A new long trail from Mexico to Las Vegas is in the works.

BY ASH CZARNOTA

A new long-distance trail has entered the chat. The Sun Corridor Trail (SCT) is a proposed 1,500-mile multi-use trail that will take hikers, bikers, and equestrians through some of the most breathtaking and diverse landscapes the American Southwest has to offer.

Starting at the US/Mexico border town of Douglas, Arizona, the trail would wind north through scrubby desert plains, rugged canyons, and fragrant alpine forests before dropping into the sun-scorched basins of the Mojave Desert and culminating at its northern terminus in Las Vegas, Nevada. It would also connect with several preexisting loop trails in Arizona, including the 315-mile Maricopa Trail and 54-mile Prescott Circle Trail. 

The SCT will come with all the typical challenges associated with desert hiking—scorching days, freezing nights, long water carries, and the occasional wildfire detour—but promises a unique twist. Unlike the Arizona Trail, which is designed for a more remote and immersive wilderness experience, the SCT will prioritize accessibility to boost the local economy. The proposed route would pass through over 40 trail towns (averaging one town every 38 miles), including Sedona, Tombstone, and Flagstaff, where adventurers can rest, resupply and indulge in creature comforts—a Southwest-inspired Appalachian Trail, if you will. 

As of now, there’s no set completion date for the Sun Corridor Trail. Bureaucratic red tape usually sets the pace for large-scale projects like these. The trail is a multi-agency effort between federal, state, and local governments, and its progress hinges on securing enough funding, negotiating land-use agreements, and orchestrating trail-building efforts. Given that the Appalachian Trail took 15 years to build from concept to completion, it’s reasonable to expect the SCT could take a while.