Other Places to Mountain Bike in Arizona

There are many trails in Arizona worth trying. The rating system is explained on the White Mountains page. Some of my favorites include:

Phoenix Area Rides

• Cave Creek Park, Cave Creek - a relatively fun place to bike. Until recently, the trails were unbelievably rocky. Now they are only incredibly rocky. There has been a lot of trail rebuilding, so get a map at the park entrance to be sure you have the latest and most accurate trail information. There are many trails leading from the park, especially to the North, but most cross private property and could be closed as building advances toward the park. Cave Creek Park is on the far North end of Phoenix near, strangely enough, Cave Creek. This is where I did a major face plant (it's cool! A helicopter is involved!).
• McDowell Mountain Park, Maricopa County and - At the park is a very good trail and an awesome "competitive track". This was the venue for the Cactus Cup (alas, it is no more). The park is a few miles north of Fountain Hills along the Verde River.
• Pima and Dynamite, Scottsdale - Actually, this is a series of motocross trails through the desert, but they are pretty good! There are over 100 miles of trail and a little something for every skill level. Until recently, this was "undiscovered country". Nowadays, good luck finding a place to park on Saturday or Sunday mornings! Oh, well. It's better to be popular than to be developed (a fate soon to befall this area). In fact, "State Trust Land - No Trespassing" signs have been recently placed at the trail heads. Technically, that means you need either 1) a permit that nobody seems to know how to get, or 2) a valid Arizona hunting license. Or, you can do as everyone else does - just ride it! Once you get to the Tonto National Forest, it is all public land. Now that I think of it, "State Trust Land" is public too!
  Here is a mini photo album of that area! To get there go to, well, Pima and Dynamite. Follow the power lines to the North (either set). You will find many options on the 1000' climb toward Bartlett Lake Road. As a general rule, the farther North and East you go, the more difficult the trails become. It's hard to get too lost because the power lines are visible for miles. There are OK maps of the area available at most bike shops. Keep in mind that the maps are NOT TO SCALE (not even close), but you'll get the idea.
  One good thing happened in 1999. A major section of the State Trust Land has been turned over to the McDowell Mountain Preserve. I don't know what the future holds, but "Preserve" sounds much better than "Golf Course"! Unfortunately, only some of the eastern sections of area are under protection of the preserve.
  Fall 2000 update: "Preserve" means NO Motor Vehicles, Horses, or, (gasp!) BICYCLES! Major areas have been closed off!
• Pinnacle Peak, Scottsdale - A moment of silence please. This great former home of the Cactus Cup is no longer. It used to be a major-fun single track through the rocks. Now it's, gasp, a golf course! Ah, the price of "progress". Ride Pima and Dynamite for all it's worth before it, too, is "improved"! No sense telling you how to get there because "there" no longer is.
• South Mountain Park, Phoenix - This is part of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve with excellent trails. There is more elevation gain (about 1000 feet), so the workout is better. The view is OK too, if you like looking down on a city (not my bag). Don't make the mistake I did and ride this in 100 degree+ temperatures! I'm used to riding in the heat, but we all ran out of water! We were glad a park ranger had some water so we could make it back to the vehicles before we shriveled (but it's a dry heat). You can't miss the mountain - it's the one will all the towers on it straight south of Phoenix. Just don't hang out at the towers if you still want kids!
  A good loop to do on a cool day is to climb the National Trail (the Mormon Loop is a little easier) to the top. Take the China Wall down, and I mean really down, to the Desert Classic trail. Total loop is about 13 miles. Make your way to the East end for the best trail access.
