Congress and President Obama have given "National Scenic Trail" Designation to the 807-mile Arizona Trail, bestowing extra protection and attention on the 21-year-old route.
For local residents, this is just one more reminder that the trail awaits your bootprints. On cool spring days, few things sound better than an idyllic hike through some of the state's most picturesque backcountry.
Look at this trail Web site, www.aztrail.org, for information on the effort to get this design
While the state and the Sierra Club jockey to curb urban expansion, the Secretary of the Interior is quietly pushing his own proposal. We've got the maps.