So, we're going down to the Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert area for Christmas to visit relatives. I know I'll be going crazy if I don't get any exercise. Any of you desert hunnies down there recommend any riding areas relatively accessible? We'd have to rent bikes...
Phoenix riding?
- Thread starter redFoxx
- Start date
We were just there for Thanksgiving visiting friends. We rode at Trail 100 and Sedona. There is so much great riding there. Might I suggest that you visit the forum on MTBR. The locals will gladly give you some suggestions and you might even be able to hook up with them for some riding.
Nancy
http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=66
Trail 100
Sedona:
Nancy
http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=66
Trail 100
Sedona:
Thanks Nancy, I'll do that! When you say you rode Sedona, you don't mean the area of Sedona, do you? I thought that was a bit of a drive from Phoenix although I would love to go there, not sure if we have the time. We need to be able to do something non epic so we can get back and do family time when they get home from work.
Incidentally your pics didn't show up. Maybe you were still working on them...
The town of Sedona. It's less than 2 hours from the Phoenix area and way too much fun to pass up. I can view the photos, I wonder why you can't?
It's a good day trip. It could be quite cool in Dec at 4000 ft so watch the weather reports.
http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/sedona
There's lots of good riding down in Phoenix too.
http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/phoenix_riding
These were taken in Feb 2003
Nice pics. Which trail is this?
Trail 100 and 1A near Dreamy Draw/Squaw Peak (now known as Piestewa Peak after KIA soldier Lori Piestewa). Trail 1A is mainly a horse/hiking trail and is very technical for riding. I rode something like T100 to T8 to T1A in that photo series.
http://phoenix.gov/PARKS/hikphgud.html
I should also note that it was unusually wet that year and very green. It may be quite different this year.
Mike
Maricopa country parks have riding. Mcdowell is good with comp loops and pemberton, and mine trail. Usery pass is so so.
South Mountain (a city of phoenix park) has good riding, mormon/national and jeronimo for free-ridish, desert classic for xc'ish.
Haws is near usery pass, and is excellent.(mtbr has a write up).
South Mountain (a city of phoenix park) has good riding, mormon/national and jeronimo for free-ridish, desert classic for xc'ish.
Haws is near usery pass, and is excellent.(mtbr has a write up).
Here's a gallery of McDowell comp loops.. http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/sonoran_desert
And South Mountain...
http://www.pbase.com/mrdart/phoenix_south_mountain
If your going to be in The Mesa - Gilbert area the closet place to ride is South mt. For xc stay on Dessert classic which runs along the base of the mt . It is 9 miles each way so you can turn around any time. Hawes In east mesa would be the next best.
Check out Catus Bikes for rental bike and good trail info they are next to South mt.
http://www.cactusbike.com/store/control/main
Check out Catus Bikes for rental bike and good trail info they are next to South mt.
http://www.cactusbike.com/store/control/main
Cactus Bike turned out to be a great suggestion. Once we got to Gilbert, we worked on getting the lay of the land and where things were. Cactus was positioned right at the foothill of the South Mountain trails. Fish had two Jamis Dakar FS bikes for us and we took off on the Desert Classic and up the Loma Peak trail a bit. DC was fun and fast despite the fact I was getting sick and had to stop early.
When we got back Fish invited us over to a party at his house later that week where he had a pump track. Well we declined his generous offer but were impressed by his friendliness as everyone seemed to be out there when they saw us looking at our map.
What Ray didn't take any pics?
Thanks for the pictures and the little write up. After last weekends weather I'm pricing flights down south to get away with the bike
Was it worth renting bikes there?Yeah, nice dry desert was definitely a welcome respite even though there wasn't anything going on too technical. The weather was perfect, in the 60's!
I am so tired of our weather here, so much rain and so many trees falling down.
Yes and no. No, only because I got sick and couldn't ride much more than a couple hours plus, but yes for many reasons. We paid $60 each for Jamis Dakar XLT bikes that were very fun to ride. When we picked them up at 11am, Fish the owner said we could have them out as long as we liked even though the rental was for 4 hours - he said he closed at 7:00 so as long as brought them back by then. We only did the desert classic, an easy XC trail but there were all kinds of trails there that are advanced. So if things went well we could have stayed out all day, had a picnic, whatever, just to enjoy the nice weather. It was super-convenient to ride from the bike shop into the trail area of South Mountain.
I have to add, though, that going down there and riding makes me really appreciate our trails and how technical they are. Down there, they are riding on mostly smooth trails and there's not alot of topography change. The weather is nice in the winter and it is fun for going fast but still we have so much here to be thankful for.
Cool thanks! I'm not sure if it would be worth renting vs. shipping our bikes down. Ya, the trails don't look as techy down there, but I just want to get out and ride in the sun! I'm tired of the rain and wind.
You might be able to negotiate a better price if you ride for multiple days. Those folks are mighty friendly down there.
If we go again and bike other areas like Sedona, we'll bring our own bikes though. I think March would be a great time to go to get in on the desert flowering!
Post back if you do go down.
If we go again and bike other areas like Sedona, we'll bring our own bikes though. I think March would be a great time to go to get in on the desert flowering!
Post back if you do go down.
Amy,
Not sure if you remember me (Greg), but I come up there pretty often and ride with you all. I think the last ride I did with you was Ranger Creek and Skookum flats with Joy, Skookum, Rick, and some others. I live here at the base of South Mountain and will gladly show you and whoever around all the trails here. I'll be in Fife tomorrow through Sunday. Planning on riding with Knobularlife Friday and Saturday. Might see you on the trails.
Not sure if you remember me (Greg), but I come up there pretty often and ride with you all. I think the last ride I did with you was Ranger Creek and Skookum flats with Joy, Skookum, Rick, and some others. I live here at the base of South Mountain and will gladly show you and whoever around all the trails here. I'll be in Fife tomorrow through Sunday. Planning on riding with Knobularlife Friday and Saturday. Might see you on the trails.
Yes, I remember you.....ahahahah! Anyway, we are hoping to get down to AZ this spring for some sun and riding, or maybe Moab. If not then we'll be down for sure the first two weeks of Novemeber '07 for the NASCAR (insert redneck jokes here) race and the bikes are coming with.
Where are you guys riding?
Snacks--My fiance and I will be in Moab from April 26-30th. We're also trying to determine whether we shoud rent or ship our own bikes. We got our airline tickets the other day for about $170 RT. That would be fun if you guys were down around the same time, we could go for a ride together!
Rick always likes Banner and I like Lake Sawyer...so probably those two. But that's not set in stone.
"I have to add, though, that going down there and riding makes me really appreciate our trails and how technical they are. Down there, they are riding on mostly smooth trails and there's not alot of topography change. The weather is nice in the winter and it is fun for going fast but still we have so much here to be thankful for"
You didn't get a chance to ride on National (a very tech trail at sm) or some of the other trails in the area . Most of the trails at SM are very clean because of high use from hikers and Horses. If you get the chance to come back let me know And I can hook you up with some more tech trails in the area.
Later
You didn't get a chance to ride on National (a very tech trail at sm) or some of the other trails in the area . Most of the trails at SM are very clean because of high use from hikers and Horses. If you get the chance to come back let me know And I can hook you up with some more tech trails in the area.
Later