My husband and I recently had the opportunity to spend a couple days mountain biking near Phoenix. What a hoot! We had no idea there was such an extensive trail system in the area. Since it was January the weather was pretty much perfect, not too hot not too cold. This post is designed to give you a brief glimpse of the trails we rode, where we stayed, where we ate, and general travel info.
Below is a list of the trails we rode in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, a beautiful area north of Scottsdale. We entered the trail system at the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead where we immediately encountered a docent who also happened to be a fellow mountain biker. Fortuitous for us, since she was able to help us decide which route to take and was a wealth of info about the trail system.
Mountain Biking the McDowell Sonoran Preserve – Brown’s Ranch Trailhead
Chuck Wagon
Balanced Rock
Cholla Mountain Loop
Branding Iron Trail
The Divide Trail
South Diablo Trail
Stagecoach
Hawk Nest
Brown’s Ranch Road
On the advice of our friendly trail guide we started out on Chuck Wagon a very easy, hard packed and smooth trail through stately old saguaro cactus and jumping cholla. Easy turns, good for a beginner to learn out-of-the-saddle lean-the-bike turns. All of the trails we rode were excellent beginner learning trails, with the exception of South Diablo Trail. This one is definitely an intermediate level with a few rock obstacles to get over or through. Tight squeezes through rocks, uphill, around corners. Took a few wrong turns onto some black diamond (most difficult) routes so be sure to watch the signs. The trails we rode in this system are all well marked, we just neglected to pay close enough attention. Lesson learned. We rode the above mentioned trails as a succession of trails to loop around the preserve.
Fun Cruising Trails
We ran into a fellow mountain biker who had shredded his sidewall, so be aware of the deceptively sharp, tire munching rocks. For the most part these trails were fun cruising trails with not much technical skill needed, but the desert scenery makes the riding spectacular. One of the things we love most about mountain biking is that it gets us out to areas where we wouldn’t normally go. We can cover a lot more ground, get farther out and really get the blood pumping. In my opinion it’s the funnest cardio workout you can find. There are a lot of hikers on these trails (it’s a well used trail system in the Phoenix area) however, the farther out we rode, the fewer hikers we encountered.
We ran out of time and found ourselves scurrying back to the parking lot because the preserve and the gate close at sunset, and according to the sign you may not be able to exit without making a phone call to have the gate opened. Don’t know how much that actually happens since there were plenty of cars in the parking lot at dusk. There are bathrooms and a small covered amphitheater for viewing the area which provides some relief from the sun on a hot day.
Trailhead Access
Brown’s Ranch Trailhead
30301 Alma School Rd,
Scottsdale, AZ 85262
Mountain Biking the Hawes Trail Network
Fence Line Trail
Hawes Trail
Ridge Trail
SaddleTrail
Connector
Saguaro Trail
Granite Trail
Hawes Pig Trail
The next day we road the Hawes Trail Network on the recommendation of our local bike shop owner. One of his all time favorite trail systems and it didn’t take long to see why. The trails we rode were mostly blue squares, nothing too technical, with the exception of Saddle Trail and Suguaro Trail shown below. Both rated blue square/black diamond by mtbproject.com
Saguaro was a stretch for me. Skinny trail in places with some challenging turns made even more so by the steep drop off and decidedly unfriendly terrain. Miss the turn and yikes! Hubby loved it though. He’s dreaming about going back and bombing it! All I remember about Saddle Trail was climb, climb, climb. Good workout. Good thing I consider my mountain bike my gym membership.
Ridge Trail Video
Blue square trails fit my current skill level. Enough challenge to make it fun but not so much that I’m stressed about getting up or down the trail. Ridge Trail was my favorite – a fun, flowing, non-technical trail. I mean, cruising through the desert past stately saguaro cactus, stumpy barrel cactus and jumping cholla on a beautiful January day. Doesn’t get much better than that! Little bit of a climb involved but well worth it for the downhill cruise. Granite Trail and Hawes Pig Trail came in second and third for me. Again, the trails we rode we rode as a loop.
We parked behind the Walgreens on N Power and E Thomas and caught the Fence Line trail just east of the canal and just before the Las Sendas development sign. Obviously a popular mountain biking trail system in the Phoenix area. We encountered several mountain bikers in the parking lot and out on the trails but nothing that made it feel crowded by any means. No hikers on the trails this particular week day.
Mountain Biking 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo
Last stop on our trip was the 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo course, which is located on Willow Springs Ranch north of Tucson. Out in the middle of nowhere. Since my husband was participating in the 24 hour race and I had not ridden the course yet, we decided to stop on our way home and test it out. An excellent trail with spectacular vistas accompanied by wide open space. The trail is not overly technical, but not a total beginner trail either. It’s 16 miles through the Sonoran desert with roughly 1200 feet of elevation gain. I would bypass the bitches if you’re just out to ride the trail. One minute you’re rolling through cholla and prickly pear, the next you’re meandering through shady trees and curious cows.
Where we stayed
The Best Western Thunderbird in Scottsdale was home base for this trip. Best Western Hotels seem to range from very nice to less than stellar. However, the Thunderbird in Scottsdale was more than adequate. Clean rooms, comfortable beds, friendly and helpful staff, pool, and hot tub and a better than average free breakfast. All in all, it’s a very well run hotel with a comfortable vibe. The Thunderbird is very conveniently located to some of Scottsdale’s best shopping and dining and is across the street from the Scottsdale Airport. The noise from the airport was moderate, not at all annoying since it accommodates small jets and prop planes only. We made good use of the hot tub every evening. Great way to end a day on the trails: Fuel up on a great breakfast, out on the trails for mountain biking, hot tub, dinner and a beer: repeat.
Dining
Volanti, located at the Scottsdale airport, is an upscale restaurant and event space with farm to table focus and a modern comfortable ambiance. Sit out on the deck and watch the private jets take off and land. Craft beers, wine and full bar. Breakfast, lunch and dinner and brunch on the weekends. We really enjoyed Volanti. Food was good, the servers were friendly, an all around nice atmosphere.
Sol Mexican Cocina at Scottsdale Quarter came highly recommended but it was packed and very noisy with a 35 minute wait on a Wednesday evening at 7:00. Scottsdale seems to have a vibrant social life!
The Rooster Tavern North Scottsdale – A neighborhood bar with a varied menu, casual atmosphere, beer on tap and a full bar. Try their wings with the honey hot sauce and the Hatch Green Chili Hash. Both excellent choices.
