Brief History of Arizona’s Highline Trail:

The Highline Trail dates back more than 100 years to the 1870’s when trails were built below the Mogollon Rim in Central Arizona to connect the homesteads of the early settlers and pioneers. The beauty of the area is overwhelming. An early visitor wrote as follows: “Mountain, forest, valley, and streams are blended in one harmonious whole; few worldwide travelers in a lifetime could be treated to a more perfect landscape, a true virgin solitude, undefiled by the presence of man.” The four miles just east of the Christopher Creek crossing are thought by most to be the most beautiful section of the scenic trail.

The trail which lies entirely in the Tonto National Forest and runs from just south of Pine, Arizona to several miles east of the town of Christopher Creek was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1979. The Forest Service and many volunteers including several runners have worked countless hours over the years to restore, maintain, clear, and mark this scenic and historic trail.

The most famous inhabitant to live along the trail was Zane Grey who built a large cabin only a few steps from the trail. In addition to hunting and fishing in the area, he authored five of his Western classics including appropriately enough “Under the Tonto Rim”. Unfortunately, in 1990, shortly after the inaugural running of the Zane Grey Highline Trail 50, a massive lightning-caused forest fire destroyed his cabin, damaged 21 miles of the trail, burned 24,000 acres, destroyed 63 homes, and tragically claimed the lives of six firefighters.

Pat McKenzie, the run founder, had driven by the Pine Trailhead many times over the years on the way to family camping expeditions. When he found out that the trail was almost exactly 50 miles in length and being an ultrarunner himself, it seemed only natural that the Zane Grey Highline Trail 50 be established. Doing otherwise would have made no sense at all, at least to an ultrarunner.

An article in the July 1989 issue of Arizona Highways suggested that it would take four to seven days to hike the trail from end to end. Little did the author of that article know that less than one year later, six runners would start and finish the entire trail the same day. On May 5, 1990, modern-day pioneers, Scott Modzelewski, Karsten Solheim, Sabin Snow, John Cheely, Dave Selzer, and Steve Papp, all successfully retraced the footsteps of the early highline pioneers.

Past Race Directors include:

Pat McKenzie

LindaVanTilborg & Gerri Kilgariff

Garrett Ford & Bob Redwanc

Eileen Redwanc