Posts Categorized: Health

Biking along the river

The Many Benefits of Trails

Trails have tremendous benefits for local communities. Not only do they connect towns with their rivers, streams and surrounding lands, but they also enhance the local quality of life through positive impacts to health, economy and environment. Earlier this year, Headwaters Economics released the Trails Benefits Library, a comprehensive database of studies on the positive impacts of trails, especially in small or medium-sized towns and rural areas. Read more…

VRRO - Mens Single Kayak Division Lining Up

Race Day! The 2015 Verde River Runoff

Today’s post is a guest blog by Susan Culp, our Verde River Coordinator.


In the spring, Verde Valley residents and visitors look forward with anticipation to the end of March: the official start of the paddling season on the Verde River, and the annual Verde River Runoff Kayak and Canoe Race. The 2015 Verde River Runoff was held on March 28th, a bright warm day, when paddlers from all over the state and abroad (including a canoeist hailing from Kenya) come to the Town of Camp Verde to participate in the race. Read more…

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A Place for the Birds

Today’s post is a guest blog by Doug Von Gausig, Executive Director of the Verde River Institute.


The Verde River flows through central Arizona for 192 miles, and along the way, it attracts, feeds, provides breeding habitat, and concentrates more than 200 species of migratory and resident birds. The river first erupts at 4,400 feet elevation and, at its endpoint with the confluence with the Salt River near Scottsdale, Arizona, it has descended to nearly 1400 feet of elevation. It is this altitudinal range and the fact that this beautiful river runs through a wide mix of habitat types that attracts so many birds. Read more…