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SaveMcDowell Mountain Regional Park is one of the premier mountain biking destinations in the Phoenix area, known for its purpose-built, bike-friendly trail system. Trails are predominantly smooth, flowing singletrack with excellent sightlines, gradual climbs, and fast, rewarding descents. Surfaces are typically hardpack with decomposed granite, with minimal technical obstacles compared to other desert systems. The network is highly accessible to beginners and intermediate riders, while still offering enough speed, distance, and elevation to challenge more advanced riders—especially on longer loop combinations. Signature trails like competitive track-style loops and rolling XC routes make this a favorite for both casual riders and endurance training.
Trails are multi-use and shared with hikers and equestrians, though many trails are designed with mountain biking in mind. Expect two-way traffic and follow proper yield etiquette—mountain bikers yield to hikers and horses. Some trails may have directional or use-specific designations, so riders should follow posted signage. Motorized use is not permitted.
Trails are multi-use and shared with hikers and equestrians, though many trails are designed with mountain biking in mind. Expect two-way traffic and follow proper yield etiquette—mountain bikers yield to hikers and horses. Some trails may have directional or use-specific designations, so riders should follow posted signage. Motorized use is not permitted.
source: Maricopa County Parks
Primary Trail Type: Cross-Country
Land Status: County Park
Land Manager: Maricopa County Parks
google parking directions Access Info:
The main access point is through the park entrance off McDowell Mountain Park Drive, where visitors will find a well-developed staging area with ample parking, restrooms, water, and trail maps. The park also offers campgrounds that provide direct trail access, making it ideal for extended stays and multi-day riding. Parking is generally plentiful, even during busy periods, due to the size of the facility. All access is through official park entry points—no informal trailhead access is permitted.
Disclaimer:
Entry to McDowell Mountain Regional Park requires a Maricopa County Parks day-use fee per vehicle or a valid annual parks pass. Fees are paid at the park entrance station. Visitors should check current rates and hours before arrival, as seasonal adjustments and special event closures may apply.
Activities Click to view
- Mountain Bike
53 trails
- E-Bike
50 trails
- Horse
13 trails
- Hike
55 trails
- Trail Running
55 trails
Region Details
- 13
- 21
- 15
- 4
Region Status
Open as of Jun 12, 2026Stats
- Avg Trail Rating
- Trails (view details)
- 59
- Trails Mountain Bike
- 53
- Trails E-Bike
- 50
- Trails Gravel Bike
- 6
- Trails Adaptive Bike
- 9
- Trails Winter Fat Bike
- 4
- Trails Horse
- 13
- Trails Hike
- 55
- Trails Trail Running
- 55
- Trails Dirtbike/Moto
- 2
- Trails ATV/ORV/OHV
- 2
- Total Distance
- 102 miles
- Total Descent
- 8,121 ft
- Total Vertical
- 1,272 ft
- Highest Trailhead
- 2,815 ft
- Reports
- 1,244
- Photos
- 214
- Ridden Counter
- 55,595
Articles
Arizona's 5 Most Popular Trail Networks According to Trailforks Data
Oct 19, 2021 from pinkbike.com
The American Southwest is chock full of bucket list locales, and perhaps no single southwestern state is home to more of them than Arizona.
Popular McDowell Mountain Regional Park Trails
• 100 ★ 4.0 • 4 miles • 29 ft • 3,317 •
Popular green difficulty singletrack. This multi-use trail can be used both directions and has a moderate overall physical rating with a 29 ft green climb. On average it takes 18 minutes to complete this trail.
• 95 ★ 4.1 • 3 miles • 178 ft • 2,660 •
is single track and part of the Competitive Trails at McDowell, it has rolling, short steep climbs fast downhill sections, some rocky areas then pops out back at the parking lot. It's a good warm up for the Technical and s.
• 100 ★ 4.1 • 2 miles • 225 ft • 2,519 •
is a fast flowing trail with a few rocky bits and (when descending west to east) sharp left turns to keep you on your toes. It is narrower than many of the other trails in the park and has several spots with limited sightlines. A...
• 95 ★ 3.7 • 3 miles • 177 ft • 2,519 •
Gentle climb to access other trails in the park
• 85 ★ 3.2 • 2 miles • 88 ft • 2,518 •
Popular blue difficulty singletrack. This multi-use trail can be used both directions and has a easy overall physical rating with a 88 ft green climb. On average it takes 10 minutes to complete this trail.
