Brown’s Ranch mountain biking really surprised me – in a good way! I thought it would be ‘boring, cross-country desert riding’, but the trails in this Scottsdale network are actually really fun and engaging.
Not only do they have a ton of flow, but the trails are also built around interesting features like rock slabs, rock spines, rock rollers, rock gardens… you get the point, but the rock features are really cool!
Brown’s Ranch is also stunning with great desert views (especially if you pedal up and over Brown’s Mountain), incredible Sonoran desert vegetation (watch out for the chollas), and glimpses of shy desert creatures.
If you’re planning a mountain bike trip to the Phoenix area, definitely put a day or two in at Brown’s Ranch – you won’t regret it. In this post, I share everything you need to know for a great day (or days) out on the trails.
Getting to Brown’s Ranch
The Brown’s Ranch trails are located north of Phoenix in what is technically Scottsdale.
It’s part of the Greater McDowell Sonoran Preserve, but it’s separate from McDowell Mountain Park, another popular place to mountain bike in Scottsdale.
There are a number of parking areas for Brown’s Ranch, but the main ones are:
- Pima Dynamite Trailhead (bathrooms and a water fountain)
- Brown’s Ranch Trailhead (bathrooms and a water fountain)
- 136th St. Trailhead (bathrooms, but no water). This is a good place to park if you want to explore the northern trails, but don’t want a big day of pedaling.
Important! The gates to the parking areas close at sunset. There is NO CAMPING at the trailheads and if you get stuck inside after the gate closes you could get a fine.
Brown’s Ranch Mountain Biking FAQs
Before I dive into the details of mountain biking at Brown’s Ranch, let’s cover some of the FAQs:
How big is Brown’s Ranch?
Big! There are over 150 miles of trail in Brown’s Ranch and it’s part of the larger 30,000+ acre McDowell Sonoran Preserve. You can definitely get yourself into 20+ mile days (or more!), so be sure to have a route planned so you don’t accidentally do an epic (unless an epic is the plan).
Are e-bikes allowed?
No, e-bikes are not allowed on the trails at Brown’s Ranch. Please respect this.
How hard are the trails at Brown’s Ranch?
One of the great things about mountain biking at Brown’s Ranch is that there are trails for everyone. While the network definitely leans toward the beginner/intermediate side, there are some harder black-rated trails to challenge more advanced mountain bikers.
Best Trails to Ride
There are over 150 trails at Brown’s Ranch – some definitely better than others. While I haven’t ticked off all the trails at Brown’s Ranch, I’ve ridden most of the popular ones.
Here are what I consider to be the must-ride trails at Brown’s Ranch:
Beginner trails
- Axel Grease – this is a nice, mellow flowy trail on the north side of Brown’s Ranch. Link it into Hawksnest for a great beginner-friendly loop.
- Stagecoach trail: Great trail for beginners. Lots of twists and turns through beautiful desert terrain.
- Granite Mountain Loop: Absolutely stunning! It’s rated blue, but is definitely easy enough for beginners
- Balanced Rock Trail: A pretty easy trail that passes by a perfectly balanced rock.
Intermediate Trails
- Hawksnest Trail: Best ridden north to south, this is a fast, flowy beginner/intermediate trail with a few small techy sections. It’s beautiful!
- Cloudburst: A fun flow trail with big berms and tight turns.
- Renegade: A great intermediate flow trail with awesome routing and a good mix of variety.
- Cholla Mountain Loop: Beautiful trail with interesting routing and rock features. Take the detours to Cathedral Rock and the Amphitheater.
Advanced Trails
- Scorpion: One of my favorite trails with some technical rock riding
- Dare-a-Sarah: Similar to Scorpian with moderately techy rock riding
- Diablo North & South: These are the two most technical trails at Brown’s Ranch. However, most advanced riders will consider them ‘soft’ blacks. Ride them N to S to practice techy climbing skills or S to N for more downhill(ish) rock riding.
Just looking for the best of the best mountain bike trails? Here are my top singletrack trail recommendations around Phoenix.
