7 epic stand-alone Arizona bike trails for two-wheeled fun
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Whether you’re a mountain biker, a road cyclist, a bikepacking enthusiast, or simply a recreational rider, Arizona is full of scenic and fun bike rides for every outdoor lover. The desert landscapes, endless sunshine, and mountainous terrain make it a world-class biking destination. But which Arizona bike trails are the best?
In this post, I’ve rounded up a handful of the best biking opportunities throughout the Grand Canyon State from road cycling routes to multi-day bikepacking adventures. So start planning your Arizona getaway now!
Discover the best Arizona bike trails for every two-wheeled adventurer from mountain biking to road cycling and more.
Best Arizona Bike Trails – Mapped
7 Best Arizona Bike Trails
Mountain Bike Trails
1. Black Canyon Trail
- Location: Between Prescott and Phoenix
- Bike type: Mountain bike
- Distance: 76 miles
The Black Canyon Trail is a 76-mile IMBA Epic singletrack route that runs from just outside Prescott, Arizona down to Phoenix. Some (crazy) mountain bikers do this in a day, but it’s more often completed as a 2-3 day bikepacking route. The trail traverses through some amazing desert landscapes filled with saguaro forests, rugged canyons, open plains, and more.
I haven’t yet completed this ride, but it’s definitely on my bike-it list!
Learn more: Bikepacking the Black Canyon Trail
2. The AZT
- Location: Trans-Arizona
- Bike type: Mountain bike
- Distance: 800+ miles
The AZT – or the Arizona Trail – is perhaps the most epic of Arizona bike trails. Stretching from the Utah border north of Flagstaff all the way down to the Mexico border south of Tucson, the AZT covers over 800 miles of singletrack and doubletrack trails.
Along the way, riders traverse through a huge variety of terrain from mountain passes to desert landscapes and even a 24-mile hike across the Grand Canyon (bikes must be dissembled and carried!).
Learn more: Bikepacking the AZT
Gravel biking routes
3. El Camino del Diablo
- Location: Sonoran desert
- Bike type: Fat bike
- Distance: 130 miles
The Camino del Diablo (i.e. the Devil’s Highway) is an ancient route through remote areas of the Sonoran Desert in southern Arizona on the Mexico border. The route is quite unrelenting with deep sand (3-4 inch fat tires are a must!), little shade, and rugged, desolate terrain. But despite it’s harshness, the route is stunningly beautiful and filled with wildlife and desert vegetation.
This route isn’t for everyone – you must be prepared with all the water and food you will need and be very comfortable in remote desert landscapes.
Learn more: El Camino del Diablo bikepacking route
4. The Sky Islands Odyssey
- Location: Patagonia, Arizona
- Bike type: Fat bike/gravel bike with wide tires
- Distance: 230 miles
The Sky Islands Odyssey starts in the small southern Arizona town of Patagonia about an hours drive south of Tucson. The Sky Islands are named for a series of forested mountain ranges surrounded by lowland desert and grassland. The Odyssey circumnavigates one of these Sky Islands – the Santa Rita Mountains.
Riders can choose to do the entire 230-mile loop or one of the two smaller East or West loops. Whichever route you choose, you’re sure to enjoy stunning and ever-changing scenery, wildlife sightings (including jaguars!), Native American culture, and so much more.
Learn more: Sky Islands Odyessy (West Loop) and Sky Islands Odyessy (East Loop)
Road cycling routes
5. The Loop
- Location: Tucson, Arizona
- Bike type: Road bike
- Distance: 53+ miles
“The Loop” is a 53+ mile paved cycling route in Tucson that is completely car-free. It’s actually part of a larger 131-mile paved route system that threads its way through the city and connects parks, restaurants, art installations, shopping areas, and more.
The trail systems also extends north into the beautiful Oro Valley and the Catalina Mountains, making Tucson one of the best road cycling cities in the southwest.
6. Grand Canyon Greenway
- Location: Grand Canyon National Park (south rim)
- Bike type: Road bike
- Distance: 13+ miles
The Grand Canyon Greenway is a great way to beat the crowds and experience the beauty and grandeur of the Grand Canyon. Totaling 13 miles of paved bike path, the Greenway accesses numerous viewpoints and attractions. Start by pedaling the 4.4 mile stretch between Grand Canyon Village and Yaki Point Road to the start of South Kaibob Trail (bring a bike lock if you want to hike down to Ooh-Aah Point!).
The paved trail continues south from the main visitors center for an addition 6.6 miles (one-way) to the park’s gateway community of Tusayan.
If you’re an avid cyclist, you can also connect the Grand Canyon Greenway to Hermit Road and pedal out to 2 additional miles of paved greenway between Monument Creek Vista and Hermits Rest.
Learn more: The Grand Canyon Greenway
7. Mt. Lemmon Highway
- Location: Tucson, Arizona
- Bike type: Road bike
- Distance: +/- 59 miles
One of the most famous Arizona bike trail road cycling routes is the Mt. Lemmon Highway in Tucson. This beast of a ride starts at around 2,557 feet at the base of Mt. Lemmon and steadily climbs up, and up, and up for over 22 miles on a wide shoulder to the small community of Summerhaven at the top. Or, if you’re feeling extra motivated, you can continue on to the towers at Mt Lemmon Ski area.
With over 6,000 ft of elevation gain, this is a big, yet very rewarding, ride!
What are your favorite Arizona bike trails? Have you ridden any of the ones listed above? Let us know in the comments!
For more epic Arizona bike trails I highly recommend the book Epic Bike Rides of the Americas
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