We suppose it’s just a sign of the times but Arizona is closing 13 of its 22 state parks beginning next week due to budget cuts totaling $8.6 million. As you can imagine folks in Arizona aren’t too happy about it and they’re venting some of their frustrations on the official state parks website.

I’m sure the argument has been made that parks are good for local economies, especially in states like Arizona with such unique natural beauty. Here in our home state of Georgia they’re actually looking to add $5 million to improve amenities - like cabins and campsites - to attract more (paying) overnight visitors.

As outdoor enthusiasts it’s up to us to advocate for local, state, and national parks or be faced with a situation like the one in Arizona. We’re pretty sure once folks start showing up and finding locked gates they’ll start calling and writing their representatives.

If you’re planning a business trip or a visit with relatives out of state and are looking for a short day hike to kill some time, local newspaper articles can often be a great resource for finding the perfect spot. Most local papers publish an online edition these days so local day hikes are often just a Google search away.

Case in point: AZCentral.com posted an article by John Stanley of the Arizona Republic profiling 3 great hikes near Payson, AZ which is about halfway between Phoenix and Flagstaff. The hikes range in length from 1.5 miles to 8 miles which means you can pick the one that best fits your schedule. I’d personally choose the Tunnel Trail which is the shortest of the hikes but takes hikers to the entrance of an abandoned and incomplete railroad tunnel started in the 1800s.

In the old days finding local hikes meant knowing local hikers but today great hikes are just a click away!

Photo courtesy Hydros Adventures.

Hydros Adventures is filling empty seats on trips this summer in a pretty novel way: they’re giving them away for free! You can register to win a free trip to Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon at HydrosAdventures.com and the winner(s) will be notified via email at some point in the future (details are pretty sparse despite the website and press release I read). The trip normally costs about $800 per person (minimum) so a free trip is one heck of a deal!

I hadn’t heard of Havasu Falls before but from the pics and videos I saw this morning it looks truly amazing. The Hydros Adventures trip is 3 days and involves hiking 10 miles each way to the falls and back. Fortunately pack mules do most of the heavy lifting and that’s a good thing since the elevation change is about 2200′ over the route.

It seems like free camping and hiking opportunities are popping up everywhere this summer - we’ll keep letting you know about the deals we find!

This fellow hiking Camelback at dusk may have been in trouble.

In an article about increased mountain rescue calls at Phoenix-area hiking trails, hiking experts speculated the increase in rescues was due to an overall increase in foot traffic. Increased foot traffic, the thinking goes, is due to the fact that hiking is an inexpensive and accessible family activity (that is, until hikers get in over their heads). Unfortunately emergency responders are facing budget cuts at the same time calls for help are increasing.

All of this got me thinking that despite pitching camping as a budget-friendly family outing, we forgot to talk about hiking in the same light! Yep, hiking is even more inexpensive than camping - in fact it’s usually free - and it’s a great alternative to schlepping the kids to the amusement park or the mall. Hiking can be educational and it’s a fun way to get exercise. Springtime is one of the best times of year to get out and enjoy the great outdoors and fortunately most of us live within a short driving distance of parks and trails.

Hiking is also a great budget-friendly activity because it doesn’t require any special equipment other than a sturdy pair of shoes (I prefer running shoes myself). Taking the family on a hiking trip is pretty low commitment as well - you can make the trip as short or as long as you like. I often like to bring a picnic lunch along in a backpack when I go hiking - any excuse to spend more time outdoors

Research the best places to hike near you right here on Tripleblaze.com. You’ll be surprised how much fun you can have for free!