Three Route recommendations
There are enough trails and route options in Brown’s Ranch to keep you busy for a week (or more!)
While it’s hard to recommend a ‘perfect’ route for everyone, here are three routes I really like riding at Brown’s Ranch.
Hawksnest & Axle Grease
This route is a beginner-friendly loop that runs along the western perimeter of Brown’s Ranch. The climb up Hawksnest is steady, but not steep, and it’s really beautiful with great views and trailside cacti.
Another nice thing about this loop is that there are plenty of ways to cut is short by crossing over, or there are tons of ways to add ‘bonus’ loops if you want to add miles. See suggestions below.
Ride it for:
- Beautiful desert trails
Need to know:
- E-bikes are not allowed
Route directions: Pima Dynamite Trailhead > Hawksnest Trail > Stagecoach > West Express > Axle Grease
Make it harder: Tootle around the black tech trails like Snake Eyes, Scorpion, and Tarantula before continuing north on Hawksnest
Make longer: Follow Stagecoach back around to Axle Grease instead of taking West Express.
Introduction to Brown’s
This is a great first ride at Brown’s Ranch or a good option for newer riders. You’ll get some awesome desert views, unique trail features (like a huge, perfectly balanced rock!), and fun, flowy singletrack.
Ride it for:
- Fast, flowy, and fun desert singletrack
Need to know:
- E-bikes are not allowed
Route directions: Brown’s Ranch Trailhead > Latigo > Hackamore Trail > Cone Mountain > Upper Ranch Trail > Corral Trail > Dry Gulch > Cholla Mountain Loop > Branding Iron Trail > Granite Mountain Loop > Bootlegger > Saddlehorn > Granite Mountain Loop > Balanced Rock Trail > Maverick Trail > Brown’s Ranch Road
Make it harder: Add Diablo South to Diablo North Trails. They’re not super hard blacks, more like ‘spicy blues’. Beginners will probably need to walk sections, but intermediates may be able to ride it all.
Make longer:
- Add Cloudburst to Hawksnest to Buckshot, which will bring you back to the loop (Cloudburst is about 2.3 miles after starting).
- You could also add on the super fun Renegade trail by taking Stagecoach from Cholla Mountain Trail to High Desert Trail. This will lead you to Renegade. After Renegade, rejoin the loop by taking 136th Street Express to Cow Poke.
Best of Brown’s Ranch Mountain Biking
If you’re looking for a big tour of Brown’s Ranch, this is my go-to loop. It hits a good mix of techy trails and fast, flowy ones.
Ride it for:
- Good mix of tech and flow
Need to know:
- E-bikes are not allowed
Route directions: Pima Dynamite Trailhead > Hawksnest Trail > Scorpion > Dare A Sarah (turn left) > West Express > Hawksness Trail > Buckshot > High Desert Trail > Diablo North > Diablo South > Cholla Mountain Loop > Maverick Trail > Wrangler Trail > Brown’s Mountain > Upper Ranch Trail > Cloudburst > West Express > Dare A Sarah > Rock Tank Trail > Hawksnest
Route notes: The mileage on this route is pretty big, but it’s actually quite fast-rolling with a relatively low elevation gain for the miles.
Make easier: Diablo North and South are slightly easier going the opposite direction. You could also make it easier by cutting out the Brown’s Mountain climb.
Would you rather go with a guide? If you’re new to mountain biking or prefer riding with a guide, you can sign up for a half-day tour with REI Co-Op Adventure Center Arizona in Scottsdale.
What to Wear & Pack
For detailed guides on what to pack for your Brown’s Ranch mountain biking adventure, check out these posts:
- Complete Multi-Day Mountain Bike Trip Packing List
- Mountain Bike Pack Essentials
- How to Survive Your First Mountain Bike Trip to the Desert
Specific to Brown’s Ranch mountain biking, here are a few gear recommendations:
Hydration pack: It’s pretty easy to do a lot of miles at Brown’s Ranch and there is no water out on the trail. Be prepared with at least 2-3 L of water in your hydration backpack.
