A hike on the Arizona Path (AZT) is a very distinctive expertise. In actual fact, the Sonoran Desert is essentially the most biodiverse desert area on this planet – boasting a complete host of plant and animal life that may solely be discovered right here. The AZT will take you on an unforgettable 800-mile trek like no different by means of an ever-changing panorama.
We completely cherished mountain climbing this path, and we expect you’ve made a very good determination in selecting to stroll this path. We’ll offer you all of the assets you want for a profitable journey on the AZT on this information. And if you happen to haven’t fairly determined what your subsequent path can be, scope out your different choices from our intensive catalog of journey guides.
Fast Information
- Distance: 800 miles
- Time Wanted: 6-8 weeks
- Highest Elevation: 9,141 ft. – Kaibab Plateau
- Lowest Elevation: 1,646 ft. – Gila River
- Elevation Achieve (approx.): 113,000 ft.
- Finest Time to Hike: Most individuals begin within the south and go north (NOBO) in the course of the springtime – normally beginning in early or mid-March and ending in April. Hikers going north to south (SOBO) usually begin in October after monsoons have completed, they usually full the path in November.
- Permits: There’s no allow for the AZT, however Colossal Cave Mountain Park, Saguaro Nationwide Park & Grand Canyon Nationwide Park require tenting permits if you happen to plan to remain. SNP additionally requires an entrance price.
- Issue: Difficult
Highlights
- Amazingly numerous vary of landscapes, vegetation, and animals
- Tons of wildflowers within the spring/altering leaves within the fall
- Mountain climbing by means of the Grand Canyon
- Solitude in a rugged wilderness setting
- Pleasant path cities and strong community of path angels (good individuals who assist out thru-hikers alongside the path hall)
- Effectively-marked and maintained
- Feeling amazingly succesful and assured on the finish of the journey
- You get a hand-crafted copper belt buckle for ending
Lowlights
- Not as social as many different long-distance trails
- Some sections are very rocky
- Overgrown prickly vegetation in some sections
- Will be laborious on sneakers/gear
- Discovering water is a problem in dry years
- Snakes, spiders & scorpions if you happen to’re bothered by creepy-crawlies
- A whole lot of solar publicity
Finest Time to Hike
The Arizona Path has two distinct seasons for thru-hikes, however there are alternatives to do many sections year-round. The largest concerns for whenever you begin your hike can be temperature and water availability. Desert environments are vulnerable to wild temperature swings and fast modifications in climate patterns. It’s possible you’ll expertise snow, heavy rain, or 100°+ temperatures on this path.
Northbound (NOBO) is the commonest course for hikers to finish a thru-hike – the NOBO season begins within the spring. Most hikers will set off from the Mexican border in early to mid-March with the purpose of ending earlier than Might. This timeline lets you take pleasure in extra water than the autumn mountain climbing season as a consequence of winter snowmelt, and you may anticipate temperatures to remain above freezing most nights and under 90° most days. Climate and water are simpler to plan for within the spring, so that is the season we usually advocate.
SOBO hikers start their journey south from the Utah border in fall – usually in early October – and intention to finish the path earlier than the top of November. Water availability within the fall relies upon virtually solely on how moist the summer season monsoon season is in Arizona, so it modifications vastly from 12 months to 12 months. However usually, fewer water sources are flowing in the course of the SOBO season. Fall temperatures can range quite a bit alongside the AZT. You’ll probably expertise some nighttime temperatures effectively under freezing for the primary 250 or so miles on the plateau sections, and you could possibly encounter lingering 100°+ temperatures the additional south you go.
Many individuals select to section-hike the AZT, breaking the 800-mile journey into smaller chunks – and this has huge benefits for choosing essentially the most nice situations to hike in. Part mountain climbing lets you select what’s most vital to you – skipping the cruel Arizona warmth, hitting the path when water is most considerable, or avoiding freezing temperatures and snow – for every part of the path so you possibly can simply benefit from the stroll.
How Lengthy Does it Take to Hike?
It takes most hikers about 6-8 weeks to finish a hike on the AZT. Some backpackers definitely hike this path in much less time, however the terrain, climate, and availability of water could make big-mile days troublesome. Most individuals take the path at an pleasant tempo and calculate in a number of“zero” days (relaxation days) and “nero” days (quick for “practically zero”) to permit the physique to recoup. It is a good choice if you’d like a protracted and difficult expertise however don’t fairly have the 3-5 months it takes to complete off the Pacific Crest Path or Appalachian Path.
