(upbeat music) - [Ike] The city of Flagstaff is known as the gateway to the Grand Canyon.

But it's so much more than just that.

Flagstaff is an outdoor recreationist paradise, because views of this small city from above and views from below show off a gorgeous green lush mountainous landscape where everything grows and thrives.

With the highest mountain in Arizona and the Grand Canyon in its backyard, the green city is a haven for hikers, runners, bikers, and others just looking for a high country escape.

(upbeat music continues) (birds chirping) (air whooshing) (upbeat music) - [Announcer] "Trail Mix'd" is made possible in part by a gift from Sue and Bill Ahearn.

Additional support provided by... - [Announcer] SRP is staying ahead of the Valley's growing energy needs.

We're investing in one of the country's largest solar battery storage projects to deliver power that's as reliable as it is sustainable.

- [Announcer] Albertsons, Safeway pharmacies, and Valley nonprofit Mission of Mercy are proud to support cancer awareness.

They encourage you to talk to your doctor, get recommended screenings, and don't forget your flu vaccine.

More information at Albertsons or safeway.com.

- [Presenter] Whitfill Nursery proud to support 8 Arizona PBS, a Valley tradition since 1946.

Over 200 acres of Arizona grown tree citrus and palms, complete custom design and installation, and Whitfill Nursery still does the digging.

whitfillNursery.com.

- [Announcer] And by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat music) - Hey, what's going on?

I'm Ike Easley and on this episode of "Trail Mix'd", all roads lead to beautiful, cool Flagstaff.

The city of Flagstaff is made for trailhounds.

We'll check out the amazing Flagstaff Urban Trail System.

Plus, in Winslow, a hike into the stunning Chevelon Canyon in search of hundreds and hundreds of petroglyphs.

You've gotta see the Rock Art Canyon Ranch.

And time for another hiking tip.

Who has the right of way?

And later, a hiking gem that seems pretty urban until you find yourself in the middle of a wondrous canyon waterfall.

Are you ready?!

Oh, you know I'm ready.

"Trail Mix'd" starts right now.

(soft music) Flagstaff is a progressive, vibrant, youthful city, thriving in at 7,000 feet of elevation.

This city has four beautiful seasons, and visitors from around the world come here to enjoy all of them.

People have been escaping to Flagstaff for decades, ever since the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad began to lay track in the 1800s.

But it's also the place people in the Valley often go to to escape the heat of the summer, because when you're longing to hit a trail but it's too hot to go outside, Flagstaff is a year-round playground destination with stunning scenery that includes the ever present San Francisco peaks and all the trails that will get you there.

The peaks are a landmark that you can see from all over the city if you're outside, which is where the majority of Flagstaff residents and visitors spend a lot of their time.

Today, we'll do some biking and hiking trails all around this beautiful little city, smack dab in the middle of the ponderosa pines.

(upbeat music) It's no secret, that Flagstaff is a city made for those who love and thrive in the outdoors.

Everywhere you look, there are ways to get outside.

- The Flagstaff Urban Trail System, also known as FUTS, is a wonderful trail system within the city of Flagstaff.

I use it personally all the time.

I can walk the trails and be at my office on a beautiful trail in about a mile from my house.

We have over 56 miles of Flagstaff Urban Trail System that people can enjoy anywhere from doing an easy hike to a moderate hike to even more difficult, just right outside of historic downtown.

- [Ike] From above, Flagstaff lives up to its beautiful green city reputation, thousands of ponderosa pine and trees, lining streets and filling up neighborhoods with every shade of green imaginable.

But if you look closely, you can see that there are dozens of interconnecting trails running through these communities.

- You've got as many as 40 trails to select from on the Flagstaff Urban Trail System or FUTS.

We have a digital map.

We also have a physical map that you can certainly enjoy and you pick that up at the Flagstaff Visitor Center.

It's recommended actually that be your first stop when you get into town.