Looking for a new hydration pack?
Carry all your tools, water, and snacks for your ride. I know there are three camps when it comes to mountain bikers: the hydration backpackers, the hip packers, and the water bottlers.
I fall firmly in the hydration backpack club for a few reasons. I drink a lot of water, I eat a lot of snacks, and I like to be prepared with all the tools and spares I might need (especially when mountain biking alone).
The Osprey Raven (Raptor for the guys) is my favorite pack that I’ve tried. It has a ton of organization including its own tool roll, it’s comfortable, and it can carry a 3L water reservoir.
Tailwind Endurance Fuel: When I’m heading out on longer rides or I know it’ll be particularly hot, I bring a bottle of water mixed with Tailwind Endurance Fuel. Not only does it provide vital electrolytes that are lost in sweat, but it also contains a good amount of carbs to keep your blood sugar from dropping (carbs are good!).
Small bottle of sealant: The trails around Phoenix are full of sharp, pointy things that want to hurt your tires. Tubeless tires are essential, but I also recommend bringing a small bottle of sealant with you in case a thorn proves to be too much for your rubber.
Mountain Bike Shops & Rentals
The closest bike shop and rental place to Brown’s Ranch is the REI Adventure Center in Scottsdale. They have a fleet of mountain bikes to rent as well as a service center if you need something fixed.
Camping at Brown’s Ranch
There is no camping allowed at the Brown’s Ranch Trailhead or any of the trailheads. The closest paid camping is at Cave Creek Regional Park just north of Brown’s Ranch.
There are free dispersed camping sites throughout Phoenix as well. I recommend using these apps to find camping around Phoenix:
What else can you do at Brown’s Ranch?
While mountain biking is definitely the ‘thing to do’ at Brown’s Ranch, this area is also a popular place for other outdoor lovers. Here are a few non-biking things to do:
Hiking
All of the trails at Brown’s Ranch as also open to hikers and trail runners. It’s a great place to enjoy the beautiful Sonoran Desert landscape and maybe catch a glimpse of some wildlife like the horny toad.
If you’re looking for a route recommendation, check out the popular Granite Mountain Loop.
Horseback riding
Get a different perspective of the McDowell Sonoran Preserve from horseback. Cave Creek Outfitters offers guided tours by reservation.
Brown’s Ranch may not be the most challenging or technical trail network in Phoenix, but I love it for its beautiful cross-country riding, incredible desert scenery, so much wildlife, and fun rock features that give it a playful feel.
If you’re heading to Phoenix to mountain bike, I recommend spending a least one day here. You won’t be disappointed!
Read next
Planning a mountain bike trip to Phoenix? Check out these other networks to ride:
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Have you explored Brown’s Ranch? What did you think of the mountain biking there? What are your favorite trails? Leave a comment below!
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I love writing about the places I’ve biked and inspiring you to get out and explore the world on your own two wheels. If this post has been helpful, consider showing your thanks with a small donation. It helps me keep TWW going. Thanks and keep your wheels spinning!
Hi,
I’ve spent a week in Scottsdale and rent an MTB to visit area. Introduction To Brown’s was my first day track (with the suggested addition 1 & 2 to make it longer) and really enjoyed the track. Super area of flowy trails which permit to take a first breath of desert. Many thanks for you webpage which have permit me to love MTB in Phoenix
So glad my guide was helpful and you had a great ride at Brown’s! It’s one of my favorite trail networks for all the fast flow and beautiful desert views.
Browns Ranch as been open for 10 years now. Although it is still a fun place to ride all the single track mountain bike trails are now 4 to 8 feet wide due to excessive use by bikers and horses.
For a look at how the trails looked on opening day in September, 2013 check out this youtube video. https://youtu.be/C4ey7Iy_dBA?si=cXWPK0cFH46F_Prg
“Brown’s Ranch Mountain Biking – Scottsdale – Opening day”