5 Beautiful Beginner-Friendly Mountain Bike Trails in Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona is home to miles upon miles of amazing singletrack. Some of these trails are challenging with lots of climbing, rock gardens, and expert-only features, but there are also a lot of beginner mountain bike trails in Phoenix for riders like you!

The rolling terrain of Brown’s Ranch is one of my favorite networks to explore and the meandering pedal along Desert Classic is great for an out-and-back spin. Hawes, which is the trail network for serious mountain bikers even has some beginner-friendly trails as well.

And did I mention that Phoenix is absolutely beautiful? In fact, most of the ‘easy’ trails feature some of the most stunning landscapes!

As a beginner mountain biker, though, know it can be a bit challenging to know where to ride. In this post, I share my top easy mountain bike trails around Phoenix so you can get out and have some two-wheeled desert fun.

Before you set out

Before you set off to explore the best beginner mountain bike trails around Phoenix, it’s important to go over a few points to make sure you have a safe (and fun) ride.

Here are a couple of details and reminders to consider:

Best beginner-friendly trails & networks

Alright, let’s jump into the fun stuff! Here are the best beginner-friendly mountain bike trails and route recommendations around Phoenix.

Note: I use TrailForks for my recommended routes. It’s free on desktop or $30-something per year for the app. If you are a mountain biker and ride places outside your home trails, you should have TrailForks on your phone.

1. McDowell Mountain Regional Park

McDowell Mountain is by far the most beginner-friendly trail network around Phoenix. The majority of the trails are fast, smooth singletrack with very little tech and not a whole lot of elevation gain.

It’s a great place to build up your fitness or take the kiddos for an afternoon out on the trails.

The 15-mile Pemberton Loop is one of the most popular trails in the park, but if you’re not feeling up for 15 miles there are plenty of options for shorter routes (see my recommendations below).

Looking for more advanced trails? Head over to my guide on Mountain Biking in Phoenix for more trail network recommendations.

2. Brown’s Ranch

Brown’s Ranch is one of my favorite places to ride because it offers a little bit of everything for all levels of riders. There are tons of mellow, smooth trails for novice riders but there are also a handful of more advanced trails with rock features for those who want to work on improving their technical skills.

One thing to note about Brown’s Ranch, though, is that it’s huge. You can easily get yourself into a 20+ mile ride if you’re not careful. The trails are well-signed, though.

3. Desert Classic at South Mountain

Desert Classic is an iconic trail in Phoenix. It runs along the base of South Mountain and is a popular option for mountain bikers, hikers, joggers, and dog walkers.

It’s mostly flat aside from its numerous ‘rollercoaster’ washes that are kind of fun and unique.

You can do the full trail as an out-and-back, but keep in mind that that would be 18 miles! Instead, I recommend following the suggested route above, which is a bit more interesting than an out-and-back and hits the best parts of the trail.

If you have more advanced mountain bikers in your group, send them up National Trail.

4. San Tan Regional Park

To be honest, I wasn’t really aware of the mountain bike trails at San Tan Regional Park before doing the Queen’s Ransom bikepacking route, which cut through the preserve.

I thought it was just a small network of trails best left to the hikers and horseback riders. But I was wrong!

The San Tan Loop is really beautiful and surprisingly fun. It’s got a lot of flow, some minor tech, and a few short, punchy climbs to help boost fitness and skill.

Plus, San Tan is a bit under the radar, so you won’t find the crowds that descend on Brown’s or McDowell.

5. Hawes

Hawes is the trail network for mountain bikers in Phoenix. Obviously, all the other trail networks I’ve listed are great for mountain biking, but Hawes has become the go-to place for serious riders.

That being said, there are still plenty of great beginner-friendly trails at Hawes like the Scorpion Trails and even Big Sister, which has some drops and features with go-arounds and is an absolute blast.

Hawes is a great place to meet and ride with other mountain bikers, especially on the weekends. Check out the Hawesaholics Facebook Page for group rides and other info.

I should note, though, that there are definitely expert-only trails at Hawes. The higher up the mountain you go, the harder the trails get. Know and ride within your skill level.

Phoenix Mountain Bike Tours

If you prefer not to head out into the desert alone, there are a number of mountain bike tours around Phoenix that are great for newer riders.

Here are some to check out:

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Whether you’re a new rider, got a family in tow, or just want an easy day of riding, I hope this guide to the best beginner-friendly mountain bike trails in Phoenix helps you enjoy a fun day or two out on the trails.

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What are your top recommendations for beginner mountain bike trails in Phoenix? Which ones have you ridden? Is Phoenix a place you’d like to visit? Leave a comment below!