Armand Jackson

Fall is here and with it are plenty of hiking destinations in Arizona for residents to visit and enjoy the cooler temperatures. In northern Arizona there is the famous Grand Canyon that attracts millions of visitors each year and is the ancestral homeland of 11 associated tribes. There is also the Rainbow Rim Trail that is located along the rim of the Grand Canyon and connects Parissawampitts, Fence, Locust, North Timp and Timp. These five “Points” of land offer a different view and perspective of the Grand Canyon.

Located in the central region of Arizona, is Montezuma Well where visitors can explore the trails and witness a site that is considered sacred by many local tribes. It also contains a shaded forest along the trail near a ruin which could be a great spot for hikers to get out of the sunshine as it provides a temperature difference that could be as much as 20 degrees cooler than along the rim of the Well. Also in central Arizona, just outside of the city of Prescott, is the Lynx Lake Recreation Hiking Trail that gives a mountain valley view of the lake.

Western Arizona has a few hiking trails including Whytes Retreat Trail. According to Arizona State Parks and Trails, the trail begins at the Cattail Cove State Park and follows the shoreline, providing a view of the lower portion of the Colorado River, the Whitsett Pumping Station, and Parker Dam. The shoreline portion of the trail ends at Whytes Retreat and the McKinney Loop portion of the trail returns to Cattail Cove through low desert hills and a shallow gorge with bluffs on both sides. 

In Southern Arizona there is the Aravaipa Canyon Wilderness located between Tucson and Phoenix. It’s 19,410 acres of wilderness with the Aravaipa Creek flowing year-round. There are also large sycamore, ash, cottonwood, and willow trees that flourish along the stream, flanked by other vegetation. In the fall, red and golden leaves contrast with the surrounding Sonoran Desert landscape.