• 95 ★ 4.4 • 2 miles • 34 ft • 2,182 •
Highly rated popular green difficulty singletrack. This multi-use trail can be used downhill primary and has a easy overall physical rating with a 34 ft green climb. On average it takes 8 minutes to complete this trail.
• 100 ★ 3.2 • 3,241 ft • 0 ft • 1,987 •
Popular green difficulty singletrack. This multi-use trail can be used both directions and has a easy overall physical rating with a 0 ft green climb. On average it takes 2 minutes to complete this trail.
• 90 ★ 4.1 • 6 miles • 773 ft • 1,900 •
This trail is super fun, flow fast with easy to mild climbs but with a good prize on every one. Views are really nice and you can combine with some many others like , Escenic, Pemberton. Has a parking area with awesome bathrooms,...
Mountain Bike Routes
16 miles • 864 ft • 11 •
This is the posted route for the Zia Rides Dawn to Dusk 2020 Race at the McDowells Regional Park. Route...
10 miles • 730 ft • 2 • Loop •
Moderate, starts at Four Peaks parking lot
10 miles • 727 ft • 3 • Loop •
Has been used as a night ride loop by Aravapai. Good Clean Fun
Photos of McDowell Mountain Regional Park Mountain Bike
Videos of McDowell Mountain Regional Park Mountain Bike
trail: Granite
12:04 |
21 |
Nov 26, 2023
trail: Granite
12:04 |
10 |
Nov 26, 2023
trail: Pemberton (NE)
15:02 |
39 |
Nov 26, 2023
trail: Lariat
5:15 |
31 |
Nov 26, 2023
trail: Lower Shallmo Wash Trail
6:21 |
33 |
Nov 26, 2023
trail: Scenic
13:05 |
32 |
Nov 25, 2023
trail: Escondido Trail
24:05 |
29 |
Nov 25, 2023
trail: Cinch
2:21 |
28 |
Nov 24, 2023
Recent Trail Reports
| status | trail | date | condition | info | user |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wagner | May 28, 2026 @ 6:25pm (America/Phoenix) May 28, 2026 | Dry | smhogen | ||
| Tortoise Trail | May 28, 2026 @ 6:25pm (America/Phoenix) May 28, 2026 | Dry | smhogen | ||
| Cinch | May 28, 2026 @ 6:25pm (America/Phoenix) May 28, 2026 | Dry | smhogen | ||
| Access Road | May 28, 2026 @ 6:25pm (America/Phoenix) May 28, 2026 | Dry | smhogen | ||
| Dixie Mine Trail | Apr 30, 2026 @ 4:39pm (America/Phoenix) Apr 30, 2026 | Very Dry | Sheepdog590 | ||
| Sport Loop | Apr 27, 2026 @ 9:01am (America/Phoenix) Apr 27, 2026 | Dry | smhogen | ||
| Lower Shallmo Wash Trail | Apr 27, 2026 @ 9:01am (America/Phoenix) Apr 27, 2026 | Dry | smhogen | ||
| Boulder | Apr 26, 2026 @ 7:33am (America/Phoenix) Apr 26, 2026 | Ideal | JetinJeff29r | ||
| Coachwhip | Apr 26, 2026 @ 7:33am (America/Phoenix) Apr 26, 2026 | Ideal | JetinJeff29r | ||
| Pemberton (SW) | Apr 26, 2026 @ 7:33am (America/Phoenix) Apr 26, 2026 | Ideal | JetinJeff29r |
Activity Feed
| username | action | type | title | date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| atombomb33 | wishlist | trail | activity #99495061 and 2 more | Jul 18, 2026 @ 6:23pm Jul 18, 2026 |
| andyroma | wishlist | route | activity #98829881 | Jul 9, 2026 @ 7:50pm Jul 9, 2026 |
| bionathan | wishlist | route | activity #96835576 | Jun 12, 2026 @ 4:39pm Jun 12, 2026 |
| brynoj | wishlist | region | activity #95995902 | May 31, 2026 @ 7:57pm May 31, 2026 |
| smhogen | add | report | activity #95756163 and 3 more | May 28, 2026 @ 9:33pm May 28, 2026 |
Recent Comments
| username | type | title | comment | date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| trail | Bowhead reach goes. Easy blue. | Mar 18, 2026 @ 11:52am Mar 18, 2026 | ||
| trail | Bowhead reach goes. Blue. | Mar 18, 2026 @ 11:51am Mar 18, 2026 | ||
| trail | Bowhead Reach goes Pretty rubbly. Better... | Mar 18, 2026 @ 11:50am Mar 18, 2026 | ||
