The Central Arizona Trail (CAT) is a 400 mile east-west trail from the border at New Mexico to the border at California. I got the idea for this trail from hiking the Arizona Trail in 2019, which is a north-south trail from Mexico to Utah, and I wanted a similar east-west trail.

CAT begins at the New Mexico border at US60, fifteen miles east of Springerville, and ends at Parker Strip at the California border. The majority of the trail follows national forest and BLM roads (two tracks); the remainder is cross-country. CAT uses the Arizona Trail to descend from the Mogollon Rim to Pine.

CAT traverses the following:

• White Mountain Grasslands Wildlife Area
• Sitgreaves National Forest
• Coconino National Forest
• Fossil Creek Waterfall
• Verde Hot Spring
• Pine Mountain Wilderness
• Bradshaw Mountains
• Prescott National Forest
• Crown King
• Alamo Lake State Park
• Bill Williams River National Wildlife Refuge

There are nine passages in CAT, named for their starting point:

From east to west, CAT begins at 7350 feet and ascends to 9100 feet at mile 66; it then descends 8600 feet in the next 339 miles, finishing at 486 feet. There are many elevation changes along the way.

The entire trail is on public lands and requires no permits, except for camping at Alamo Lake State Park, which is not necessary as the park is surrounded by BLM land.

There is a 2000 foot stretch in Passage 7 that crosses Cooper Ranch, at mile marker 24.3. Go up the road to Cooper Ranch and ask for permission to cross their property.

CAT maybe hiked east-bound or west-bound. The best time to hike CAT in either direction is in late February to April, as this will ensure the snow is melted and ample water is available in all passages. A fall and summer hike will face temperature and water challenges. A winter hike would be beautiful but would face snow challenges and would require snow shoes.

CAT goes through five towns, making resupplying very easy. There are only two places where a resupply box may be mailed/cached or a hitch required to go to a town. The first is Passage 4. There is a post office there. The second is Passage 9, but for this passage you can resupply at Passage 8 and carry your food, since it will be only three days of food (assuming a 15 miles per day pace).

Download the Planner and Data Book and Google Earth Track and Waypoints from the links below.

Planner and Data Book (Excel)
Google Earth Track and Waypoints (KMZ)
GPX Track and Waypoints
CAT Facebook Page
Pictures from various passages
Pictures from Passages 3 and 4
Pictures from Passage 5

Videos