AZ Utopia: Arizona Hiking Blog

Landscape, View. Young Hiker Overlook, Payson, Arizona, Mogollon Rim Trail

July 18, 2015

Rim Lakes Vista Hiking Trail

★★☆☆☆ Easy / Payson Area: Strolling along this gently winding rim trail is like being plopped inside a scenic viewfinder (with no quarters required)! With flashback-worthy views spanning endlessly from trail to horizon, the Rim Lakes Vista Hiking Trail is a smaller cousin of the Grand Canyon Rim Trail. Skirting a ridiculously scenic stretch of Arizona’s 200-mile-long Mogollon Rim.

Landscape, View,Woods Canyon Hiking Trail, Kayak, Woods Canyon Lake, Mogollon Rim, Payson, Arizona.

July 15, 2015

Cooling Arizona Mountain Hikes

Make the most of your Summer on these cooling Arizona mountain hikes, located in the higher elevations: Woods Canyon Lake Hiking Trail / Easy / Central Arizona / Mogollon Rim Horton Creek Hiking Trail / Moderate / Central Arizona / Payson Fatmans Loop Hiking Trail / Easy / Northern Arizona / Flagstaff Elden Lookout Hiking Trail…

July 12, 2015

Woods Canyon Lake Hiking Trail Loop

★★★☆☆ Easy / Payson Area: Perks run wild and free on the easy Woods Canyon Lake Hiking Trail, like: traversing a bog on a log, skipping stones and walking under bald eagle nests! Circling the shores of the lushly beautiful Woods Canyon Lake (where the only muffled sounds to be heard are families, fishermen and kayakers having fun – no noisy motorboats allowed here) this family and pet…

July 5, 2015

Elden Lookout Hiking Trail

★★★☆☆ Difficult / Flagstaff Area: Cardio lovers . . . meet your dream hike! With an uphill trail woven between fragrant Ponderosas, and soaring views at every turn, the Elden Lookout Hiking Trail is heart-pumping fun. It ascends from the base of Flagstaff’s Mount Elden to the lookout tower at its peak. You’ll feel like the King or Queen of the mountain once…

June 28, 2015

Fatmans Loop Hiking Trail

★★★★☆ Easy / Flagstaff Area: Kids, big and small, will have a blast exploring oversized rock-formations and their fun-filled nooks-and-crannies on the easy Fatmans Loop Hiking Trail. Whether it is scooching between the immense rounded boulders of Fatmans Pass or scrambling over curvilinear trailside boulders, this short hike offers a plethora of natural wonders and inviting views of the Flagstaff area.

June 24, 2015

Hiking During 100 Degree Days

Arizona’s 100+ degree Summer temperatures can put a definite crimp on hiking. Follow these tips to enjoy getting out there, even in the hot months. Head Out Hyper Early To get in a good hike, aim to be AT the trailhead at sun up (or shortly thereafter). Those highly precious, pre-swelter, early morning hours (between 5:30 and 8:00) are summer…

June 20, 2015

Horton Creek Hiking Trail

★★★☆☆ Easy / Payson Area: Like Mother Nature’s “water cooler”, Horton Spring gushes cold, crystal-clear water and chilly air year-round. The easy Horton Creek Hiking Trail follows the banks of beautiful, spring-fed Horton Creek (to its fresh water source). It is a touch of bliss – especially in the midst of Arizona’s hot Summers.

June 13, 2015

Bear Jaw and Abineau Hiking Trail Loop

★★★★☆ Moderate / Flagstaff Area: When Summer’s heat starts blasting, hiking in shorts & T-shirts through banks of snow on this Flagstaff loop trail is (yup . . . ) cool! Chilling in the shadows of Mount Humphreys, the upper levels of the Bear Jaw and Abineau Hiking Trail Loop often sustains crisp patches of snow through late June. Even post thaw, the trail’s cool mountain air…

June 10, 2015

I Barking Love Hiking!

Okay. So he’s not a human Hiking Hero. But how could I resist this enthusiastic, and aptly named, one-year old hiker, Humphrey, who’s owner kindly translated for him: “I barking love hiking, and just really, really wish that my owners would take me out more often!” – Met on Flagstaff’s Bear Jaw Trail.

May 30, 2015

Brins Mesa Hiking Trail

★★☆☆☆ Easy / Sedona Area: Like a gorgeous museum wing, the “walls” of this easy mesa-top stroll are framed with incredible picturesque views. From the high pastel canyons (with their wildly sculptural forms) on one side, to the distant green, red and purple valleys on the other, some of Sedona’s most incredible scenery forms the backdrop to the leisurely ramble of the Brins Mesa Hiking Trail.