Issue of Path
The AZT is well-maintained, well-marked, and straightforward to observe for many of the hike, so navigation isn’t a problem. The principle difficulties on this path are the solar publicity, availability of water, terrain/setting, and the size of the path.
SUN EXPOSURE
The AZT cuts a path by means of the Sonoran Desert, and as you would possibly anticipate, it’s a fairly sunny place. There’s little or no shade on most sections of the path, so we contemplate sunscreen, a solar shirt, sun shades, and a solar umbrella necessities for this hike. Retaining your pores and skin protected is tremendous vital on your total well being, and having a shaded place to take a break underneath your umbrella can do wonders for morale on particularly scorching days.
See our 20 Ideas for Backpacking within the Desert Information for extra recommendation on staying protected and cozy on the AZT.
WATER
It might shock you to be taught that the majority of Arizona’s water sources are recharged by snow. The state doesn’t see a lot rainfall outdoors of its summer season monsoon season, however the high-elevation areas get an honest quantity of snow in most years. For this reason most individuals go for a spring NOBO hike on the AZT – water is extra considerable. Don’t take that to imply you’ll see it typically, although. Except you hike in a very excessive snow 12 months, you’re prone to have a number of massive gaps (20+ miles) between water sources alongside your 800-mile journey.
It’s a good suggestion to have the power to hold not less than 4 liters of water for actually scorching, dry stretches. We carried two 1-liter Smartwater bottles and a Platy Bottle per particular person, in addition to a Vargo BOT that doubled as a cookset and additional water capability.
TERRAIN/ENVIRONMENT
Many sections of the AZT are extremely rocky, and it may actually take a toll in your sneakers and the underside of your toes. Many hikers received’t make it by means of the entire path with a single pair of sneakers, so it’s vital to issue this in when constructing your price range.
You need to select footwear with ample cushion in case your toes aren’t accustomed to mountain climbing on rocks all day as a result of it may grow to be downright painful after a number of hours straight of stepping on jagged rocks.
In fact, you’ll additionally encounter tons of Arizona’s iconic cacti alongside the journey. These vegetation are stunning, however they will trigger some actual injury if you happen to get too shut. Particularly, it’s a must to watch out round “leaping cholla” (pronounced choy-a). These cacti will go away you coated in prickles from the lightest brush in opposition to its fruits, and what’s worse is that they drop spine-covered balls everywhere in the floor that may be powerful to keep away from. Remember to deliver a small pair of tweezers in your first-aid package to drag cactus spines off of your clothes, pores and skin, and equipment.
TRIP LENGTH
The AZT is 800 miles lengthy which is a big bodily problem, however it additionally requires a big money and time dedication. We usually price range $2-$3 per mile for a thru-hike, and we advocate letting your loved ones and office learn about your plans as far upfront as potential to rearrange for time away. Not everybody has the liberty or monetary assets to step away from society for therefore lengthy, so many hikers select to finish the path in smaller sections.
Northbound vs. Southbound Routes
Northbound (NOBO) is the extra frequent course to journey on the AZT, however each choices have their advantages. We hiked the primary 300 miles NOBO within the spring after which did the remaining 500 miles southbound (SOBO) within the fall, so we received a fairly good thought of the professionals and cons of each instructions.
NOBO
PROS
- Nicer common temperatures for a majority of the path
- Water is normally extra considerable within the spring NOBO season
- You save the Grand Canyon for (virtually) final
- There are extra folks on path to work together with if you happen to’re on the lookout for a social expertise
- Resupply cities get farther aside the additional north you go, so that you hit longer meals carries after you’re already warmed up
- Wildflowers bloom within the spring
CONS
- The path begins with some powerful climbs from the southern terminus
- Lingering snow would possibly stay at excessive elevation
SOBO
PROS
- In our opinion, the path will increase in magnificence as you journey south
- The primary 250 miles or so are comparatively simple (aside from the Grand Canyon), so that you get a pleasant warm-up
- Aspens within the north change shade within the fall
CONS
- Fewer folks to work together with if you happen to’re on the lookout for a social expertise
- Cities are extra unfold out within the north, so you’ve got longer meals carries earlier than you’re warmed up
- It’s possible you’ll take care of early-season snow within the north and lingering excessive temperatures within the decrease desert
Getting There
NOBO
In case you’re mountain climbing NOBO on the AZT, the simplest solution to get to the southern terminus is to fly into Tucson and rent a shuttle from there. We used the Discovering True North shuttle service which was moderately priced and our driver was pleasant and protected. In case you go along with a unique shuttle driver, ensure they’re prepared to take you all the best way to the trailhead at Montezuma Go. It requires driving virtually 9 miles up a considerably tough filth street.
