11 Best Phoenix Mountain Bike Trails for Every Rider
Discover the best Phoenix mountain bike trails to ride around the city from beginner-friendly cross-country singletrack to expert-only routes.
I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the singletrack scene around Phoenix. I’ve ridden at almost every trail network (there are a lot!) and I’ve scouted the best Phoenix mountain bike trails whose names you hear again and again amongst the mtb community.
I know that everyone has differing opinions when it comes to what makes mountain biking fun, but I think most riders will agree that the trails I’ve included in this roundup all have something special.
So whether you’re an XC enthusiast or you like to get your adrenaline pumping on some rowdy downhill tracks, you’ll find a must-ride trail or two for your next visit to Phoenix.
Planning a mountain biking trip to the Southwest? Be sure to read through my Phoenix Mountain Biking Guide for more tips and route recommendations.
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Map of the best Phoenix mountain bike trails
Best Beginner Trails
1. Pemberton Trail
- Location: McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- Best direction to ride it: Either direction
- e-bike allowed? Yes, up to Class 1
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project
- Route recommendation: The full Pemberton Loop or McDowell Gooseneck Loop
Why it’s awesome:
- Almost 16 miles of smooth, buff singletrack
- Great views
Need to know:
- Trail is two-way
- Watch out for other trail users – it gets busy
- There is no water along the trail
The Pemberton Loop in McDowell Mountain Regional Park is one of the most classic rides in Phoenix. It’s a 15.7-mile loop on smooth, buff desert singletrack with virtually no technical features or obstacles.
It’s a great option for cross-country enthusiasts or new riders looking to lay down the miles.
Personally, this is not my type of trail, but I’ve included it because it is a classic ride and I do realize that there are some XC lovers out there 🙂
A few things to note: be prepared with water, sun protection, and snacks if you do the whole route. There is water at the main parking area, but no water along the loop.
2. Hawknest Trail
- Location: Brown’s Ranch
- Best direction to ride it: Both directions, but north to south is more fun 🙂
- e-bike allowed? No
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project
- Route recommendation: Latigo & Hawksnest Loop
Why it’s awesome:
- Quintessential desert riding
- Fast, flowy descent
- Beautiful terrain
Need to know:
- Trail is two-way so watch your speed
- There are some blind corners
Hawksnest Trail is a really great beginner mountain bike trail in Phoenix that passes through amazing terrain in Brown’s Ranch with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and desert landscape.
It’s not a technical trail, but it rolls well which keeps things engaging and interesting even for an advanced rider.
You could ride Hawknest as an out-and-back or there are myriad ways to turn it into a loop. Hit this trail a few days after a rain and it’ll be stunning!
3. Granite Mountain Loop
- Location: Brown’s Ranch
- Best direction to ride it: Clockwise
- e-bike allowed? No
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project
- Route recommendation: Introduction to Brown’s Ranch
Why it’s awesome:
- Stunning desert views & terrain
- Fun boulder fields to navigate
- Did I mention it’s gorgeous? Especially if you visit during a desert bloom
Need to know:
- Watch out for hikers
The Granite Mountain Loop at Brown’s Ranch is one of my favorite trails for its stunning views, beautiful desert vegetation, and quintessential desert singletrack.
This trail is also surrounded by other great trails, so it’s easy to put together an awesome ride (see route recommendation above).
Granite Mountain is rated a blue on TrailForks, but it’s really a green and suitable for kids and new riders.
New to mountain biking? Check out my detailed guide on How to Start Mountain Biking to learn everything you need to know about getting started.
Best Intermediate Trails
4. El Diablo North & El Diablo South
- Location: Brown’s Ranch
- Best direction to ride it:
- South to North = descend most of the features
- North to South = climb most of the features
- e-bike allowed? No
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project
- Route recommendation: Best of Brown’s Ranch
Why it’s awesome:
- Lots of cool rock features to practice slow-speed moves
- Nice to have a tech section amid the sea of XC terrain in northern Browns
Need to know:
- Almost all the techy parts have go-arounds
- Can be ridden in both directions. South to north is slightly easier
El Diablo North and El Diablo South are arguably the ‘highlight’ tech trails in the Brown’s Ranch network north of Phoenix.
They are cleverly routed to incorporate cool rock features, rollers, and flow. Kudos to the trail builders!
It’s also nice to have these trails in the middle of the sea of cross-country terrain that makes up most of Brown’s Ranch.
El Diablo North and South are rated black on TrailForks, but if you’re an adventurous intermediate I’d say go for it! There might be a few features that you need to walk, but there is nothing extremely high stakes and there are go-arounds for most features.