• South of Carefree Highway (AKA "Union Hills"), Phoenix - Somehow, this area made it into some trail guides. Use caution - the guides are very inaccurate! I've run into many lost riders. There are two sorta-marked loops, one about 13 miles and the other about 18 miles, that are 99% easy two-track. Except for a few short climbs and some rocky and/or sandy sections, it is smooth cruisin'. This area has many back roads and jeep trails that offer an afternoon of exploring in pristine (for the time being) Sonoran desert. To follow the "trail", watch for various colored ribbons tied to trees and cactus. The area is bounded by Carefree Highway (of Gordon Lightfoot fame) on the north, Interstate 17 on the west, Cave Buttes Dam on the south, and Cave Creek Road on the east enclosing over 100 square miles of open desert. The area around the dam is posted No Trespassing, so use judgment. If you are offered a "permit", keep in mind it does NOT cover the dam area. If Officer Friendly stops you, just play dumb - it works for me. As far as I know, no one has ever received a ticket for being around the dam. Playing on the foothills in the area adds a little excitement on an otherwise easy ride. Here's my put at keeping you on the right trail:
  1. The best access for the long loop is from the Circle-K on the corner of Cave Creek and Tatum roads. Just head out behind the store into the open desert and watch for the ribbons. The trail heads southwest, paralleling Cave Creek Road for a short distance before heading into the desert. A few miles in, the trail dumps out on Jomax Road. This is a blacktop road but is closed to public access. Follow the road to the west and, ultimately, Cave Creek Dam. Unless there has been unusually hard rains, the dam is dry. Pick your way to the far side and look for a road the parallels the foothills. Follow the trail toward the north. About a mile north of the dam there is an access road. The short loop joins up at this point. Just cross the road and head toward the northeast. Eventually, you will come to a fence line. This is where the short loop meets the trail again. Go through the fence (please keep gate closed) and follow the markers to Cave Creek wash. At this point, the trail heads up the cliff on the other side of the wash and follows the power line road to 40th street. Stay on the west (desert) side of the fence and head back south. After crossing a few dips, follow the fence line toward the east and back to Circle-K.
  2. Access to the short loop (my favorite) is best at 40th street and Lone Mountain Road. Just north of the intersection is a gate under the power lines. Follow the power line road (same as long loop) to Cave Creek Wash. Cross the wash and head to the south. About 2.5 miles down the trial, there is another fence line. Cross through (closing the gate behind you) and take your pick - straight west for clockwise along the long loop trail, or north along the fence line - your choice. Assuming counter-clockwise, follow the trail as it meanders through the desert, eventually heading toward the west. At a small flood-control dam, head south on the access road. At the second wash crossing (sandy depression in road) look for the long loop trail crossing the road. Head left (east) and follow the trail back.
• Trail 100, Phoenix - also known as the Charles M. Christiansen Memorial Trail and is part of the Phoenix Mountains Preserve. This is a pretty good trail for being in the middle of a city. It stretches for about 10 miles one way and you never have to worry about crossing a road - all crossings are through tunnels! The biggest problem is the foot and horse traffic. I see the day coming when there will be a showdown. Some hikers have deliberately put boulders in the middle of the path to slow down the bikers! Of course, there are plenty of jerks on two wheels that don't help matters any. There are several access points - North Mountain Park, Sqaw Peak City Park, 7th Street, Tatum, and more. Ask any of the local bike or running shops what would work best for you. My favorite out-and-back when I don't have much time is to go from the 7th Street trailhead to Dreamy Draw Park. Check out the maps of Squaw Peak (AKA Piestewa Peak) and North Mountain Park area.

