Sunflower and Gladiator Fires visible from space

Gladiator Fire as seen from  I17, May 19, 2012

If you can see them from space, they must be big.
Groan.  I'm having flashbacks from last year's Wallow Fire.   Check out the NASA site below:
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=77944

Barrier-free hiking on Flagstaff's McMillan Mesa

McMILLAN MESA

Flagstaff Urban Trails System/Arizona Trail

I've decided to call this one a sandwich hike. Like the great American lunch staple, the good stuff of this trek happens in the middle while the scenic equivalent of white bread bolsters the fringes.   The hike takes off near the main entrance of Buffalo Park, swinging south onto a route that's now part of the most urban passage of the Arizona Trail where there's a large sign with a tribute to Flagstaff educator and trail founder, Dale Shewalter.  Within a few yards, the trail crosses over Cedar Avenue on Matt Kelly bridge--which is named for a young bike rider who was killed by a drunk driver.

Past the bridge there's some serious ugly---a power plant and quarry. Still, this is billed as an urban trail, so I guess I don't have a complaint coming. Farther along, the wide, gravel route crosses McMillan Mesa-- the good stuff-- a grassy ridge sandwiched between downtown and the upper eastside of Flagstaff.  Sparsely populated with junipers, pines and firs, the view to the southeast is surprisingly lovely.  To the northeast, the busy city sprawls and carries on below. The trail is suitable for strollers, wheelchairs and walkers, making this a popular choice for multi-generational families.  Also, benches are placed at scenic spots along the way, including one that's perfect for train-spotting the BNST railroad that parallels Route 66. 

LENGTH:  1.5 miles one-way

RATING: easy, stroller-friendly, barrier-free

ELEVATION: 7,040'

DOGS: leashed dogs allowed

KID FRIENDLY?: yes

GETTING THERE:

Buffalo Park (North):

From Flagstaff, travel north on Fort Valley Road (US180) to Forest Ave.  Turn right and continue to the stop light at Gemini Drive.  Turn left and follow the signs to the park.

Hemlock Way (south):

From Flagstaff, travel east on Route 66 to Switzer Canyon Road.  Turn north (left) and go 0.6 mile to Turquoise Drive, turn right, go 0.3 mile to Ponderosa Pkwy, turn right and go 0.5 mile to Locust, turn left and go 0.1 mile to Apple, turn right and go 0.1 mile to Hemlock, turn left and continue 0.1 mile to the trailhead.

INFO: City of Flagstaff

http://flagstaff.az.gov/index.aspx?NID=1812

Arizona Trail Association

http://www.aztrail.org/passages/pass_33.html

MORE PHOTOS:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2703277919899.90622.1795269672&type=1&l=ed5248c36a

Sound off on how AZ recreation dollars should be spent

Help improve Arizona's outdoor recreation by participating in the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) Survey. 

 The survey seeks to learn about the preferences and needs of people--like hikers--who recreate on Arizona's public lands. Results will be used by outdoor recreation managers on policy and funding matters. 

It takes about 25 minutes to complete.

Take the survey at http://surveymonkey.com/s/SCORPpub
(Note: The survey closes May 31, 2012) 

For more information on SCORP and the planning process, visit http://azstateparks.com/publications/#SCORP2012. 

InciWeb--your source for wildfire updates

Mazatzal Mountains south of Payson

We all knew this was coming---wildfire season.  With 5 blazes already in progress on our public lands, my head is spinning.  Some of these fires will actually do some good for forest health, others, not so much.
Right now it appears that the Sunflower Fire is the one closest to a major hiking trail---the Saddle Mountain and Mazatzal Divide passages of the Arizona Trail.  It's burning west of AZ 87 north of Mount Ord and south of Mazatzal Peak.  If you hiked in there, you know how remote it is---and, back in 2005, the Cave Creek Complex Fire also torched parts of this same area. Moving forward---its always a good idea to check for wildfire activity before heading out on a summer hike.  InciWeb is an excellent resource with maps and is updated frequently.
Here's the link to the Sunflower Fire:  http://www.inciweb.org/incident/2861/
Here's the link for ALL current AZ fires:
http://www.inciweb.org/state/3/