The Diablo trails can be ridden in either direction but they’re very different depending on which direction you choose. Riding North to South means climbing more of the punchy features while South to North means descending them.
New to desert riding? Head over to my post on How to Survive Your First Mountain Bike Trip to the Desert for tips on how to prepare.
5. Mine
- Location: Hawes
- Best direction to ride it: Downhill (east to west)
- e-bike allowed? No, but… yes
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project (Mine is the last third of what MTB Project calls Saguaro)
- Route recommendation: Hawes Classic
Why it’s awesome:
- Beautiful views
- Good mix of tech and flow
Need to know:
- There are some tight switchbacks
- Watch out for hikers
Mine was an awesome and unexpected find in the Hawes network (which overall is awesome).
The trail starts off with a bit of a climb up and around a rocky crag (that used to be a mine) and then it opens up into amazing views and a steep DH switchbacked descent down to the Salt River.
Watch your speed, though, because it’s a popular hiking trail and there are some tricky turns that come up fast!
This trail may test the skills of intermediate riders, but it’s more ‘blue’ than ‘black’.
6. K-Trail
- Location: Gold Canyon
- Best direction to ride it: Downhill (north to south)
- e-bike allowed? No, but… yes
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project
- Route recommendation: Gold Canyon Sampler
Why it’s awesome:
- Interesting route in and out of a wash
- Fun minor tech on the upper section
- Add on Phantom for more of a challenge
Need to know:
- Keep your eyes out for the trail – it can disappear sometimes
- Keep your speed in check – there are some tight turns that are easy to wash out on
The K-Trail: it should be called the U-Trail because there are so many U-shaped turns that sweep in and out of washes and ravines.
At first, I didn’t love K-Trail, but it kind of grows on you. It’s the kind of trail that is best ridden a couple of times before it gets ‘really’ fun.
There are actually two sections of the K-Trail. The northernmost is the ‘black’ rated K-trail, but it could be ridden by an adventurous intermediate with a few features walked.
The lower K-Trail is blue and suited for all levels of riders – it’s fast and flowy and has a few features on the side to play around on to keep things interesting.
7. Red Mountain Rush
- Location: Hawes
- Best direction to ride it: Downhill
- e-bike allowed? No, but… yes
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project
- Route recommendation: Red Mountain Rush Loop
Why it’s awesome:
- One of the best downhills in Phoenix
- Amazing views
- Super fun!
Need to know:
- Please try not to skid
- Check your speed – this isn’t meant to be an uber-fast descent
- There is some sidehill exposure that some people won’t appreciate
Red Mountain Rush is a rush 🙂 It’s the best trail at the Hawes network and one of the best Phoenix mountain bike trails overall.
In addition to being a bomber descent, it also features incredible views out over Red Mountain (hence the name) and plenty of small-ish features and trail obstacles to keep things interesting.
While I would consider RMR to be rideable by most intermediate mountain bikers, there are a few things to note.
One, it’s not meant to be a super fast descent. Instead of trying to bomb down it, use your brakes and stay in control. This will help keep the trail in good shape for other riders (like me).
Two, there is some sidehill exposure that people with a fear of heights might not appreciate. I don’t particularly enjoy heights, and I felt find, but it’s worth mentioning.
Best Expert Trails
8. National
- Location: South Mountain
- Best direction to ride it: Downhill, but you also need to climb it – see route recommendation below
- e-bike allowed? Yes
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project (you don’t want to ride the whole thing)
- Route recommendation: SoMo Rolling Pin
Why it’s awesome:
- One of the best downhills in Phoenix
- Fast descent with tons of features
- Test your technical climbing skills
Need to know:
- It gets really busy, especially on weekends
- Don’t underestimate the climb, it’s a beast
- The 3-mile easternmost section is what most people ride
National is THE mountain bike trail to do in Phoenix if you like some good tech and downhill fun.
It’s a bit of a beast to get to the top (unless you’re on an e-bike) but trust me, the descent is worth it. There are tons of features like rock drops, rollers (the waterfall is the hardest feature), fun alt-lines, techy climbs, and fast flow.
It’s definitely an expert trail, though, so expect some technical rock gardens and plenty of places to go OTB.
One thing to note is that the iconic National trail is only a small portion of the whole National trail that runs along the ridge of South Mountain. The easternmost three-mile section is the ‘fun’ part.
Need some knee pads?
I pretty much always ride with knee pads. I’ve had too many close calls (and stitches) not to.
When I’m riding relatively mellow trails where I don’t need full-on knee guards, the Fox Enduro Sleeves are my go-to’s.
They’re pleasant to pedal in, pretty breathable, and most importantly, they don’t ride up or slip down with every pedal stroke.
