What we’re about
A significant part of what we do at Wild Arizona is working to restore wild places through our Wilderness Stewardship - aka Wild Stew!
Wild Stew aims to provide Arizona’s communities and volunteers with in-depth training, resources, and logistical support in order to protect and restore Arizona’s public lands. We also aim to cultivate land stewardship, appreciation for wild places, deeper ecological understanding, and advocacy, by providing opportunities for positive experiences in the natural world. With appreciation for Arizona’s wildlands and waters, we make tangible contributions to enhance the integrity and ecological condition of Arizona’s wild places by maintaining hiking trails, restoring riparian habitats and removing invasive plants, inventorying and monitoring Wilderness and potential Wilderness areas, and more!
To learn more about our organization and our Wild Stew program, visit our website and follow us to stay up to date on upcoming volunteer opportunities.
To register for volunteer events, visit the Volunteer Opportunities page on our website and follow the link for the event that you're interested in.
Upcoming events (1)
See all- Backcountry Trail Work in the Chiricahuas!Needs location
Officially register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/backcountry-trail-work-in-the-chiricahuas-tickets-676925310827?aff=oddtdtcreatorProject Description:
Join Wild Arizona for a weekend of backcountry trail maintenance in the beautiful and remote Chiricahua Mountains. We will meet at Rustler Park on Friday, Oct. 13 at noon and backpack into the historic Cima Cabin area, about 5 miles, to camp. Base-camping from there, we will spend the following two days addressing overgrowth, faint tread, and fallen logs on the lush and gorgeous Greenhouse Trail #248.This is a moderately strenuous volunteer opportunity that will include overnight camping, hiking (up to six miles per day in mountainous terrain), tool use, digging, bending, and lifting. However, no prior technical trail work experience is required. We will hike, camp, and work together as a group.
Water can easily be sourced from the creek at Cima Cabin. Wild Arizona will provide a camp water filter as well as a free camp dinner Saturday night! Other than that, participants are expected to bring their own camp equipment and food. Reach out if you have any questions.
Itinerary:
- Friday: Meet at Rustler Park at noon to go through gear, pass out trail tools, and begin hike into camp. (Note: you may choose to meet us at camp later if you cannot meet us by noon. Please contact the volunteer coordinator if that is your plan.)
- Saturday: Leave camp in the morning for a full work day on the Greenhouse Trail, return to camp in the afternoon and enjoy a free group dinner provided by Wild Arizona. Probably pesto pasta:)
- Sunday: Work another full day on the Greenhouse Trail. (Optional last day for those who wish to leave early)
- Monday: Break camp in the morning and hike back to vehicles.
Location:
- Meetup/Trailhead: Rustler Park (31.90446, -109.28090) Google Maps Link
- Basecamp: Cima Cabin (31.86191, -109.28305)
- Work: Greenhouse Trail #248
- Directions from Portal, AZ: Follow Portal Rd. west and continue onto Forest Rd. 42. This is an unpaved and windy, though well-graded and maintained, mountainous road. After approx. 12 miles and upon reaching Onion Saddle, turn left to take FRD to Ruslter Park, approx. 3 miles.
Gear, Tools, PPE, etc:
- All necessary trail tools and instruction for their safe and proper use will be provided by Wild Arizona.
- Hardhats and gloves are provided (you may bring your own if you have them).
- Bring your own: long-sleeve shirt, long pants, sunglasses/safety glasses, and closed toe shoes, (gloves and hardhat if you have them).
- A group water filter will be provided. Bring your own if you prefer.
What to Bring:
- Per our safety policy, a long-sleeve shirt, long pants, sunglasses/safety glasses, and closed toe shoes are mandatory to participate in volunteer work.
- Personal camping gear: tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, messkit, headlamp, toiletries, and all the personal backpacking gear you need to be comfortable. This is a self-supported trip. Reach out if you have questions.
- Warm layers and a rain jacket are a must.
- Water bottles or hydration pack (3 liter per day capacity minimum for the work day)
- Personal food: breakfast, lunch, and snacks.
- What else? If you are unsure about what else to bring, or if you need to borrow any of the items listed above, please reach out to Luke (contact info below).
Contact:
Luke Koenig (Volunteer Coordinator)
Luke@wildarizona.org
(443) 676-3200About the Area:
The largest of Arizona's Sky Islands, the Chiricahua mountains are rugged and remote. From the bottom to to the top, visitors pass through five ecological life zones, making the Chiricahuas one of the most biodiverse places in the Lower 48. On top, Englemann Spruce, a species found in the mountains of northern Montana and into Canada, can be found in its southernmost range, while hikers can simultaneously look down into the scorching Sonoran Desert below. The explosive volcanic past of the range has eroded into magnificent Rhyolite cliffs. Throughout the year, 375 species of bird can be found in the range, which is also home to a stunning diversity of many other plants and animals.Following large fires in recent decades, much of the range's former 300+ miles of trail has been severely deteriorated. Join the efforts of Wild Arizona and dedicated locals as we help bring these trails back. The Greenhouse trail, so named because of its dense and lush terrain, is a classic sky island hike that passes through multiple life zones, featuring remnant old growth Douglas firs, and even a waterfall!