SOBO
There are a few other ways to get to the northern terminus, however the best choice is to fly into Web page, AZ through the Phoenix airport after which get a shuttle or a experience from a path angel to the Stateline Campground.
Planning Your Itinerary
Planning a free day by day itinerary isn’t obligatory, however we’ve realized from previous thru-hikes that it’s very useful. Most individuals take 6-8 weeks to finish the AZT, with a mean of round 14-20 miles a day. We advocate overestimating the time it should take you to finish the path as a result of it’s simpler to get off early than it’s to get off late in case you have obligations to return to. Take into consideration your skill, mountain climbing fashion, zero days, and slightly leeway for sudden hiccups when creating your mileage plan.
The FarOut app is our most popular useful resource for planning and navigation on path as a result of you possibly can see the place water sources and potential campsites are, what companies can be found in path cities, and you may go away and skim feedback different hikers left in regards to the standing of water or locations they loved in cities.
One other invaluable useful resource for this hike is the Arizona Path Affiliation’s (ATA) web site. Right here yow will discover descriptions of every part of the path (referred to as passages on the AZT), entry a checklist of shuttles and path angels, and a lot extra.
Permits
There isn’t a allow for the AZT, however you move by means of two nationwide parks that do require permits.
You will need to acquire a backcountry allow for Saguaro Nationwide Park earlier than coming into the park boundary, and there are solely two locations to camp there – Manning Park and Grass Shack – which additionally require permits of their very own. You may get entrance permits and tenting permits.
Grand Canyon Nationwide Park additionally requires permits for tenting within the park. Most hikers will keep in not less than certainly one of these websites: North Rim, Brilliant Angel, and Mather (South Rim). There are backcountry workplaces on each rims of the park, and it is best to go to certainly one of these to speak to a ranger about tenting permits. They’re normally capable of get you a website on the backside of the canyon inside one or two days of your arrival if you happen to’re not planning on doing rim-to-rim in someday. We stayed at Brilliant Angel Campground within the canyon, and we extremely advocate taking this chance. Outdoors of an AZT thru-hike it’s fairly powerful to get permits to camp within the canyon.
Colossal Cave Mountain Park additionally requires a allow (bought on the Cave Store) if you happen to plan to camp at certainly one of their two campgrounds, however there’s loads of free dispersed tenting alongside the path earlier than and after the park. We advocate skipping the price space and discovering some flat floor to sleep on on the AZT.
Water
Water availability on the AZT fluctuates drastically primarily based in your begin date, snowpack, and the climate. Water sources might be far aside and unreliable within the desert, and most of them are off path. We advocate having a water capability of a minimum of 4 liters with you simply in case. Light-weight foldable bladders, like Platy Bottles, turn out to be useful for giant water carries.
Our greatest recommendation is to replenish wherever you possibly can, by no means go away a supply thirsty, and carry greater than you suppose you want. The FarOut app is nice for planning your water carries as a result of you possibly can see different hikers’ stories about which water sources are flowing forward. Nonetheless, there’s no assure you’ll discover water at a supply whenever you get there.
Lots of the water sources alongside the AZT are very muddy and contaminated by livestock, so it’s essential to pack a dependable water filter. We used a Platypus Quickdraw and a Katadyn BeFree as a result of they’re light-weight and comparatively simple to wash within the discipline. As a result of there’s a lot filth in most of the water sources, it is best to anticipate to must backflush your filter usually to revive the movement fee.
Utilizing electrolyte mixes in your water may also assist masks any bizarre flavors and maintain you higher hydrated.
Meals Storage
There are bears, mice, and different scavengers alongside the AZT, so correct meals storage is a should. We every carried an Ursack Main to maintain our meals protected from animals, however most of this path isn’t conducive to hanging a bear bag. We normally simply positioned our Ursacks outdoors of the tent the place we might see them in case we would have liked to scare away a critter.
