What if one 700-mile trail could lead you from alpine forests to desert canyons, from roadside cafes to hidden overlooks, and from bands of wild horses to communities many travelers pass by without ever stopping?
That’s what Arizona Alpine Trail board member and Alpine photographer Rusty Childress discovered during his 11-day solo ATV ambassador ride, a journey that stretched into more than 1,000 miles as he documented trail conditions, met residents, and showcased the communities connected by the trail.
“The ‘Rusty 1000’ name wasn’t about setting a mileage record: it was about exploration,” Childress said.
Traveling counterclockwise from Alpine through Greer, Show Low, Heber, Strawberry, Tonto Basin and Young before looping back, Childress watched the landscape transform from 10,000-foot spruce and fir forests to cactus-covered desert, all in the same trip. Along the way he met with local business owners, shared the Arizona Alpine Trail Master Plan, and talked with Game and Fish, county sheriff’s offices, and the U.S. Forest Service about responsible, managed recreation.
“The trail connects remarkable landscapes, but it also connects the small towns, businesses, history and people that make this region such a unique place to explore,” Childress said.
The ride is part of the same effort behind our ongoing “Segment Spotlight” series, which is unveiling all 28 segments of the trail one at a time on our Facebook page.
Read the full story at the White Mountain Independent.
Reporting by Toni Gibbons, White Mountain Independent. Photos courtesy of Rusty Childress.