And there are trails throughout the city to enjoy to get out there, outsource, to enjoy the fresh air, see some wildlife and enjoy a picnic and get some exercise.

It's a great way to either hike, bike, or jog along the system.

Rent a bike if you didn't bring one.

We have some bike shops to enjoy as well as e-bikes that you can use on the trail system as well.

It is a fabulous morning, daytime activity on the Flagstaff Urban Trail System.

- [Ike] Foot trails are perfect to hike, bike, stroll, and run, whatever you're into.

- We took a loop.

- And now we're on the urban trail here, the Flag, which we really like a lot.

- He's the one that picks out the trails.

- Yeah, it's good.

It's good.

We do it every time we come up to Flag.

We try to stay around there.

I love that thing.

- [Ike] Nelleke Vansavooyen and Bob Stratton spend their summers hiking around a majority of the trails in Flagstaff, and why do they like it so much?

- 'Cause it's urban.

- Yeah.

- It's right by our house.

- We can stay downtown and we can walk out to the bars and restaurants, but then we can go the other way.

we're on a trail, you know?

So it's really neat, you know?

- It's very, yeah, versatile.

- Yeah, we don't have that, I wish we had that in the big city, but we don't have that.

I wouldn't recommend them 'cause I don't want 'em coming up here and making it more crowded.

(both laughing) - So the Karen Cooper Trail is about 3.6 miles, and you start at Wheeler Park, so you start in the downtown area, so you'll see features like historic buildings.

You'll continue on the trail that will bring you to a destination of the Frances Short Pond.

- [Ike] You can ride straight through the pond trail, but that would be a shame.

(upbeat music) - Well, this is one of my favorites, (laughing) because it is near where I live and it's close to downtown.

So where it is on the trail, I'd say it's near the beginning portion of the trail as you leave Wheeler Park.

So it's a pretty quick walk as you traverse through the trail system.

And some of it is single track.

So you can take a nice casual stroll on that walk.

Be aware of other hikers and bikers and joggers.

As you approach it, you'll have this beautiful view scape of the San Francisco peaks.

And the San Francisco peaks are the highest point in Arizona.

Humphreys Peak is 12,633 feet.

It's up there, it's high, and you have a gorgeous place to enjoy that right here at Frances Short Pond.

While you're here, you can watch the wildlife.

You hear birds and ducks all around me.

You may see ospreys coming down to select a fish out of the water right in front of you.

It is stocked with rainbow trout and there's also catfish in this pond as well.

This pond is one of our treasures and it is regularly maintained and enjoyed by residents and visitors.

It's easily accessible.

So on the trail, you can easily hike from Wheeler Park or you can park at the area ballfield right around it.

- The trail also takes you through quaint streets and historic houses.

This bike trail is not geared for mountain bikers or competitive racers.

This trail is, well, urban, and it takes you throughout the city.

And as you glide along, you're bound to feel those cool Flagstaff breezes on your face, and an airy, light feeling is guaranteed to descend all over you.

So what makes the Flagstaff Urban Trails System, or as some call it, FUTS, so amazing?

It has to be the variety.

One moment you could be chilling by a nice cool lake, the next moment you could be surrounded by pine.

- Overall, I think they've done a pretty good job and and how insulated you are from the path, even if you are on a sidewalk for a little, you know, in between section, you're never like fully exposed to the road.

So it's like 99% safe like at all times which is, you know, kind of a nice feature.

And the fact that it intertwines around everywhere, around the entire city, I think it's pretty cool.

- [Ike] Phoenix cyclist Ben Reynolds discovered the Flagstaff Urban Trail System almost by accident.

(upbeat music) - The first couple times I rode it, you know, and kind of started figuring it out, I was really impressed, like I didn't even know it actually existed 'til I think it was on a Flagstaff information group that somebody had brought it up and I didn't realize it was basically in my backyard.

- [Ike] Hikers too, love the way trails wind seamlessly in and around the city, mostly shielding them from big traffic, letting them focus on all the trails ahead of them.