The place to Resupply
Since you’ll be on path for a number of weeks, you received’t be capable of carry all of your meals directly – you’ll have to cease and resupply periodically. Most individuals resupply 8-10 instances, stopping each 80-100 miles. Resupplying typically is fairly simple for many of the AZT if you wish to reduce down on meals weight in your pack, however bear in mind that city stops might be costly and time-consuming.
You may resupply by mailing containers forward of time to a publish workplace or a spot on the town that provides to carry containers for hikers (like a gear store) or getting a experience into a close-by city for the grocery retailer. In case your resupply plan includes mailing packages, you’ll wish to ship them effectively upfront to verify they arrive in time so that you can choose them up.
In case you’re mailing your resupply containers to a publish workplace (be certain the PO in your goal city accepts normal supply), that is the way you’ll wish to handle your field:
- Your Title
c/o Basic Supply
City Title, AZ 01234
Arriving By: ETA
It’s additionally a good suggestion to write down your identify or put a particular marker (like colourful doodles or stickers) on all sides of the field to make it simpler for postal employees to search out it amongst the heaps of different containers.
Patagonia (AZT NOBO mile 52.4)
This was our favourite path city – everybody was so pleasant, the city itself could be very charming, and the grocery retailer is among the finest we’ve seen in a small city.
Keep right here: Terra Sol is a really comfy and welcoming place to pitch your tent, do laundry, and take a bathe. Hikers have entry to an out of doors kitchen, a hearth pit, and a screened shelter, and the guts of city is a brief stroll from right here for resupply.
Eat right here: We ended up at Gathering Grounds by probability because it was the one factor open after we got here by means of, however it didn’t disappoint. The sandwiches and drinks listed below are superior, and different hikers appear to agree that this is among the finest eats on the town.
Resupply right here: Purple Mountain Meals is an efficient choice for vegans/vegetarians/folks with dietary restrictions. They’ve plenty of good produce and an incredible collection of bars. Patagonia Market’s choice is a little more primary than Purple Mountain however we used it to complement our resupply. They’ve many hiker staples, like ramen, dehydrated refried beans, and electrolyte mixes.
Colossal Cave Mountain Park (AZT NOBO mile 125.7)
This park is a brief jaunt off the path, they usually’ll maintain resupply packages for thru-hikers. We despatched containers right here, and the employees allow us to sit on the patio and cost our electronics whereas we loved some fries and prickly pear margaritas from the snack stand with a gaggle of different hikers.
Summerhaven (AZT NOBO mile 190.2)
It is a tiny city that you just’ll move proper by means of on path on the high of the Mt. Lemmon climb. We don’t advocate staying right here because it’s a spendy resort city, however we grabbed a number of issues from the surprisingly well-stocked Mt. Lemmon Basic Retailer to get us to Oracle the following day. You’ll in all probability hear buzz in regards to the Cookie Cabin on the best way right here, however we don’t suppose it’s value a cease. The pizza and cookies had been very costly (although they’re additionally fairly massive) and actually simply weren’t that good – even after the strenuous climb up Lemmon. Save your cash and deal with your self to a pleasant, huge meal in your subsequent city cease.
Oracle (AZT NOBO mile 204.3)
Oracle isn’t the world’s biggest path cease, as a result of it’s not very walkable and there aren’t many lodging for staying in a single day. However if you happen to’re not choosy, the city does have a Greenback Basic and an incredible espresso store.
Keep right here: We didn’t really keep in Oracle, however everybody recommends the Resting Oak – a home owned by a pair that caters to hikers. Their information might be discovered on the FarOut app within the heart of Oracle. We had been feeling fancy, so we cut up an Airbnb with a buddy within the close by city of Catalina for some grilling and bathtub soaks.
Eat right here: The quirky Means of the Bean Espresso Membership is technically a personal membership, however the proprietor offers hikers free day passes. The drinks right here had been excellent, and the environment is tremendous enjoyable. Additionally they serve breakfast meals and pastries.
Resupply right here: Your solely resupply choices in Oracle are Greenback Basic and Circle Okay (a small comfort retailer). Vegans, vegetarians, and other people with dietary restrictions could have a tough time discovering good meals choices. The city of Catalina has a Bashas’ grocery retailer and is 20 minutes south. You could possibly hitch or take an Uber (what we did) there if obligatory.
