The Arizona Trail: An 850-mile Mountain Bike Exploration of Climate Change

Along the 850-mile Arizona Trail, which spans the length of the state from Utah to Mexico, diverse ecosystems showcase how climate change is actively altering life as we know it across the Southwest. During fall 2025, The Arizona Republic newspaper’s climate reporter, who earned a Ph.D. in ecology before becoming an award-winning journalist, spent seven weeks traveling the full trail on her mountain bike to witness these threats, document their impacts, and consult with experts on solutions. Rich with photos and video from the journey as well as scientific expertise and cultural context, this presentation takes audiences through the state’s biggest environmental challenges and opportunities, mile by mile. From the northern forests torched by a massive fire that closed parts of Grand Canyon National Park in 2025, to the longstanding drought causing conflict with tribes on the slopes of the San Francisco peaks, to the energy solutions underway in the Superstition Mountains, to the humanitarian urgency for answers illuminated at the border with Mexico – Joan Meiners’ trail journey is a scenic and dynamic window into some of Arizona’s most pressing problems, told from the frontlines of journalistic exploration through literal living landscapes.

Joan Meiners is the climate reporter for The Arizona Republic, the state’s largest newspaper. In this role, she has won awards for her investigations into electricity generation, her deep-dive series on the intersection of extreme heat and housing shortages in the state, and her commentary on how Arizonans think and approach the existential challenges of climate change. She has previously written and received recognition for her environmental work in outlets like Discover Magazine, National Geographic and the Washington Post Magazine. Before being lured into the colorful and dynamic world of journalism, she completed a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Ecology and published research papers on the biodiversity of native bees. She spends most of her free time trail running, backpacking, or mountain biking through as many diverse landscapes and regions as she can.