• Usery Mountain Park - This park has a short-and-easy loop that is "made for bikes" but is really open to everyone (like nearly every other trail in the state). The Blevins trail is only about 4 miles around, but the scenery is quite nice. There is another loop, the Pass Mountain Trail, that is a killer - literally. One mountain biker lost his life after becoming lost in the summer heat. The county decided the trail was "not suited for bicycles" and closed the trail to bikes. There are, however, several sets of tire tracks leading onto the trail at any given time. Obviously, just walking the bikes! This park is about 15 miles North-East of Mesa on Usery Mountain Pass Road.
• White Tank Mountain Regional Park - Much like McDowell Mountain Park, there are many good (but very rugged) trails and another "competitive track"! The Sonoran Loop Bicycle Track is 5.9 miles of made-for-bikes trails, mostly easy, but with one "technical" loop. Wow! Two made-for-bikes-only trails in one county. What is Arizona coming to? Just head West on Olive (or "Dunlap" if you are East enough) about 15 miles west of Phoenix.

See Maricopa County Parks and Recreational Department for more trail opportunities.

Other Arizona Rides

• Bartlett Lake and Horseshoe Dam, Maricopa County - Two-track, rolling, and heavily rutted 4wd roads with great views best describe this ride. The basic loop is 7 miles, and the elevation is from about 3200' to 4100' which makes for a good climb. Best yet is the way back - fast downhill! But watch out for those ruts! Some are big enough to swallow you and your bike! The views include a panorama of Kentuck Mountain to the North (you are riding the foothills), the Mazatzal Mountains to the East beyond the Verde River Valley, the Superstition Mountains to the Southeast, and Four Peaks to the West (it will be obvious). The best place to start is at Bartlett Lake Road about a mile before the Horseshoe Dam Road turnoff. Look for trail 2070 to the North. There are many options in this area, so keep an eye on landmarks so you can find your way back.
  If you are in the mood for extreme hike-a-bike, keep heading North until you crest a small mountain (the only trail to the North). There is a single-track that is about 5 miles long and is very (I mean VERY) steep. The views are intense, so the hiking sections (about 75% of the trail!) are worth it. Head back up Horseshoe Dam road when (if?) you eventually make it back out. Here is a mini photo album of that ride!
• Bell Rock Scenic Pathway Trail, Sedona - Some cool views and trails, but way too many hikers! The main trial is definitely "urban trail", so it gets a high volume of tourists. The trail makes a good connector between the Submarine Rock trail and the Cathedral Rock trail (there's a theme here - lots of highly identifiable rocks!). Quite frankly, if you can't find this trail, you are not even close to Sedona! This trail is about as easy as it gets, so if you are with a less-experienced biker, you might consider this trial.
• Broken Arrow/Little Horse Trails (Submarine Rock & Chicken Point), Sedona - This 10-mile loop has slickrock, technical single track, fast single track, super views, and lots of very red earth! I rode this one once in the rain - big mistake!! The red stuff makes a pretty good dye! The trails are fun and the scenery is fantastic. On highway 179 just past mile post 312, look for the "Broken Arrow" sign (Morgan Road). There is parking just after the road turns to dirt. A short distance down the dirt road is a parking area. Across from the parking area starts some of the best single track anywhere. Don't forget the side trip to Submarine Rock (trail is marked) for a little taste of Moab. Without the side trip, the loop is closer to 7.5 miles. To the left of Chicken Point (where the pink jeeps can't go any further), head down the kick-butt single track (Little Horse Trail) to hook up with the Bell Rock trail. Decision time - left (south) to Bell Rock, right (north) to Mystic Hills. The trail passes the Little Horse trailhead and heads into a residential area, but the streets have been well-marked with trail signs. Head up to the Mystic Hills Trail (or Misty Chills trail - another ride, another sprinkle of rain) and enjoy the way-fast single track back to Morgan Road.
• Boulder Trail, Payson - 9.5+ miles starting from downtown Payson. This trail is a sweet, rolling, twisting, great-views, awesome, fun, single-track and road ride. What keeps it from getting a solid 3-bike rating is that the single-track part (which probably some of the best anywhere) is only 3.5 miles out of the 9.5 miles of trail. There are other ATC trails in the area that can make the trail a bit longer. The rest is mostly gravel road, and it is an uphill climb back from the end of the single-track. Creek crossings, switchback climbs, open views, and deep forest are all part of this trail. Stop in at Manzateta Cyclery for maps and descriptions of this and other trails in the Payson area.
• Cathedral Rock Trail, Sedona - This is a great 12 mile loop through spectacular scenery. There is even a chance to get wet at Buddha Beach along Oak Creek. The only thing keeping this from the coveted 3-bike rating is the 3.5 miles of blacktop necessary to make this a real loop. Stop in at Sedona Bike and Bean in Oak Creek Village for directions. It's right on the loop so you won't be going out of your way!
  For a good 6-mile shorter trip (and bump the rating to 3 bikes), from the Little Horse trailhead on down to the Little Horse trailhead. Follow the trail to Hwy 179 and, very carefully, cross over to Back 'O Beyond road. Follow this road down to the Cathedral Rock trailhead. After a short climb up the hill is a "T". Right is a short trip to Buddha Beach, left will bring you back to the Bell Rock trail. This time, the trail goes under 179 so you don't need to dodge cars. Take a left (north) at the "T" on Bell Rock trail and head on back to the Broken Arrow/Little Horse/Mystic Hills loop.
