HIKE OF THE MONTH

HIKE of the month MARSHALL LAKE TO FISHER POINT Named for the man who incorporated the first bank in Flagstaff, Marshall Lake is more marsh than lake. Nevertheless, it kicks off one of the easiest and most accessible sections of the Arizona Trail. BY ROBERT STIEVE / PHOTOGRAPHS BY TOM BEAN

One thousand, nine hundred and thirteen. That's how many miles separate Flagstaff, Arizona, and Washington, D.C. With that kind of distance, and all of the other priorities of the resident, few people would have expected Barack Obama to make time for the Arizona Trail. Nevertheless, on March 30, 2009, he signed HR 146, which, among other things, added the 800-mile trail to the exclusive list of National Scenic Trails.

Beyond the prestige, the designation is significant because it provides a new level of protection for the trail. That said,the prestige is nice, too. Prior to the president's signature, there were only eight National Scenic Trails in the country. Now, the Arizona Trail is among an elite group that includes the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, the North Country Trail, the Ice Age Trail, the Potomac Heritage Trail, the Natchez Trace Trail, the Florida Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, the New England Trail and the Pacific Northwest Trail.

One of the easiest and most accessible sections of the AZT, which runs north and south from Utah to Mexico, is the route from Marshall Lake to Fisher Point, just south of Flagstaff - officially, it's part of Passage 31. Named for the gentleman who incorporated the first bank in Flagstaff, Marshall Lake is more marsh than lake. Still, it's a vital wetland that provides habitat for an array of birds, including ospreys and bald eagles. In fact, it's so important that it's managed