The Arizona Trail (AZT) is an ~800-mile thru-hike traversing the entire state from the US–Mexico border at Coronado National Memorial to the Utah border on the Kaibab Plateau, passing through Sonoran Desert, sky island mountain ranges, the Mogollon Rim, and the Grand Canyon. The terrain is consistently rugged and rocky — noticeably rougher than the PCT — with dramatic elevation swings between 1,700 ft at the Gila River and 9,148 ft on the Kaibab Plateau. Spring (March–April) is the most popular northbound window, offering manageable desert temperatures and snow-fed water sources, though hikers should prepare for sub-freezing nights at elevation and potential snow on the northern plateaus.