Restoring a Rim Country Classic
After five years of restoration, the Highline Trail, a historic route used by homesteaders in the 1800s turned National Recreation Trail, is back and better than ever.
Stretching more than 60 miles below Arizona’s Mogollon Rim, the Highline Trail winds through ponderosa pine forests, manzanita-covered hills, and rugged canyons.
Originally established in the late 1800s, the trail connected homesteads and ranches along the Rim, providing an important travel route. Nearly a century later, it was designated as a National Recreation Trail in 1978.
Decades of erosion, wildfire damage, and aging infrastructure took their toll. Sections of the trail became unsafe, difficult to navigate, and deeply rutted. Without intervention, one of Arizona’s most iconic recreation experiences, and the natural resources surrounding it, would have continued to deteriorate.
In 2020, the National Forest Foundation partnered with the Tonto National Forest, Rim Country Mountain Bike Association, and a wide network of local partners to launch the Highline Trail Restoration Initiative, a multi-year, collaborative effort to rehabilitate the entire trail.
Today, five years and nearly $1 million later, the major restoration work is complete! The result is a safer, more sustainable trail that rivals top recreation trails across the country. The Highline National Recreation Trail has become a centerpiece for Rim Country Recreation, and one of Arizona’s premier outdoor recreation destinations.
How Did We Get Here?
The Highline Trail was built in a different era, long before modern sustainable trail design practices existed. Like many historic trails, parts of the original route followed the path that was easiest or shortest to travel, sometimes traversing drainages or going straight downhill. Over time, water naturally flowed down these sections, eating away at the trail, creating steep drop-offs or unstable ground, leaving the trail increasingly difficult to maintain. The runoff also carried sediment into nearby creeks and the important Salt and Verde River watersheds that supply the metro Phoenix area with water.
By 2018, restoring the Highline Trail became a shared priority for the Rim Country community. What followed was a collaborative effort to preserve the trail’s historic legacy, protect surrounding watersheds, and create a more sustainable recreation experience for generations to come.
Five Years of Work on the Ground
From 2020 to 2025, professional trail crews, volunteers, and partners worked across all 63 miles of the Highline Trail. The scope included:
- Trail reroutes away from steep drainages and erosion-prone fall lines
- Heavy trail maintenance and rehabilitation on degraded sections
- Hardened stream crossings to protect watersheds and improve safety
- Trail design and re-alignment to meet modern trail-building standards
- Restoration of closed or former trail corridors
The result is a continuous, well-designed route that is safer, more resilient to erosion, and easier to maintain.
Photo by Matt Roberts, courtesy of Flagline Trails LLC 
Photo by Matt Roberts, courtesy of Flagline Trails LLC 
Photo by Matt Roberts, courtesy of Flagline Trails LLC 
Photo by Matt Roberts, courtesy of Flagline Trails LLC 
Photo by Michele Bauer 
Photo by Michele Bauer A Destination Trail for Arizona and Beyond
Today, the restored Highline Trail is a world-class destination for mountain bikers, backpackers, trail runners, hikers, and horseback riders from across Arizona and beyond. Whether out for a short hike, exploring a favorite local segment, or tackling the entire trail, visitors experience the diversity and incredible beauty of Arizona’s Rim Country.
The trail also serves as an important economic resource for the neighboring communities of Payson, Pine, and Strawberry, as visitors support local restaurants, lodging, and small businesses. For these rural communities, the Highline is more than a trail, it is an economic asset and a source of community pride.
This Work Is Built on Partnerships
The Highline Trail Restoration Initiative succeeded because of the depth and breadth of its partner network. Federal agencies, state agencies, local governments, nonprofits, businesses, and individual donors all played an important role in bringing this shared vision to life.
Key partners include the Tonto National Forest, Rim Country Mountain Bike Association, Wild Arizona, Arizona State Parks & Trails, Arizona Game & Fish, Town of Payson, City of Phoenix, Aravaipa Running, REI, Pink Jeep, Landmark at the Creek, Catena Foundation, MHA Foundation, Mogollon Sporting Association, Arizona Trail Association, onX, Desert Financial Credit Union, Athletic Brewing, Arizona Wilderness Brewing, Wren House Brewing Company, and many more.
What’s Next
While major restoration is complete, stewardship of the Highline Trail continues.
Like any trail, the Highline will need ongoing care to remain safe, sustainable, and enjoyable. Continued support from volunteers, partners, and donors is essential and will preserve this iconic trail, protect the land it traverses, and ensure a great experience for future generations!
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