- Actually, where I live, it's right against the national forest, so it's sort of a different trail system.

But, yeah, Flagstaff is just interlaced with all kinds of trails.

The city's done a really ambitious job of that.

So most people, wherever you live, have something fairly accessible, you know, for whatever use you want, whether you're pushing a baby carriage or walking your dog or jogging, or just want a little peace and quiet or modest exercise or whatever you want, it's all here without going very far.

So we're really fortunate to live where we have such a variety within a pretty short reach.

(upbeat music continues) (upbeat music) - [Ike] Brantley Baird was born to be a cattle rancher, but some stunning discoveries on his Rock Art Ranch south of Winslow transformed the old cowboy and his family into keepers of history.

Ever since Brantley was a kid, his family has been finding native artifacts on the property.

Many were passed down through generations of his family, which has deep Arizona roots.

Anasazi ruins and vessels have been found on his ranch land for years.

The family has filled a steel-framed barn with baskets, tools, pots, and other artifacts.

Some of the pottery has been found buried, completely intact, intricately painted with amazing designs.

The collection is phenomenal.

To hike and explore Brantley's Ranch, you have to call ahead and make a reservation.

We drive three miles across his ranch in his pickup and he leads me down a path to a shed.

All around the shed are hundreds of shards of pottery.

Inside the tin shed are the remnants of an excavation of an ancient pueblo.

- They figured that three families lived here, One, two, three, and they figure that they could have been two-story buildings.

They don't know, but they figure they could be.

That is the actual footing, ain't that beautiful?

- Right here?

- Right there.

- Okay.

- But they figure this 1500 A.D. How they figure, I don't know, unless they carbon date some way, but that's what they figure this right here was 1500 A.D. - [Ike] Archeologists and anthropologists with the Smithsonian Institution, the Heard Museum, and our state's universities have visited it regularly in the past, but a few years ago, Brantley stopped the excavations.

- I didn't want 'em to bother anything else, to show the people how they lived, and that's good enough.

- [Ike] Next, Brantley shows me some native hogans.

Brantley, what is this?

- Okay, this in here is where the males came in at night and slept.

They didn't live in here.

Nobody lived in here.

The males, the guys lived outside.

They only come in here on a cold night and then they built a small fire here and this is where the smoke would go out, but that's all it was, was just a, they called it a male hogan.

(upbeat music) - Okay, and what is the name of the structure right here?

- This is a female hogan.

This is where the lady lived.

That's the difference in this one and that one.

(upbeat music continues) - Chevelon Canyon cuts right through the Rock Art Ranch.

It's a narrow, steep walled gorge carved by a creek that runs year-round.

The only way to get into the canyon for several miles is by taking the rocky pathway that was built by Brantley at the ranch to help curious people like me to explore.

The Rock Art Ranch petroglyphs date from 6,000 BC to 1,400, and one of the most dramatic is a fertility symbol.

Okay, okay, what do we call this area right here?

- Well, they call it the birthing scene.

That's the Hopi lady giving birth.

And that's a big petroglyph and... - It's an astonishing sight.

Everywhere you look on both sides of the canyon, there are thousands of petroglyphs.

The Smithsonian and other organizations who've studied the wall art here over several years, say Baird's ranch has some of the best preserved collections of petroglyphs in the world.

Well, I see a distinctive petroglyph there.

What is that one?

- Well, that one with the lady is what we call a Cinderella.

And she got her arms stretched out and you got little fellows hanging off here and over here too.

There's all kinds of different stuff.

(soft music) - [Ike] Visitors to Rock Art Canyon Ranch can take a two mile hike through the towering stone canyons of Chevelon and marvel at the over 3,000 petroglyphs depicting ancient art of animals, people, and other sacred symbols.

Gregory Erickson has visited the Rock Art petroglyph site before.

- It's probably six years ago, we were here with a group of our friends and we were so amazed at what we saw, we had to come again and share it with some other people.

