Tonto National Forest, Arizona – Volunteer Vacations 2022

Come help us build new trail to improve some of the most memorable hikes in Arizona! The Arizona National Scenic Trail is a continuous, 800+ mile diverse and scenic trail across Arizona from Mexico to Utah. Along the way it takes hikers, bikers and equestrians through a diverse landscape of deserts, mountains canyons and communities and showcases the best of what the Grand Canyon State has to offer. The 17 miles that the AZT shares with the Highline National Recreation Trail is one of the most historic trail corridors in the Southwest. Here, the pines reach to the sky and the vistas stretch out forever as the trail follows the base of the Mogollon Rim and climbs to the Colorado Plateau. For those who are familiar with this territory, it can be as challenging as it is beautiful. Much of the trail is on old roads or historic ranch routes that were not designed with sustainability in mind. As a result, much of the tread is badly eroded, steep and choked with loose rock and debris. Creating a more sustainable alignment and user-friendly corridor is an ongoing battle for trail crews on planners alike.

The Tonto National Forest has launched a concerted effort to replace some of these badly eroded sections of the Highline with new, sustainable tread – including approximately 1.2 miles on the AZT near Washington Park. Volunteers will be involved in all stages of construction, to include brushing, building tread, small stone work projects and moving debris. The hike to and from the worksite will be between 1 and 3 miles each day. The Arizona Trail Association’s program prides itself on providing superior hospitality to its volunteers, including excellent meals, detailed training and beautiful camping locations.

AHS acknowledges with gratitude that this project takes place on the traditional lands of the Pueblos, Ndee/Nnēē: (Western Apache), Hopitutskwa, and Hohokam peoples past and present. We honor the land itself, the Indigenous communities who have stewarded this land for generations, and those who continue to steward these lands today. AHS invites all volunteers to join us in our commitment to support and amplify the work of Indigenous communities as they work to dismantle the systems of oppression that these communities continue to face today.