Kearny (AZT NOBO mile 268.4)
We didn’t go to Kearny, however we type of want we had. A whole lot of AZT hikers say that is their favourite city on the path, and we heard nothing however good issues in regards to the variety folks there.
Keep right here: There are some of us on the town that usually host hikers, however they’re by word-of-mouth. You’ll must get their information from the FarOut app if you wish to keep at their hiker haven on the town.
Eat right here: Previous Time Pizza is the spot everybody talks about from Kearny, and it’s the last word hiker-friendly cease from what we hear. The proprietor usually offers hikers rides to and from path.
Resupply right here: There’s an IGA grocery retailer on the town that has a wide variety and provides thru-hikers a free espresso and donut for stopping in.
Superior (AZT NOBO mile 306.3)
Superior is a detailed second on our checklist of favourite AZT path cities. We put our hike on pause right here within the spring, so this was our official ending spot within the fall. It’s an previous mining neighborhood that has a ton of Wild West attraction.
Keep right here: We stayed on the Copper Mountain Motel within the spring, and the household that runs it was very pleasant and accommodating. The rooms are primary however cute, and there’s a Household Greenback throughout the road in addition to a number of eating places close by.
After we returned within the fall, we stayed with the legendary path angel MJ whose information might be discovered on the FarOut app. She welcomes hikers into her dwelling and treats them like household, and he or she’s solely a few blocks from the downtown strip the place the higher grocery retailer is.
Eat right here: We completely cherished Miner’s on Predominant. It’s a Fifties-style diner within the coronary heart of downtown that serves breakfast staples, burgers, and milkshakes.
Mountainside espresso can be unbelievable – we went there a number of instances, and the employees members had been all so candy.
Resupply right here: There’s a Household Greenback proper on the town on the principle freeway if you happen to’re in a rush, however we favor the choice on the Save Cash Market on the historic strip.
Roosevelt Lake Marina (AZT NOBO mile 349.6)
The marina at Roosevelt Lake holds packages for hikers, so we despatched a field right here. There’s a small retailer that wouldn’t be a very good choice for a full resupply, however it does have a number of hiker staples if you happen to’re simply on the lookout for a few fundamentals.
Payson (AZT NOBO mile 390.6)
Payson is a couple of 30-minute experience from path, however we had been in determined want of some new socks so we caught a hitch in. It is a fairly huge city with a number of eating places and three huge grocery shops proper throughout the road from one another.
Keep right here: We loved a stick with some path angels down the street in Tonto Basin, however Payson has a bunch of motels to select from. The Majestic Mountain Inn has cheap charges and is shut sufficient to the grocery shops to stroll.
Eat right here: We ate at The Pinon Café which served huge parts and was completely scrumptious. We after all needed to deal with ourselves to pumpkin drinks at Starbucks too because the grocery retailer we shopped at has one inside.
Resupply right here: Walmart, Bashas’, and Safeway are all on the principle street by means of city, they usually’re proper throughout the road from one another. We selected Bashas’ just because it’s an Arizona chain, however any of those could have all of the choices you could possibly ever need.
If you’ll want to change gear, there’s a Large 5 Sporting Items, Walmart, and a really hiker-friendly footwear store referred to as Rim Runners.
Pine/Strawberry (AZT NOBO mile 462.2)
Pine is a mile off path, so most hikers (us included) simply stroll into city. The small neighborhood of Strawberry is just three miles up the street, and we had no downside getting there and again from Pine.
North of Pine, resupply choices are extra restricted. There are a number of locations close to the path that settle for resupply packages, however they’re solely open seasonally. We opted to do longer meals carries and solely hit the most important resupply stops as a result of the path turns into a lot simpler north of right here.
Keep right here: We stayed on the Strawberry Chalet N Keep, which was very hiker-friendly. They’d cheap room charges and gave us a voucher to make use of towards a meal on the bar subsequent door.
There aren’t many lodging within the city of Pine, however many hikers select to remain there with a path angel.
Eat right here: Early Fowl Cafe in Pine was an enormous spotlight for us – they’ve completely large parts, cheap costs, pleasant employees, and the meals is nice. Positively strive one of many specialty scorching cocoas!
