The Great Western Trail 150

Trail Overview

The Great Western Trail is a 3,100-mile north-south long-distance multiple-use route that runs from Canada to Mexico through the five western states of Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. In Arizona, the trail consists of 800 miles of mixed-use trail that parallels the existing Arizona Trail. The route was originally traveled in 1776 by two Spanish priests Dominguez and Escalante, who camped with Paiute Native Americans at the base of Kaibab Plateau in Northern Arizona. The natives showed them the trail that they used to travel north and south through the great geological formations of the west. The designation of The Great Western Trail was not established until 1970-1985 in Utah and was not completed as a through hike until 1988 by Simon Cordial and James Mayberger. In 1999 it was designated as a National Millennium Trail. This 11.6-mile section of the Great Western Trail can be started from 64 Hwy and travels through Kaibab National Forest climbing 1,115ft to the top of Coconino Rim. The trail starts in the high plains with low sagebrush, pinyon, and juniper climbing to the top of Coconino Rim; the landscape and vegetation changes dramatically to ponderosa pines, hardwoods, spruce, and fir.

Photos of The Great Western Trail 150

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Difficulty

Off Hwy 64 the trail is gravel and well maintained. As you climb along the trail it becomes narrower with deep ruts that cannot be straddled in some areas along with short rock ledges and washouts. There is only one distinguished mud hole with a bailout route around it. The mudhole is clay bottom and must be taken with some speed to ensure getting out the other side.

History

The Great Western Trail is a 3,100 mile north-south long distance multiple use route that runs from Canada to Mexico through the five western states of Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana. In Arizona the trail consists of 800 miles of mixed-use trail that parallels the existing Arizona Trail. The route was originally traveled in 1776 by two Spanish priests Dominguez and Escalante who camped with Paiute Native Americans at the base of Kaibab Plateau in Northern Arizona. The natives showed them the trail that they used to travel north and south through the great geological formations of the west. The designation of The Great Western Trail was not established until 1970-1985 in Utah and was not completed as a through hike until 1988 by Simon Cordial and James Mayberger. In 1999 it was designated as a National Millennium Trail.

Technical Rating