Arizona

The Ropes Trail is an old hiking trail below Glen Canyon Dam that has long since been abandoned by the park service. It is also one of the few trails that leads down the steep walls into the canyon. Let me say that again, it's steep. Getting there Take Highway 89 from Page going north and take th...

There are many ways in and out of the Grand Canyon but the most popular loop is to descend from the South Rim, heading down the steeper South Kaibab Trail and returning up via the easier Bright Angel Trail. Your adventure starts early to beat the sun (and get the views). After getting your permi...

From the trailhead you start your hike with views over the East Fork of the Little Colorado River as it winds through grassy meadows filled with summer wildflowers. About 1.5 miles in the trail heads into the forest, on your left before you enter the forest is a nice primitive campsite where we s...

The free camping in the Coconino (as well as the many other national forests) is generally along the old Fire Roads, and old Forest Service Roads. You can tell if a road is one of these by a brown sign with an FS 123 or any other number, FS meaning Forest Service Road. There are many of these roa...

This 10-mile canoe trip starts at Willow Beach and reaches all the way to the Hoover Dam, giving you front row seats to beautiful canyon walls, waterfalls, hot springs, (sauna) caves, hiking trails, and much more. There are multiple campsites along the river but not all have pit toilets so bring ...

Getting There About 18 miles south of Flagstaff on the 89A, turn into the Cave Springs parking lot and look for the trail just right of the first bridge. Hike up the chossy hill until you reach a giant sandstone slot canyon in the northwest. Climbing This canyon contained the crags, known as the ...

The Grand Canyon is over 277 miles long and is full of unique geological formations in all sorts of colors. One of the most striking aspects of the Grand Canyon is its immense scale and the dynamic landscapes it has to offer. There's something about it that makes it extremely difficult to fully c...

Starting at Lee's Ferry, you meet with a boat that will back haul you up the river close to Glen Canyon Dam for approximately $150/2 people, plus your gear. There is an overnight parking lot available. The river is swift in some spots where it would be quite challenging to paddle up the river you...

Timp Point on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon lies just on the boundary of the National Park and within the Kaibab National Forest, well away from the (already smaller) crowds of the North Rim. Even in the heart of summer often you'll have a campsite on the rim all to yourself, with easy access...

The pools at the Verde Hot springs are the remnants from an old resort built in the 1920's.  The resort was a once thriving tourist attraction and also rumored to be one of Al Capone's hideouts.  In the 1960's a fire destroyed the resort only leaving behind the foundation and the thermal pools al...

The trail begins just outside of the Grand Canyon village at the Bright Angel Trailhead. The hike begins to descend immediately in continuous switchbacks. The trail can get very icy so shoe traction devices, while not necessary, are very useful. Along the trail there are rest houses at the 1/3 an...

White Pocket is a remote outcropping of sandstone formations in Vermillion Cliffs National Monument similar to the famous "Wave". Unlike The Wave, a permit isn't needed to visit, but you will need a high-clearance 4WD vehicle with good tires; alternatively, you can hire a 4WD tour service in near...

To get to the trailhead, use the turnoff of highway 87 labeled Barnhardt trail (has a marked sign coming from both Payson and Phoenix). Barnhardt road is just over 4 miles and is unpaved. The road can be driven on by lower clearance cars because the terrain is not too rocky. Once at the trailhead...

Oak Creek is spring fed from the upper reaches of Oak Creek Canyon. It flows into the Verde River and the upper sections provide for some excellent trout fishing. The trout is stocked from Page Springs Hatchery, below this area the water becomes to warm for trout to survive. While in the area, yo...

Note: The spot on the map is the beginning of the hike into Cremation Canyon Campground. For the full report on getting there, check out this adventure. Heading out of the campsite at Cremation Canyon, look for hints of a trail where you will scramble up, following other boot prints and cairns t...

The Painted Desert is sprawling, its reach extends from the Four Corners, west to the Grand Canyon and south to Petrified Forest National Park. In total it encompasses 7,500 square miles and is full of colorful mesas that are worthy of its name. In Petrified Forest National Park you can head out ...