THAT Brewery in Pine is one other very hiker-friendly institution that has a hiker field, accepts mailed resupply packages, and donates among the proceeds from certainly one of their beers to the Arizona Path Affiliation. They’ve additionally received normal brewery meals choices like burgers and sandwiches.
In case you keep in Strawberry, you’ll probably eat lunch or dinner on the Sportsman’s Chalet because the motel offers you a voucher to make use of there. Throughout the road is Pie Bar which will get a protracted line the second they open, however we braved the group to get some empanadas to pack out for path.
Resupply right here: The small Ponderosa Market in Pine has an okay collection of hiker meals. You probably have dietary restrictions it may be higher to mail your self a field to THAT Brewery or hitchhike 20 minutes down the street to Payson.
Flagstaff (AZT NOBO mile 570.4)
The town of Flagstaff might be accessed a number of other ways – most hikers select to hike in on the city route which begins at NOBO mile 570.4. The “official” path is definitely thought of the equestrian route, and strolling both choice counts as having accomplished the part. In case you select to hike the equestrian route, bear in mind that there’s a tenting ban from about mile 569 to mile 606, however you will get a simple hitch into city from mile 590.
Keep right here: We arrived in Flagstaff on a Saturday, so inns and motels had been fairly costly. There are a ton of room choices on the town although, and most hikers simply select no matter is most cost-effective on the time and most centrally situated. Flagstaff has a fairly good bus system that’ll get you the place you’ll want to go. We selected to stick with a path angel on the town and had an incredible expertise.
Eat right here: Flagstaff has all of the eateries you could possibly ever need, and there are lots of choices for vegans and vegetarians as effectively. We didn’t strive it, however most hikers say MartAnnes Burrito Palace hits the spot.
Resupply right here: It is a metropolis, so any grocery retailer you need is right here. We cut up our resupply between Fry’s and Complete Meals (for the considerable vegan proteins). There’s additionally an REI on the town in addition to a number of native outfitters, so that is the very best time to interchange your sneakers in the event that they’ve been eaten up by all of the rocks on path.
South Rim Grand Canyon (AZT NOBO mile 698.8)
The South Rim of the Grand Canyon has a complete village with a surprisingly well-stocked and fairly priced grocery retailer, laundry, and showers. It is a good place to relaxation and take within the sights earlier than shifting on.
That is the most suitable choice for resupply between the Grand Canyon and the northern terminus, because the North Rim is just open a number of months out of the 12 months and has a much less spectacular retailer. Some hikers select to cease within the small neighborhood of Jacob Lake at mile 771.8, however we expect carrying some further meals weight by means of the Grand Canyon from right here is the higher guess.
Keep right here: There’s a chosen thru-hiker website at Mather Campground close to the village. Test in with a ranger on the campground kiosk, they usually’ll set you up with a pleasant spot for a small price.
Eat right here: There’s a small deli within the grocery retailer that has okay meals, however it’s fairly costly. We opted to cook dinner our meals on the campsite.
Resupply right here: There’s a normal retailer within the village that shares all of the hiker staples, and we had been capable of do a full resupply right here for surprisingly low-cost.
Backpacking Gear – What to Pack
It’s crucial to maintain your pack weight to a minimal when setting out on a thru-hike. Dialing in your gear might be costly and really feel overwhelming, however we promise that taking the time to plan and enhance your gear setup will make your trek a much more pleasant and profitable expertise.
Since we did the path in two seasons, we had two fully completely different units of substances. Beneath we’ll checklist our high suggestions from the gear we carried, seasonal gear ideas, and issues we’d have most popular to have.
TENT
We used a Zpacks Duplex Zip for the northern 500 miles of the path, and we had an incredible expertise with it. It’s ultralight, spacious, and packs down fairly small for a Dyneema shelter. Since you’re unlikely to come across precipitation on this path, the usual Duplex – which omits the zipper on the vestibules – will do exactly wonderful and prices much less. Pairs of hikers wanting further house will love the bigger Zpacks Triplex, although you may need some bother discovering tent areas to suit it in. Study extra in regards to the Zpacks Plex tents and our different high thru-hiking tent suggestions on our checklist of the Finest Ultralight Tents.