• Granite Basin Loops, Prescott - There are somewhere between 3 and 103 miles of trails in the area, depending on who you ask. But if you take any of the shorter loops in the Granite Basin Recreation Area, you can't go wrong! There are sections of buff downhill, twisting climbs and descents, and a little technical thrown in now an then for good measure. Many of the trails are really beginner-level, but the further you get away from the "core", the better the trails become. My favorite quick eight-mile loop is, from the Metate Trailhead take 261, 349, 351, 346, 346, 348, 352, and finally 345. Got it? Might be a good idea to get a map. This area costs $2 to park, but it's worth it. To get there, go northwest from downtown Prescott on Montezuma Street. This turns in to Iron Springs Road eventually (and a couple of other names if I'm not mistaken - just don't make any turns off of the main road). About 5 miles out of town you'll see the Granite Basin Recreation Area turnoff. Park at either the Cayuse Equestrian area or Metate Trailhead. Keep in mind that Granite Mountain (can't miss it) is a designated wilderness area and you know what isn't allowed in there!
• Highline Trail National Recreation Trail, Payson - 51 miles of twisting single track. Lots of good technical sections, some hike-a-bike (sometimes a lot), but mostly moderate going. This one has a bazilion side trails and entry points. We did the eastern-most 10 miles, dropping off of the Mogollon Rim (about 1600') just to make a loop of it. Just head to Payson, AZ, and ask where the best part of the trail is. My favorite is off of 260 Trailhead which is off of Highway 260 heading East toward Heber.
• Lake Pleasant to Crown King, Maricopa County - A road? You've got to be kidding! A ROAD! Yup. And a pretty good bike ride, too. This one's a decent once-a-year-is-enough hill climb from the desert (at Lake Pleasant) to the pines (at Crown King). The road is a 4-wheel drive paradise (a past life), is very steep in spots, and will give you a good work-out. It stretches over 16 miles one-way (depending on where you start), and has over 6000' of elevation gain. Just head toward the main park entrance (don't turn in and pay the entrance fee) and keep going North. A good Prescott National Forest map would help.
• Mt. Eldon, Flagstaff - This is a very popular trail - lots of bike traffic. However, it is a very nice place to ride. There is a lot of wooded single track, and some pretty decent downhill runs! (after the uphill climb, of course! Cheaters who ride their cars to the top are losers!). The elevation ranges from 7200' to 9200', so bring your lungs! There are many good trails on the mountain, so check around. Mt. Eldon is the little mountain in front of the big one North of Flagstaff, AZ.
  My personal favorite is Little Bear Trail. Taken off of the Sunset Trail, this sweet little gem is 3.5 miles of sweet singletrack. The trail is cut into the side of the mountain (way steep - the mountain, not the trail). There is an elevation loss of about 1000' so you can guess just how much fun this trail is!
• Robber's Roost, Sedona - Another mostly road ride, but the views make it all worth while! This is a 20+ mile trip through the Western edge of the good rides in Sedona. This one is rated "Easy as Pie" by Cosmic Ray. Here is a mini photo album of that ride!
• Seven Springs (Trail 4), Maricopa County - A challenging, desert foothills ride along a thickly-wooded stream best describes this trail. The best part is the swimming holes located along the stream. Get back far enough and you'll have them to yourself! This trail was featured in the August, 1998 BIKE magazine "8 Summer Swimming Hole Rides" as Trail #4. We like to refer to it as the Cave Creek Trail.
  To make a this trail more interesting and add about 1200' of elevation gain, take Trail 264 (Skunk Canyon Trail) up from Trail 4 toward Skunk Tank and come back on Trail 274 (Skull Mesa Trail). Or, if you prefer, take 274 to Skunk Tank and 264 back to Trail 4 (and the Cave Creek swimming holes). Trail 264 up is much steeper (all 1200' in about 1.5 miles). Trail 274 spreads the elevation over about 5 miles. The bonus is on Trail 264 where you skirt the hillside looking at Skunk Creek about 300' below you! Just head out on Trail 4 and watch for the signed junctions. Don't worry if the trail seems a little rough - it gets much worse.
  To get there, just head way North of Scottsdale. That's it. Keep going. A little further. I said WAY north. Past Carefree. Ask someone. If they don't know, try heading through Carefree on Cave Creek Road. Where's Carefree? An easy way to get there is to head north on I-17 and take Carefree Highway (of Gordon Lightfoot fame) east. Head north on Cave Creek Road (or continue east to Tom Darlington Road - AKA Scottsdale Road - and turn north to Cave Creek Road). At the Bartlett Lake Road turnoff, continue straight - the sign should say "Seven Springs Campground" or something similar (signs change). This road is also part of the Great Western Trail. After a few miles, the pavement ends. It can be rough, but people seem to make it to Seven Springs in their cars OK. Head past the campgrounds to get to the trailhead parking.
• Spruce Mountain Trail #307, Prescott - Great climb (a little over 1300') and great downhill (a little too short). Had a couple of good crashes on the downhill. This 9-mile loop is great - expect for the usage. Need to remember IMBA's Rules of the Trail on this one! We started at 8:00 am and there was only one other car in the lot. By the time we got back, the lot was full! Many, many horse trailers. This is straight south of Prescott on the old Senator Highway. Use the Prescott National Forest map you bought for the Lake Pleasant to Crown Kink ride.

Other Rides Anywhere

• Amasa Back, Moab, UT Darn near a "three biker", but it's all 4wd roads. There's at least one good pucker point on the climb - a good trailside view of Jackson Hole. There are many good side viewpoints. This one is southwest of Moab about 5 miles out of town, so you can hit this one right from the big city itself. Here's a photo along the trail.
• Bartlett Wash Slickrock, Moab, UT No where in particular to go, but tons of bowls, dips, steps, jumps, and other great slickrock formations! It'll take a while to get to this one - it's a bit off of the beaten path. But it's worth it. Ask for directions from one of the bike shops in Moab. Better yet, get a good topo map and find it yourself. The written directions we had weren't even close, but the topo map was right on.
• Boeing, Everett, WASome real cool, illegal single track tucked in between Puget Sound and Boeing's massive Everett facility. It's surprising how nice the trails are and how many mountain bikers use them. There are several descriptions of this trail on the internet, but by all means, do not park at the Boeing Recreation Center unless you are a Boeing employee or affiliate. I've heard of bike confiscation - don't know if it's true. Don't care to find out.
• Brighton State Recreation Area, MI Fun but short, fairly easy single track in southeast Michigan. The loop is only about seven miles, so it's OK for a quick ride. Nothing too technical, just some twisty trail through the woods.
• Chequamegon National Forest, WI Fun, fast, rolling, northwoods - all describe this trail system in the Chequamegon (She-quam-a-gone or Sha-wam-agon or She-wanna-be-gone, depending on who you ask) National Forest in northern Wisconsin. Perhaps you've heard of the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival? There are six "clusters" totaling over three hundred miles of marked trails! Some single-track, mostly two-track, even a little pavement, but always fun.
  The best clusters are the Namakagon, which has the Rock Lake trail, and the Cable, which is easily accessed from downtown Cable, WI. Rock Lake has a good share of single track, and the trails from Cable access the telemark ski trails with limited single track.
• Clinton Lake, KS This trail was fun. For about five miles. Then it got old. Spiders. Hundreds of them. Webs crossing the trail every few feet. Spiders on the bike. Spiders on the cloths. Spiders inside the helmet. I'm not an arachnophobic, but I really didn't pay much attention to the trail! This is where I finally learned to do a decent wheelie. I had to - it was the only way to knock down the webs!
• Hermosa Creek, CO When asking the locals for the best trail in the Durango area, there was a lot of "Gee, that's a tough one. There are so many". When mentioning the Hermosa Creek trail, the universal reaction was "that's a classic!". I agree. This is a great introduction to Colorado mountain biking. From the top of Purgatory Ski Area to Hermosa, CO, is 30 miles of just about everything. Fast fire road descents, wide creek-side single track, narrow hard-pack single track, curvy blacktop (to cool down on), moderate climbs. Yes, just about everything you could want in a single stretch of trail, and the bonus is it's mostly down! This one requires a car shuttle (or paying one of the locals), so it does require a little pre-planning.
• Lewis River Trail, Mount St. Helens, WA I saw this trail in a "best of" article a few years back and have been thinking of it ever since. I was not disappointed. This is 80% buff easy single track through old-growth forest. Really nice. The other 20% isn't too bad - some steepish ups and downs. It's about 10 to 11 miles one-way, but it's well worth the out-and-back. It's right next to Mount St. Helens, so there's a nice side trip when the riding is done.
• Minnesota River Park, Minneapolis, MN Actually, this one was fun! The trail follows the Minnesota River on the south side of Minneapolis and joins with the Mississippi. The woods are thick, and the mosquitoes aren't too bad (unless you stop!). Winding single-track with moderate climbs up the river banks and many plank bridges made this a good afternoon trip. We did 16 miles and barely made a dent in the trail system! Too bad there are only four months recognized in Minnesota: June, July, August, and Winter.

• Moab Rim Downhill, Moab, UT 1000' of slickrock downhill in under 1.5 miles. Sick. Not so much for the trail - there's plenty of traction. It's just that if you miss a turn, much like most Moab trails, you can find yourself taking a quick trip to the valley floor - through the air! I like to go fast downhill, but I don't see myself racing this anytime soon.
• Porcupine Mountains, MI This place has a lot of potential, but for now it's just that - potential. Most of the mountains are a state wilderness area, but the ski hill is open to bikes. There isn't much in the way of trails, just pick your way. It's better than nothing, but not much.
• Porcupine Rim, Moab, UT What's not to like about 3000' of descent over 10 miles of awesome Moab trails? After a 900', 3-mile climb of easy 4wd roads, you are treated so some of the best views, great high-speed double- and single-track, and sphincter-tightening cliff-side trails. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Here's a photo from the top.
• Potowanami Trail, Pinckney, MI This trail showed up in USA Today as the best trail in the Midwest. I'm not sure it's up to the coveted "three-biker" rating, but it's still a pretty good trail. Short, somewhat steep climbs help keep it technical. Deep sandy sections keep it interesting. 17.5 miles of buff single track through thick forest keep it on the list of trails to do again someday!
• Slickrock Trail, Moab, UT Com'on now! Do I really need to describe this one? Slickrock has got to be the all-time "classic" ride. Just make sure you don't run out of water if you attempt this one in the summer (yes, I speak from experience - twice!). Here's a photo from along the trail.
• Tiger Mountain, WAThis was a early-season trip into the hills outside of Seattle, WA. What a trip! Great muddy single-track, typical Washington forests, and hardly anyone else on the trail. Here is a mini photo album of that ride!
• VTT Park, Aragon, France This one isn't anywhere close to Arizona. It sure was a fun trail, though. France has a system of mountain bike (VTT) trails that are very well marked and maintained. I had the opportunity to try the one at Aragon, in Southern France. The trails consists of a series of single-track trails and roads that wind up over 650 meters (that's over 2000 feet for us English-system users), through alpine forest and Medieval countryside towns. The loop was about 50 kilometers (30 miles), but I added several more checking out the villages, ancient ruins, and other sights. Great fun! Here is a mini photo album of that ride!
• Windsor Trail, Santa Fe, NM Just north of Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a popular mountain biking area. The Windsor trail was my favorite. There is a good hill climb, followed by a great downhill run. Good woods. Good single track. Good fun. Good grief! Too many weenie looser car shuttle downhill racer wanabees! Oh well, I ride the lift to the top of the hills at Sunrise Ski Resort, so I guess I shouldn't complain.

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