9. Boulderdash
- Location: Hawes
- Best direction to ride it: Downhill
- e-bike allowed? No, but… yes
- Map/GPS: TrailForks
- Route recommendation: I wouldn’t recommend the route I did when I rode Boulderdash (it was very long….). Next time I ride it I’ll do something along the lines of this route. I’d start at one of the main parking areas and climb Lower Hawes to Mid Hawes to skip riding through the neighborhood.
Boulderdash is exactly what it sounds like – dashing through, over, and around boulders! It’s a super cool and unique trail that links together a ton of great rock riding. There are natural features like rock slabs and rollers as well as a few built-up rock features like big drops and jumps.
Compared to Sunset Ridge (see below), Boulderdash is slightly easier and also slightly more ‘new school’ and playful verses full-on downhill tech.
Like Sunset Ridge, though, this is a very advanced trail. Scope before you ride and remember that walking is a great option.
10. Sunset Ridge
- Location: Hawes
- Best direction to ride it: Downhill
- e-bike allowed? No, but… yes
- Map/GPS: TrailForks
- Route recommendation: Do the Red Mountain Rush Loop but instead of taking Red Mountain Rush down, take Sunset Ridge to Twisted Sister to Big Sister
Why it’s awesome:
- One of the hardest trails in Phoenix
- Really cool trail building and routing
- Test your downhill technical skills
Need to know:
- It can be very loose
- Ride within your skill level
- Scope the line before you ride
Sunset Ridge is by far the most technical trail at Hawes and one of the most technical trails in Phoenix (at least trails that are built for mountain biking).
It’s steep, loose, full of chunk and rock features, and an absolute blast if you know what you’re in for.
I loved Sunset Ridge, but definitely heed the doubleblack rating – there are some high-stakes features in there! I’m sure some riders have not fared well…
If you do want to attempt Sunset Ride, I recommend taking your time to scope all the features. We stopped to look at most of them and it took us a while to get down – but so worth it!
11. Mesquite Canyon
- Location: White Canyon
- Best direction to ride it: As a loop with Willow Canyon
- e-bike allowed? No
- Map/GPS: TrailForks, MTB Project
- Route recommendation: Mesquite Canyon/Willow Canyon Loop
Why it’s awesome:
- Amazing views
- Backcountry feel
- Test your technical climbing skills
Need to know:
- This is a popular trail with hikers
- There is hike-a-biking up to mile 2.3. Much of it is rideable depending on your skill and fitness levels
Let me start by saying that not everyone is going to enjoy Mesquite Canyon. It’s a very rugged, challenging, and backcountry ride with some hike-a-bikes and plenty of technical climbing.
But if that sounds like your idea of a fun day out on bikes, then this trail is a must. It’s absolutely beautiful and has the most backcountry feel out of all the rides I’ve done around Phoenix.
Mesquite Canyon is located in White Tank Regional Park, which is on the west side of the city. The trail climbs up through the canyon with tight switchbacks, stone water bars (some of them quite high), and loose terrain.
If you can get past mile 2.3, then you’ll really start to enjoy it! The loop with Willow Canyon is stunning.
Ready to head out and tackle these trails? I hope this post gives you the info and inspiration you need to get out an have a blast exploring Phoenix’s best mountain bike trails.
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Did I miss any? What would you say are the best Phoenix mountain bike trails? Have you ridden any of these? Leave a comment below!
Hello Becky,
What a wonderful job you have done!
I’ve already had the chance to ride Fruita, Moab, Sedona and there I’m planning Huricane but then a big dilemma for the rest of my trip…
If you had to choose just one destination: Phoenix or Tucson?
I’m afraid of the size of the city of Phoenix and the traffic to go from spot to spot.
Dominique from France (enduro guy)
Hi Dominique, thanks for reading! Between Phoenix and Tucson I would definitely recommend Phoenix. If you stay on the east side of the city, traffic isn’t terrible and each trail network can be pretty easily accessed. The best places to ride are Brown’s Ranch, Hawes, and Gold Canyon. Have a great trip!
Merci !!!
Hi Becky! My husband Anton and I are going to be in town over the holidays. We see that the forecast for Thursday Dec 23rd is rain. We are still hoping to ride the 24th and 25th. What rides would you recommend for just after a rain where we won’t ruin the trail? We typically ride blue.
Hey Rachel! I haven’t specifically ridden Phoenix after a rain, but I would recommend heading to Brown’s Ranch. The soil is sandy, so it should be really good after a rain (unless it’s a heavy rain). I would stay away from South Mountain, FINS, and anything with steeper terrain. Have fun and happy holidays!