Here at the Trust, it's our love of place that drives our work. We attend meetings, don work gloves, and write grant reports. We defend national monuments, organize intertribal gatherings, and argue in court. But we also take time to get outside and enjoy the lands we work so hard to protect. In the spirit of National Take A Hike Day, we're sharing a few of our favorite trails.
General Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Distance: 10 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Ashley Davidson, Communications Director: Humphrey's Peak Trail is my go-to hike for clearing my head. You can be up and back in a morning, and that moment when you scramble up and see over the saddle into the inner basin and beyond wipes the slate clean.
General Location: Flagstaff, Arizona
Distance: 5.6 miles one-way
Difficulty: Moderate
Cerissa Hoglander, Land Conservation Program Associate: The Kachina Trail is one of my favorites. In the deep, dry early summers of Flagstaff, the bracken ferns are waist-high and brilliant green. In the fall, the leaves are golden. It's a good training run through dense aspens out to the Weatherford and back, or a great connector for a longer peaks adventure loop, or even a fun out-and-back of any distance for folks that want to get a glimpse of the stunning wilderness areas we're so lucky to have so close to town.
General Location: Canyonlands National Park
Distance: 11 miles
Difficulty: Strenuous
Rick Moore, Clean Energy & Efficiency Director: The Druid Arch Trail crosses almost every type of landscape in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. At the beginning, you have expansive views across slickrock domes to the Abajo Mountains. You cross an open park and dive down a narrow crack that emerges high in the wall of Elephant Canyon. The walk up the canyon provides stunning views of cliffs streaked with desert varnish, towering monoliths of colorful sandstone, and occasional pools and drop-offs. And to top it all off, the hike ends at one of the most interesting and remote arches in the Needles District.
Amber Reimondo, Energy Program Director: Mill Creek has a special place in my heart. It's always been a favorite for a quick leg stretch on the long drive from Flagstaff to visit family in Wyoming. When my husband and I got married in the La Sals in 2016, I took a handful of girlfriends up the creek the morning of the wedding in hopes of soaking away the nerves with a swim. We arrived at the falls to find that we were, amazingly, the only ones there! It was magical.
General Location: North rim of the Grand Canyon
Distance: 9.5 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Lisa Winters, Research and Stewardship Volunteer Coordinator: The Widforss Trail on the North Rim! The north rim of the Grand Canyon is a magical place and one of my favorites on the Colorado Plateau. The park over on this side is much less crowded than the popular South Rim, and the views are spectacular. The Widforss Trail is easy to get to and winds its way through aspen forests along the rim. It’s an easy stroll with a few rolling hills, and you can go for miles, mesmerized by the always changing canyon views.
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