And even though we had been here before, it's so new that we're seeing things that we hadn't seen before.

And we had a wonderful, wonderful tour.

We have gained a significant amount on this trip already, and we've only crossed the bridge.

(laughing) I have seen areas where there are huge numbers of petroglyphs, but they cover a much larger area.

This is really unique.

It makes you feel that it was extremely important for them to record some type of information and it was not done all at one time.

it had to have a beginning and progress over time.

To give you an idea that the number of petroglyphs that we see here were done by multiple generations of people over a long period of time.

- Brantley joined me on this hike to show me the petroglyphs personally.

Usually he lets his visitors wander around the canyon, spending as much time as they want, looking at the petroglyphs.

The discovery on his family's ranch is historically significant and I'm especially glad he took the time to share with us today.

(upbeat music) Wherever they are, hiking trails for me are my happy place.

It's where I find some peace and comradery.

I love hiking and running up hills.

That burning sensation you feel in your legs?

Don't you worry about that.

That's just you getting stronger.

If hiking and running has taught me one thing, it's that greatness comes from perseverance.

I know it's the same way for many hikers.

That's why I try to follow an unwritten hiker social code, if you will.

(upbeat music continues) Take the concept of the "right of way" for instance.

On all hiking trails, those traveling uphill have the right of way.

(buzzer rings) When you're going downhill, always try to step to the side to make room for those hiking up to pass.

(bell dings) On multi-use trails, hikers should always yield to horses, mules, and other pack animals.

Bikers must yield to hikers and horses.

So now you're in the know.

Another hiking etiquette tip for you when you hike with Ike.

(upbeat music) As we search for trails all over Arizona, we often find some interesting history.

(upbeat music continues) On this day we came upon the historical Chevelon Creek Bridge, which sits over this beautiful gorge of vertical limestone cliffs.

If you're into historical infrastructure projects, this is your bridge to the past.

(air whooshes) This Chevelon Creek bridge was the first ever truss bridge built by the state of Arizona.

Shortly after, Arizona became a state.

(air whooshes) Apparently, back then the deep Rocky Canyon over Chevelon Creek formed a quote, "practically impassable" topographic barrier to the Santa Fe Highway across Northern Arizona.

In 1912, the newly formed Arizona state legislature appropriated $5,500 from the state road fund for construction of a new bridge.

On October 12th, the state contracted with the Missouri Valley Bridge and Ironworks for construction of the bridge.

According to historical bridge inventory documents, Arizona accepted the completed bridge July, 1913 for a total cost of $4,985.

Once completed, the Chevelon Creek Bridge carried mainline traffic on the Santa Fe Highway.

Then just a few short years later, sometime between 1917 and 1924, there was a highway realignment and moved the route and traffic north of the Little Colorado River.

The beautiful bridge was relegated to county road status.

(upbeat music continues) Back in 2014, the Chevelon Creek Bridge was rehabilitated.

ADOT crews replaced the bridge deck, made some steel repairs and carefully removed some very old lead paint from the bridge.

Today, this 110 year old bridge still serves as an important transportation corridor for drivers in Navajo County and historical bridge buffs from all over the world.

(upbeat music) 15 minutes east of Downtown Flagstaff, just off Route 66, is the Picture Canyon Natural and Cultural Preserve.

The Tom Moody Trail here in the preserve sits on the edge of industry.

But don't let that stop you from checking out these views.

(upbeat music continues) - That's not a problem.

I mean, right when you kind of keep moving through the trail, you lose sight of the industrial buildings.

Again, you feel like you're one with nature and you're in a different spot.

- [Ike] Alvin and Yvette are from Riverside, California and say trails in Flagstaff are different from where they're from.

- A lot more picturesque, a lot more pine trees.

Just the air you breathe just feels a little crisper, a little cleaner.

Very relaxing, very, very nice getaway for both my wife and I.