Many hikers select to cowboy camp (sleep underneath the celebs as an alternative of a shelter) for many of the path – and we advocate all hikers do that for not less than one night time. The climate is normally nice sufficient for this to be completely doable and cozy, however it is best to at all times carry some type of shelter simply in case. In case you plan to do loads of cowboy tenting, chances are you’ll favor to hold a tarp. Our high tarp suggestion is the versatile and ridiculously mild Zpacks 7×9 Flat Tarp.
SLEEPING BAG/QUILT
Temperatures range dramatically at night time, and also you’ll go from low to excessive elevation fairly usually. We packed for the bottom temperatures we anticipated to come across, which meant 20°F sleep sacks for each the spring and fall legs of our hike. We really skilled temperatures within the teenagers for a number of nights on our fall hike within the north, however we managed to maintain heat and cozy with what we had.
A quilt is an efficient choice for this path due to its versatility – you possibly can drape it over you want a blanket on heat nights or cinch it tight to entice warmth when it’s chilly. We used the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 20 (spring) and the Hammock Gear Burrow 20 (fall). The Burrow is hotter than the Unbound so it was good for fall, and the Unbound is lighter than the Burrow so it was good for spring. We love them each and you can too discover extra information on our checklist of the Finest Backpacking Quilts.
SLEEPING PAD
We had a heat sleeper who used the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XLite NXT for its mix of sturdiness and low weight and a chilly sleeper who carried the Therm-a-Relaxation NeoAir XTherm NXT for further heat. Relying on the way you sleep, both of those choices could be a good selection for the spring or fall. You can even try much more choices on our checklist of the Finest Sleeping Pads.
BACKPACK
We examined 4 completely different backpacks on this path, and our total high choose is the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 55. It has a really handy pocket setup, supportive design, and it completely balances weight and sturdiness.
One other in style choice we noticed a ton of hikers utilizing is the ULA Circuit. It has a bigger capability than the Unbound and a extra supportive body, so it’s good for the longer meals and water carries you’ll expertise on the AZT.
You may’t go incorrect with both alternative or any choice on our checklist of the Finest Backpacking Backpacks for that matter.
WATER
There are some fairly gnarly water sources alongside the AZT, so it’s vital to pack a dependable water filter that’s simple to wash. We used the Platypus Quickdraw paired with a Smartwater bottle and a Katadyn BeFree. Each of those are microfilters, in order that they misplaced movement fee rapidly as a consequence of all of the muddy water we filtered. However each are additionally fairly simple to wash within the discipline, so we had been proud of our selections.
We additionally carried chlorine dioxide tabs as backup, which is one thing we advocate doing for this path. We met a hiker whose filter had frozen on an unexpectedly chilly night time. They’d have been left with no solution to deal with their water for some time in the event that they hadn’t additionally carried a chemical backup.
For water storage, we every had 4 liters complete capability. We carried two one-liter water bottles every and one Platy Bottle every and a Vargo BOT for further water capability if we would have liked it.
Study extra in regards to the filters and vessels we carried on our lists of the Finest Water Filters and Finest Water Bottles. Since that is the desert, we contemplate electrolyte dietary supplements a necessity that will help you keep hydrated. Test our Finest Hydration Mixes Information to see our high suggestions.
FOOTWEAR
Most hikers select to put on path runners for this hike as a result of they’re light-weight, breathable, and cozy. In case you go this route, it is best to anticipate to want two pairs as a result of the rocks on the AZT eat by means of the smooth rubber tread and tear up the mesh uppers.
We exhausted a pair of Altra Lone Peaks (males’s / girls’s) on this hike and acquired a brand new pair in Flagstaff (slightly over 500 miles complete into our journey, plus we’d performed some smaller, pre-AZT hikes in them). We (and plenty of different hikers we met) had been proud of these path runners as a result of they’ve wonderful grip, low weight, and a large toe field. A well-liked choice for hikers wanting extra cushion between their toes and the rocks could be HOKA Speedgoats (males’s / girls’s). Each of those sneakers are high picks on our lists of the Finest Mountain climbing Footwear for Males and Ladies.
We additionally wore Chaco Z/1 Traditional Sandals (males’s / girls’s) (sure, sandals) which we cherished however isn’t one thing we’d advocate to hikers who aren’t accustomed to carrying sandals on rugged trails. However if you happen to’re curious, you possibly can be taught extra about them on our lists of the Finest Mountain climbing Sandals for Males and Ladies.
