07/25/2026
wmicentral.com
The 'Rusty 1000': Where every mile tells a story
Toni Gibbons Staff writer
What if one 700-mile-long trail could lead you from alpine forests to desert canyons, from roadside cafés to hidden overlooks, and from bands of wild horses to communities many travelers pass by without ever stopping?
That’s what local Alpine photographer Rusty Childress discovered during his 11-day Arizona Alpine Trail ambassador ride. Every detour added miles, but it also revealed another reason to slow down and experience Eastern Arizona.
“The ‘Rusty 1000’ name wasn’t about setting a mileage record: it was about exploration,” Childress said.
Traveling alone on an ATV, Childress, a board member on the Arizona Alpine Trail, logged more than 1,000 miles while documenting trail conditions, photographing landscapes, meeting residents and showcasing the communities connected by the trail that opened earlier this year.
Beginning in Alpine, Childress traveled the route counterclockwise through Greer, Show Low, Heber, Strawberry, Tonto Basin and Young before looping back through Heber, Show Low, Greer and Hannagan Meadow to finish where he started in Alpine.
Each stop added miles while opening the door to another small-town discovery. “Those extra miles transformed a 700-mile route into a 1,000-mile journey and revealed much of what makes the trail special,” he said.
Childress has spent nearly five decades behind the camera. He began his career in 1978 as a photojournalist for the Lumberjack newspaper at Northern Arizona University before spending 33 years in the automotive industry as owner of Childress Automall.
In 2007, he returned to photography full time, launching The Main Event Imaging and later Childress Nature Photography, where he specializes in documenting outdoor recreation, travel, wildlife and the natural landscapes of the American West.
A changing landscape
Far from being a race across Arizona, Childress said carrying cameras often forced him to slow down.
Some of his favorite moments came while photographing wildflowers, aspen groves, mountain vistas, wildlife and the small communities that give Eastern Arizona its unique character.
“The Arizona Alpine Trail experience is as much about discovery as it is about the destination,” Childress said.
That spirit of discovery has become central to a broader effort to introduce people to Eastern Arizona. In recent weeks, Childress has been unveiling each of the trail’s 28 segments through a series of online “Segment Spotlights’’ on Facebook.
Rather than simply posting maps or trail descriptions, each feature highlights the history, geology, wildlife, scenic overlooks, recreation opportunities and communities that define that stretch of trail. The series follows the same counterclockwise route as the Rusty 1000, beginning and ending in Alpine.
Rugged trail
Rugged terrain is part of the experience along the Arizona Alpine Trail, where riders encounter everything from rocky backcountry roads to high-elevation forests and desert landscapes.
“The idea is to make each segment easy to digest while giving readers a reason to visit, not just ride through,” Childress said.
Together, the online features and the ambassador ride encourage visitors to stop and experience the restaurants, lodging, museums, lakes, historic sites, shops and local businesses that often go unnoticed along Arizona’s backroads.
Connecting communities
That mission resonated with many of the business owners Childress met during the trip.
Every fuel stop, motel stay, restaurant meal and supply purchase happened in communities connected by the trail. Along the way, Childress shared the Arizona Alpine Trail Master Plan and distributed trail brochures to businesses throughout the region.
“The response was overwhelmingly positive,” he said. And he noted that a common theme emerged during those conversations.
Many business owners reported tourism had been slower than normal this season, citing factors such as summer heat and higher fuel costs. They viewed the trail as an opportunity to attract new visitors to communities often bypassed by Arizona’s major highways.
Drawing on decades as a small business owner, Childress said he understands those challenges and believes outdoor recreation can become an important economic driver for rural Arizona. “I empathize with these business owners,” he said. “I get it.”
From mountains to deserts
The expedition also demonstrated the remarkable diversity of Eastern Arizona’s landscapes.
During the 11-day journey, the route climbed through blue spruce and fir forests topping 10,000 feet in elevation, crossed open grasslands and juniper country, followed winding forest roads beneath towering ponderosa pines and eventually descended into cactus-covered desert terrain near Tonto Basin.
One day, riders are surrounded by cool mountain air and alpine forests. Next, they’re traveling through blooming agave, towering saguaros and expansive desert vistas.
Along the way, Childress encountered bands of wild horses, photographed mountain wildflowers, explored hidden overlooks and discovered countless side roads that invite future adventures.
“The route is more than a trail unto itself,” Childress said. “It provides access to an incredible network of scenic roads, hidden overlooks, lakes, forests and backcountry destinations.”
Throughout the expedition, Childress shared daily photos, videos and stories on social media, giving thousands of viewers a virtual tour of Eastern Arizona. He said many followers have commented that they plan to use both his itinerary and the Segment Spotlight series to help plan their own trips.
The journey also reinforced another important message: responsible recreation.
Childress met with personnel from the Arizona Game and Fish Department, county sheriff’s offices and the U.S. Forest Service as he traveled the trail.
“A common theme emerged from those conversations: managed travel is far preferable to unmanaged travel,” Childress said. “Well-designed routes concentrate use, improve safety, reduce resource impacts, protect habitat and make recreation easier to monitor and manage.”
That lesson became especially real when Childress discovered two unattended campfires during Stage 1 fire restrictions. After reporting the fires, he said the experience highlighted the need for continued public education, agency training and responsible trail users willing to serve as additional eyes and ears on the landscape.
The journey continues
For Childress, the trail is about more than recreation.
The Rusty 1000 Ambassador Tour and the Segment Spotlight campaign share the same vision: promoting Eastern Arizona one trail segment and one community at a time.
“The trail connects remarkable landscapes, but it also connects the small towns, businesses, history and people that make this region such a unique place to explore,” Childress said.
As the odometer rolled to 1,000 miles and the expedition returned to Alpine, Childress said the journey had reinforced what he hoped others would discover for themselves.
“The journey doesn’t end on the Arizona Alpine Trail,” he said. “It begins there.”
Whether photographing beneath the ocean’s surface, capturing aerial images with unmanned aircraft or exploring remote backcountry by ATV, Childress said his goal is the same: helping people discover places they may never have experienced and inspiring them to appreciate the natural world.
That philosophy extends beyond the Arizona Alpine Trail. Through his photography, Childress hopes to encourage people not only to explore Arizona’s public lands, but to care for them. “People protect what they love,” he said.
To learn more about the Arizona Alpine Trail, including maps, updates and the Segment Spotlight series, visit the Arizona Alpine Trail on Facebook or at azalpinetrail.org.
To explore more of Rusty Childress’ photography and outdoor adventures, visit childress.com.
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What if one 700-mile-long trail could lead you from alpine forests to desert canyons, from roadside cafés to hidden overlooks, and from bands of wild horses to communities many travelers
