The Black Canyon trail network can only be described as a success in its infancy. What was once a historic route used in the 1600s to transport livestock and people had become a haven for folks dumping appliances and then shooting the crap out of said appliances. In 2003, IMBA, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and locals created a plan that should result in more than 60 miles of new singletrack connecting communities and bringing people into the desert, sans refrigerators. But a plan is just that. It’s an idea, a grouping of words. A dream. The Black Canyon Trail Coalition, comprised of 4x4 users, equestrians, hikers and mountain bikers, is working hard to turn this dream into a reality. In only a few years, 30 miles of singletrack have been built. If you stand still and listen closely, you might even hear a metallic “tink, tink, tink” in the distance letting you know that someone is out there. Volunteers are breaking through rock and leaving fresh trail in their wake. Snaking through ancient saguaro forests and lined with fear-inducing cactus, the trail begs you to slow down and enjoy the ride. If you do take the time to stop and smell the cacti, you’ll be rewarded with magnificent cliff-side views of the Aqua Fria River and an appreciation for where this trail has been—and more importantly, where it is going. The desert isn’t an environment meant to sustain life, and yet this route has always been key to people’s livelihoods, perhaps now more than ever. —Kristin Butcher