HEADLAMP
We used rechargeable headlamps for this journey – the Black Diamond Spot 400-R and Petzl Actik CORE – and we had been proud of each lights. They’re each shiny, light-weight, and have a protracted burn time. The Spot and Actik are a few of our favorites and there are much more on our checklist of the Finest Headlamps.
COOKING SYSTEM
We carried a SOTO Windmaster Range, Vargo BOT, and Toaks Titanium 650 Pot. We cherished the range as a result of it’s typically windy on the AZT, and – because the identify would suggest – the Windmaster works very effectively within the wind.
The BOT is one other favourite as a result of it’s massive sufficient to boil water for a number of meals, it has a screw-on lid that got here in useful after we wished to cold-soak lunch, and it doubled as a water bottle for after we wanted further water capability. We additionally carried the Toaks Pot for nights after we wished to boil water individually, and it’s the right choice for solo hikers trying to maintain pack weight low.
Extra information on the Windmaster might be discovered on our checklist of the Finest Backpacking Stoves, and the BOT and Toaks 750 (a barely bigger model of what we carried) are each on our checklist of the Finest Backpacking Cookware.
FOOD & FOOD STORAGE
Take a look at our Finest Light-weight Backpacking Meals Information, Finest Freeze Dried Backpacking Meals checklist, Finest Power Bars checklist, and our different Meals Guides for our high hiker-food suggestions.
We every carried an Ursack Main to maintain our meals protected against animals. Study extra about it on our Finest Stuff Sacks checklist.
CLOTHING
Beneath is the checklist of clothes we advocate for this path, and it is best to use it as a suggestion to construct your best clothes system. Finally the very best clothes to take would be the stuff you like and that make you’re feeling most comfy. Head over to our Backpacking & Mountain climbing Clothes 101 publish and our Attire Gear Guides for extra recommendation on placing collectively your best layering system.
NAVIGATION
We used the FarOut Arizona Path Information which was a vital device for locating water. Most AZT hikers use this app, however the ATA additionally has some nice assets which can be particularly useful for part hikers.
FIRST AID KIT
You need to at all times deliver a small, customized first help package when heading into the backcountry. We used a customized package that we pieced collectively utilizing the AMK .3 Ultralight Equipment, a ton of ibuprofen, a number of benadryl tabs, and cut-up strips of RockTape. Take a look at our Finest First Help Kits checklist for more information.
SUN PROTECTION
You’ll be uncovered to the solar for many of the AZT, and UV rays are intense within the open desert. Polarized sun shades, sunscreen, and SPF lip balm are all important, and we had been very happy with our determination to deliver solar umbrellas. We additionally extremely advocate carrying a UPF mountain climbing shirt.
POCKET KNIFE
We swap out our pocket knife for a small pair of ultralight scissors on longer hikes, as a result of it’s lighter and extra sensible for our wants. In case you favor a knife, we advocate the Benchmade Mini Bugout from our Finest Pocket Knives checklist as a result of it’s light-weight and compact. The Swiss Military Traditional SD can be an incredible choice if you happen to’re on the lookout for a multitool.
OTHER ITEMS
For extra suggestions on our favourite light-weight backpacking tools, try the CleverHiker Gear Information and our Prime Picks web page.
Depart No Hint
Stopping and minimizing human impression is essential to the well being of our wilderness. Individually, chances are you’ll suppose your fireplace, shallow cathole, or meals scraps within the river aren’t going to hurt an ecosystem, however there’s a big cumulative impression.
We share this house with hundreds of individuals mountain climbing alongside the AZT yearly, in addition to the varied array of plant and animal life, so all of us have to do our half to guard it. It solely takes a couple of minutes to brush up on Depart No Hint tips earlier than you head out.
Turn out to be a Member of the Arizona Path Affiliation
The Arizona Path Affiliation (ATA) protects and maintains the AZT. With out the laborious work of their employees and volunteers, there could be no path. We extremely advocate changing into a donating member of this superb group to assist make sure the AZT stays round for future generations to take pleasure in. The ATA additionally commemorates profitable thru-hikers with a hand-crafted copper belt buckle – actually the good path completion present we’ve ever seen.
Extra Info
We hope this information helps you propose an unforgettable journey alongside the Arizona Path. For extra in style CleverHiker content material, try the next hyperlinks:
