#WHERE TO MTB RIDE IN PHOENIS SERIES#

Next is the Dreamy Draw/Trail 100/Camel Back/Phoenix Mountain Preserve area (locals will use any of those 4 names to describe the area). South Mountain also has great views in all directions and cool cacti everywhere. This mountain would be mobbed if it was in Denver or Salt Lake City. Despite being in the city of Phoenix, South Mountain is never that crowded as Phoenix does not seem to be the most outdoorsy city.

They claim 51 miles of trails, but I bet there are double that if you include the super challenging ones like Old Man Trail. South Mountain is my favorite place to ride in Phoenix as it has some of the rockiest, most challenging trails in the country that always keep me on my toes. It has great trails for advanced beginners to pros. On the way back from the Sonoran Preserve, coast into Culinary Dropout at The Yard, a former motorcycle garage, for cocktails and appetizers.We will start with South Mountain: At over 16,000 acres (for comparison Vail Resort is the largest single mountain ski resort in the US at 5,289 acres) and over a thousand vertical feet. GertrudeвЂ™s serves up seasonal dishes at its indoor/outdoor setting in the midst of Papago ParkвЂ™s Desert Botanical Garden, while The Farm at South Mountain offers breakfast and lunch options in the shade of an old pecan grove. Naturally, youвЂ™ll want to stop for sustenance along the way. Pedal to numerous viewpoints with breathtaking city vistas. During the parkвЂ™s monthly Silent Sundays, the rule on the paved roads is bikes only, no cars allowed. To the south, South Mountain Park-with its more than 16,000 acres of desert and mountainous terrain-is ideal for cycling. To the north of Greater Phoenix, the Sonoran PreserveвЂ™s Skip Rimsza Paseo is a five-mile, paved multi-use path that winds past the gentle hills of the cityвЂ™s newest desert preserve. REI Co-Op ExperiencesВ and Cactus AdventuresДЇor adventurous riders who donвЂ™t mind biking 10 or 20 (or more!) miles at a time, bike lanes and bikeable routes lead outward from downtown Phoenix to different parts of town-and even into different cities.ДЇrom downtown, ride east to Papago Park to admire sandstone buttes and visit the Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Zoo. The outfitters mentioned below offer rentals, guided tours and transportation to and from area hotels. For those who want to hone their skills, the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department has specially constructed competitive tracks (as well as general mountain biking trails) at Estrella Mountain, McDowell Mountain and White Tank Mountain regional parks.ДonвЂ™t own a mountain bike? No problem. Or try more challenging rides, such as the 4.8-mile Perl Charles Memorial Trail, which loops the backside of landmark Piestewa Peak.ДЄt South Mountain Park, the National Trail follows 14.5 miles of the mountainвЂ™s ridgeline, offering great views of downtown Phoenix.

#WHERE TO MTB RIDE IN PHOENIS SERIES#

Christiansen Memorial Trail, which uses a series of tunnels to cross under a freeway and busy streets. In northeast Phoenix, parts of Phoenix Mountains Preserve offer lengthy, easy treks, such as the 10.7-mile Charles M. As you careen around switchbacks, keep your eyes peeled for saguaro and prickly pear cactuses, spring wildflowers and desert critters such as roadrunners, coyotes and javelinas. Between its parks and preserves, the metro area boasts hundreds of miles of mountain-bike-friendly trails that put you in the midst of the Sonoran Desert, often just minutes from urban centers. Pack the trail mix, because Greater Phoenix is heaven for mountain biking. Greater Phoenix properties such as The Clarendon Hotel and Spa, Kimpton's Hotel Palomar Phoenix, JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort and Spa, Bespoke Inn and The Saguaro all offer guests complimentary loans of bicycles. Or wind your way along the banks of the Salt River ProjectвЂ™s web of irrigation canals, where more than 100 miles of paved and packed-dirt paths crisscross Greater Phoenix, passing neighborhoods, urban parks and shopping and entertainment districts.ДЇor those who like a reward at the end of a morning ride, try the beer brunch at O.H.S.O Eatery + NanobreweryвЂ™s Arcadia locale, where bike racks, locks and tools for simple repairs attract riders from the nearby canal path.Д«efore you rent a cruiser, check with your hotel to see if it has a bike program. So theyвЂ™re perfect for exploring downtown PhoenixвЂ™s bike-friendly historic neighborhoods, such as the Willo or Encanto-Palmcroft districts, where youвЂ™ll find lovingly restored homes-in architectural styles ranging from Mission Revival to Classic Bungalow-dating to the 1920s. Cruisers are made more for fun than fitness.

Where to mtb ride in phoenis