| trail | Bowhead reach blue | Mar 16, 2026 @ 8:21pm Mar 16, 2026 | ||
| trail | Bowhead Reach goes | Jan 30, 2026 @ 12:19pm Jan 30, 2026 |
Nearby Areas
| name | distance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell Sonoran Preserve | 22 | 30 | 10 | 3 | 4.4 km |
| Pinacle Peak Park | 7.8 km | ||||
| Brown's Ranch | 60 | 49 | 24 | 8.7 km | |
| Desert Vista | 18 | 45 | 3 | 10.8 km | |
| Reach 11 Recreation Area | 7 | 13.3 km |
Local Badges
-
Completionist0 awarded
Activity Type Stats
| activitytype | trails | distance | descent | descent distance | total vertical | rating | global rank | state rank | photos | reports | routes | ridelogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Bike | 53 | 97 miles | 7,523 ft | 40 miles | 1,273 ft | #214 | #73 | 206 | 1,244 | 36 | 44,852 | |
| E-Bike | 50 | 94 miles | 7,159 ft | 40 miles | 1,220 ft | #274 | #563 | 5 | 1,165 | 1 | 2,359 | |
| Gravel Bike | 6 | 13 miles | 781 ft | 5 miles | 889 ft | #122 | #47 | 182 | 1 | 326 | ||
| Adaptive Bike | 9 | 28 miles | 1,499 ft | 11 miles | 515 ft | #121 | #47 | 157 | 8 | |||
| Winter Fat Bike | 4 | 13 miles | 413 ft | 6 miles | 715 ft | #122 | #47 | 74 | 1 | |||
| Horse | 13 | 34 miles | 2,484 ft | 17 miles | 1,001 ft | #936 | #489 | 280 | 10 | |||
| Hike | 55 | 91 miles | 7,156 ft | 39 miles | 1,273 ft | #2,383 | #891 | 3 | 1,230 | 847 | ||
| Trail Running | 55 | 91 miles | 7,156 ft | 39 miles | 1,273 ft | #1,733 | #424 | 1,230 | 2 | 1,018 | ||
| Dirtbike/Moto | 2 | 9 miles | 358 ft | 6 miles | 289 ft | 231 | 5 | |||||
| ATV/ORV/OHV | 2 | 9 miles | 358 ft | 6 miles | 289 ft | 231 | 19 |
Frequently Asked Questions About McDowell Mountain Regional Park
▼
What are the highest rated mountain biking trails in McDowell Mountain Regional Park?
The highest rated mountain biking trails in McDowell Mountain Regional Park are:
- Bluff (4.3/5)
- Thompson Peak Bypass (4.2/5)
- Skills Trail (4.2/5)
- Connector (4.1/5)
- Dixie Mine Trail (4.1/5)
▼
What is the best time of the year to ride in McDowell Mountain Regional Park?
Based on ride log data, the most popular months to ride in McDowell Mountain Regional Park are:
- February (639 activities)
- January (607 activities)
- December (568 activities)
▼
Where can I park to ride in McDowell Mountain Regional Park?
There are 6 parking locations listed in McDowell Mountain Regional Park. The most popular parking spots are: View all parking and trailhead locations on the map to plan your visit.
▼
What is the longest trail in McDowell Mountain Regional Park?
The longest trail in McDowell Mountain Regional Park is Long Loop at 7.9 miles. View all trails sorted by distance.
Activities
Trails
- Hard trails in McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- Easy trails in McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- Favorite trails in McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- Most ridden trails in McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- Singletrack in McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- Viewpoint trails in McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- Trails with technical features in McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- Race routes in McDowell Mountain Regional Park
- By rosegrant1201
& contributors - Admins: DFMBA, DFMBA
- #21607 - 28,736 views
- mcdowell mountain regional park activity log | embed map of McDowell Mountain Regional Park mountain bike trails | mcdowell mountain regional park mountain biking points of interest
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