountains, Gila River, Alamo and Reavis canyons and on to the Superstition Wilderness. Information: www.aztrail.org
LEGENDS OF SUPERIOR TRAIL
If you’re in Superior to visit the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, you can also check out the Legends of Superior Trail (LOST), an excellent 11.65-mile introduction to Superior’s historic and geographical highlights and the first community connector trail from the Arizona Trail. Organized into segments based on geologic and historic contexts, the westernmost 6.5 miles branches off from the Arizona Trail at the Picketpost trailhead and plunges into all of Arnett Canyon’s beauty. Keep going and you’ll see the remains of the area’s first mining community, Pinal City, within the present-day Town of Superior. LOST continues onto historic Main Street past shops old and new, then on EAR LY SU M M E R 2021
