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Arizona Trail
What do you know about the Arizona Trail? Last week in Constitution Hall a number of people from the area, including Oracle, San Manuel, Dudleyville and Superior (and a whole big bunch from Kearny), shared their experiences of the Trail over the last year or so. By “experiences” I don’t necessary mean actually walking on the Trail. Heck, I’ve walked less that a thousand feet when I was out taking pictures.
No, by “experiences” I mean by the number of hikers I have personally met, and the business owners in the area who have also meet them. There are more hikers than you might think: they’re a quiet bunch who come to town mostly to take a shower, have a meal and a beer or a Coke, and get a good night’s sleep. They are especially drawn to Kearny because the people are friendly, Gary and Lorraine will deliver pizza to the Kelvin Bridge, the folks at the General Kearny Inn will receive and hold their mail and packages, and also because some of our residents are organizing to meet them at the trail head and bring them to town (and back again).
Sam Hosler
Stop by Old Time Pizza. Look at the banner on the back wall, signed by the many hikers who have made their way to Kearny this past year or so. You’ll be surprised by how many there are.
We learned at the meeting that proximity to the Trail is good for the economy and for property values. Winter visitors don’t seek shuffleboard anymore, but the opportunity to get out and experience the Sonoran Desert. We learned that most of the hikers are young, but older hikers outnumber the middle-aged. They are all tech-savvy and use cell phones to connect with towns along their route. Additionally, many hikers are accompanied by “base stations,” the friends and family who drive along the route, meeting the hikers at trail heads. Some of our RV parks have benefitted from the “base station” travelers.
The number of hikers will slow down considerably as the heat rises. I think we should take this summer and figure out new ways to welcome these folks and meet their needs. We have a good reputation with folks on the Arizona Trail; let’s figure out how to build on it.
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