- [Ike] The Tom Moody Trail starts off running parallel to the Rio de Flag, a river that originates from the majestic San Francisco peaks.

The preserve sits on Basalt Canyon.

It features meadows, floodplains, and riparian corridors.

The 470 acre preserve also protects a wide area of rare habitats in human history and leads to a stunning Northern Sinagua petroglyph site.

- It's a nice easy hike, not too much elevation, just you feel like you're at one with nature.

The scenery is just gorgeous.

We stopped by the petroglyphs, which was very, very interesting.

There's obviously a little bit of history there in this little area, so kind of makes you kind of want to take a step back and feel like you were a couple of hundred years back and wonder what it must have been like.

(upbeat music continues) - So that Tom Moody picture Canyon area is a beautiful trail with rock outcroppings and petroglyphs, as well as educational markers to help show you what plants you may be seeing on the trail.

Wildlife watching opportunities as well.

- [Ike] The preserve also features a portion of the Arizona National Scenic Trail, the Arizona Trail that stretches over 800 miles across Arizona.

- The fact that the Tom Moody Trail connects to the Arizona Trail is fabulous.

We've actually had family members hike the entirety of the Arizona Trail and come through here.

- [Ike] Perhaps the most surprising thing at the park are the waterfalls.

As you hike along, you can hear them before you can see them, but when you catch those first glimpses of water over rock, it's wondrous.

- So there's a waterway, a nice flowing creek.

It flows at different stages throughout the year.

Sometimes it flows faster, sometimes slower, but it's a great thing to enjoy while you're hiking the trail.

- Well, I have a four and a half year old, so it's not that hard.

(laughing) You know, the waterfall's not too far back so we get to that area, kind of sit down and enjoy the sounds of nature and then either continue on our way or come on back, but either way, it's great.

It's a little hidden gem in Flagstaff.

There's always not a lot of people here.

You can see the petroglyphs, which are great.

And then again, a waterfall in the middle of Flagstaff.

Nobody really thinks about that.

(soft music) Being that we're kind of in the middle of Flagstaff, you know, you can almost hear the train a little bit, but still it's very peaceful.

There's so much wildlife and nature that it's just really nice to be able to just kind of a 10 minute drive and be out.

- [Ike] The preserve is also on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Northern Arizona Audubon Society.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has also established Arizona watchable wildlife experiences there.

- The Tom Moody Trail, specifically, unlike a lot of the Flagstaff trails out here, is just a beautiful loop, it's very easy to follow, well maintained.

You see a few people out here so you feel safe, but it's just enough to be able to enjoy nature as well.

- It's my favorite part.

It is just an absolute hidden gem.

You see the trail sign saying "Picture Canyon" and you just don't even know what you're gonna expect.

And when you see the waterfall, you're just shocked.

It's just in the middle of nowhere.

It's so beautiful.

- Waterfalls, birds, and a beautiful day in Flagstaff.

What more could you ask for?

(upbeat music) Flagstaff has an amazing small town vibe combined with great hiking and biking.

You have to check it out for yourself.

Until next time, I'm Ike Easley.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] "Trail Mix'd" is made possible in part by a gift from Sue and Bill Ahearn.

(upbeat music continues) Additional support provided by... - [Announcer] SRP is staying ahead of the Valley's growing energy needs.

We're investing in one of the country's largest solar battery storage projects to deliver power that's as reliable as it is sustainable.

- [Announcer] Albertsons, Safeway Pharmacies, and Valley nonprofit Mission of Mercy are proud to support cancer awareness.

They encourage you to talk to your doctor, get recommended screenings, and don't forget your flu vaccine.

More information at Albertsons or safeway.com.

- [Announcer] Whitfill Nursery proud to support 8 Arizona PBS, a valley tradition since 1946.

Over 200 acres of Arizona grown tree citrus and palms, complete custom design and installation.

And Whitfill Nursery still does the digging.

whitfillnursery.com.

- [Announcer] And by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.