How to Bikepack The Black Canyon Trail in Arizona

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I’ll never turn down the opportunity to spend a few nights in the desert. So when a friend asked if I wanted to bikepack the Black Canyon Trail in Arizona, of course I said “yes!”

A note about the mileage: there is quite a bit of discrepancy when it comes to the total mileage of the BCT. The actual total mileage of this National Recreation Trail is about 80 miles. It officially starts on the boundary of the Prescott National Forest and heads south to the Carefree Highway outside of Phoenix.

However, most people really only ride about 61 miles of the full route from Bug Springs Trail (not the Orme Road start on the map below) to Emery Henderson Trailhead.

See more about where to start and end in the planning section below.

The BCT Map

View the Black Canyon Trail on Bikepacking.com

What Makes the BCT Special?

The BCT has a lot going for it. I’ve spent a lot of time biking in the desert, and this is one of my favorite stretches of desert riding.

Here are a few reasons to plan a bikepacking trip on the Black Canyon Trail:

Important Things to Know

The Black Canyon Trail is actually a pretty straightforward and simple bikepacking trip to plan.

You’re never too far from Interstate 17 or civilization in case anything goes awry (or you want to bail) and there are relatively consistent sources of water along the way. There’s also a resupply point in Black Canyon City about halfway through.

But don’t make the mistake of thinking the BCT is easy. There are definitely some sufferfest moments along the way (be prepared for tough climbing on loose rocks!) and the potential for several deep river crossings.

Here are a few things to know before you set off:

This is a mountain biking trail

The majority of BCT is on singletrack mountain biking trail. Bikepackers who are not mountain bikers will probably find most of it quite challenging.

Even mountain bikers who aren’t used to handling a loaded bike will likely need to walk some sections.

You’ll cross the Agua Fria River Several times

There are several crossings of the Agua Fria River throughout the route.

Depending on what time of year it is and how much rain Arizona has gotten, this could mean simply stepping over a stream or wading through deep water. The Agua Fria River can get pretty deep in places, so if there is a big storm before your trip, the river may be unpassable.

Be sure to check water levels before heading out and keep an eye on the forecast.

Tubeless Tires are Necessary

Riding in the desert means encountering sharp pointy things like cactus spines and mean rocks. Tubeless tires are absolutely necessary. I recommend topping up your sealant before starting and bringing a small bottle of sealant with you.

Table Mesa shooting area

The route passes by (or maybe even through???) the Table Mesa shooting area as you get close to the finish.

It was quite unnerving to pedal through and hear gunshots echoing just a short ways away. I’m sure there are signs and safety measures in place, but I did not like it.

We did pass through on a weekend, so it’s probably a little better during the week.

Planning your trip

Like any bikepacking trip, the BCT requires a bit of planning and thinking ahead to make sure you aren’t left for the vultures out in the desert.

Here are some tips and resources to help you plan your trip.

Best time of year to ride the BCT

The Black Canyon Trail has a pretty narrow window for when it can (and should) be ridden. Winter is the best time of year to ride it since the temps are cooler. Attempting the BCT in the summer months without vehicle support can be dangerous due to super high temps (it can get well over 100° in the summer!).

I rode the BCT in late January and the days were in the 60s and the nights in the 40s, which felt perfect.

I’d recommend planning your trip between December and February.

Where to start & end

After completing this ride myself, I recommend starting at the Big Bug Trailhead and ending at the Emery Henderson Trailhead, which ends up being just over 61 miles if you take the detour into Rock Springs for pie (a must!).

You can start at the northernmost General Crook Trailhead, which would add the Osborne Spring Wash and Russian Well sections (as well as 21 miles and 1,800 ft of climbing). I haven’t done these sections, so I can’t speak to how they are.

I do know that the Black Canyon Trail Coalition has been working hard on cleaning up these trails, so there’s that.

If you really want to add miles you could also do the Copper Mountain Loop off of Russian Well.

We left a car at the Hampton Inn in Anthem since we stayed there the night before we started. However, if I did the BCT again, I would leave a car at the Emery Henderson Trailhead off of New River Road instead. The riding past this trailhead is flat, rocky, horse-trodden, and not very scenic.

Water availability

Water is relatively scarce along the route, but there are some places to fill up. You’ll definitely want to bring a water filter.

The route crosses the Agua Fria River several times, but when we rode it, there was barely any water in the river – only small pools of cow-flavored tea (that we did end up filtering). You can check water levels here.

Here are your options for filling up on water:

Hidden Treasure Mine

I didn’t learn about this stop until after riding the BCT, but a fellow bikepacker noted that there is water at Hidden Treasure Mine, which is about 12.5 miles into the ride. I can’t confirm this, though.

Bumblebee Ranch

Bumblebee Ranch is located about 19.5 miles into the Black Canyon Trail and some bikepackers choose to stay here for their first night.

If you want to use Bumblebee as a fill-up stop and not stay overnight, I still recommend reaching out to them to let them know you’ll be rolling through and would like to fill up on water. Keep in mind that it’s a working ranch.

Black Canyon Creek

Black Canyon Creek may have water in it. There were a few pools of water when we rode in January when water levels were way below average. If you ride after a storm or during a year with lots of rain, there will most likely be water here.

Black Canyon Creek is at mile 29 and we camped here our first night.

Agua Fria River

The BCT in Arizona crosses the Agua Fria River three times, however, you must check water levels ahead of time to make sure there will actually be water in the river. We rode the BCT in January and there were just a few small pockets of brown water in most of the river beds.

• The first Agua Fria river crossing is at roughly mile 35 just before the detour into Rock Springs for pie!
• The second river crossing comes shortly after leaving Rock Springs (about mile 41.75).
• The third river crossing comes at about mile 49

Black Canyon City/Rock Springs

It’s about a 2-mile (4-mile roundtrip) detour into the small town of Rock Springs where you can get a meal at Rock Springs Cafe, fill up on water, and grab extra supplies at the gas station or Rock Springs Cafe. The food at the cafe isn’t great, but the pie is delicious!

There are several other restaurants, a campground, and resupply stores in Black Canyon City.

Caching water

If you’re concerned about water, it’s very easy to cache water along the route since there are lots of back roads to access the trail. Just remember to mark where you stashed your water jugs.

My 3-Day BCT Itinerary

What questions do you still have about bikepacking the Black Canyon Trail in Arizona? Does this sound like a trip you’d be into? Have you completed it already? Let us know in the comments!