Fantasy Island North Singletrack: Mountain Biking at FINS in Phoenix

A lot of mountain bikers have heard of Fantasy Island, the trail network down in Tucson. But there is also an area called Fantasy Island North Singletrack (FINS) in Phoenix that is worth checking out as well.

FINS is kind of like the misfit of Phoenix mountain biking. It’s quirky, it’s unique, and it can be a little bit vindictive if you get on the wrong trail.

But I love FINS. It has a locals-only, bootleg trail kind of vibe and it keeps you on your toes. Whether you’re struggling up Exposure Grunt, trying to figure out where you are (it’s legitimately a maze), or unexpectedly finding yourself on the Boneyard rock garden, FINS is a cool place to check out for a day.

I’ve ridden all the trails at Fantasy Island North Singletrack and here’s everything you need to know about planning your ride there.

Where is Fantasy Island North Singletrack?

Fantasy Island North is located in southwest Phoenix, technically in the ‘city’ of Goodyear. It’s set in the middle of a housing development.

The first time I visited, I was a little worried that FINS would get shut down and the available space be turned into cookie-cutter houses, but I think that Estrella Regional Park has adopted the trails and that they are here to stay (yay!).

Map of Fantasy Island North Singletrack location in Phoenix, Arizona

Where to park

The main parking area at FINS is off of W. Westar Dr. This is the only place I’ve parked, although TrailForks does have a parking marker over on the west side off of West Way Rd.

The parking and riding at FINS is free, no fees are required.

Why Mountain Bike at FINS?

FINS is a unique place to ride in Phoenix. It’s kind of like a jumble of all the trail networks around the city. It’s got a little bit of desert riding, some rock garden tech, a steep and very loose climb, a great lookout, and a variety of descents.

Here are a few main reasons to head to FINS for a spin:

It doesn’t get insanely crowded
The viewpoint on Northstar is awesome
There is a variety of singletrack and terrain
FINS is quirky with trail art and fun artifacts
You can cover most of the trails in one ride
It’s a good place to practice your navigating & map reading skills 🙂

Mountain biker on bike looking out over desert view from Fantasy Island North trail network in Phoenix — FINS is a small, locals trail network with great views, interesting terrain, and variety of trail options

Important things to know

Before you commit to a ride at FINS, here are a few things you should know about mountain biking there:

The trails are in varying states of wear and tear – even though (I think) FINS has been adopted by Estrella Mountain Regional Park, it doesn’t look like they get a lot of love. Parts of the trail network are loose, rutted, and challenging. This is one of the reasons I love it, but it won’t appeal to all riders.
Some trails are downhill only – The three main descents at FINS are Kimurel’s Hurl, Harvs Howl, and Tiki Man. I also highly recommend riding the western section of Exposure Grunt as a downhill as well (east to west). Boneyard is better ridden east to west.
It’s very hard to follow a pre-planned route – the trails at Fantasy Island North Singletrack are packed together in a small-ish parcel of land. Therefore, the trails are short and there are a lot of twists and turns. I recommend a route below, but if you try to follow it you’ll probably get off course at least a few times until you get the lay of the land.
It’s worth going to the lookout on Northstar – the climb up Exposure Grunt is steep, loose, and technical, but it is worth getting yourself up there and taking a break at the lookout at the end of Northstar Trail.
There are signs, but… you’ll probably get lost. FINS isn’t that big, though, so you’ll be fine 🙂

Mountain bike propped up against rocks at lookout at Fantasy Island North Singletrack riding area in Phoenix — The lookout at the end of Northstar Trail is technical to get to, but worth it for the views and snack break

Best trails to ride

So what trails should you ride? Fit and experienced riders can get all – or most – of the trails in on one big ride, but if you’re just looking for the cream of the crop, here are (what I consider to be) the best trails at FINS:

Note: FINS isn’t the most beginner-friendly place to ride in Phoenix. The trails are rocky and loose and there are some technical stretches on most of the blues. If you’re a beginner, head over to my post on the Best Beginner-Friendly Mountain Bike Trails in Phoenix.

Intermediate

Harv’s Howl – a short, fun downhill that can easily be lapped by climbing back up Kim’s Climb.
Kimurel’s Hurl – probably the most popular trail at FINS. It says ‘expert-only’, but it’s a solid intermediate trail with some wood bridges, dodgy jumps, and bermed turns.
Muriel’s Mile – A nice cross-country pedal.

Mountain biker riding on wooden ramp on desert trail in Phoenix, Arizona — Kimurel’s Hurl features some wood features and small jumps – the sign says it’s expert, but it’s a solid intermediate trail

Advanced

Exposure Grunt – Split this trail into two sections: the western (switchbacked) section is better as a descent. The eastern (traverse) section is mostly used as a climb to get to the Northstar lookout. The climb is very loose, technical, and challenging.
Northstar – A beautiful ridgeline trail that takes you to a nice lookout.
Boneyard – My favorite trail at FINS. It’s short, but packs a lot in!
Tiki Man – A moderately fun descent with tight switchbacks

Just looking for the best of the best mountain bike trails? Here are my top singletrack trail recommendations around Phoenix.

Mountain biker riding bike down rock slab at Fantasy Island North Singletrack in Phoenix — The rock slab on Boneyard is a fun feature

Route recommendations

As I mentioned above, it’s pretty hard to follow a pre-planned route at FINS. The trails are short and there are a lot of lefts and rights.

That being said, it’s good to have a general idea of what route you’re going to do because a number of the trails are best ridden in one direction.

Below is a good intro to FINS route.

FINS Greatest Hits

This route hits most of the trails at FINS in the proper direction. If you want to make your ride harder/longer, see below on how to add Exposure Grunt and Northstar.

Trail Basics

Skill level: Intermediate
Fitness level: Moderate
Miles: 7.7
Elevation Gain/loss: 810 ft
High point: 1,181 ft
e-bikes allowed? Not sure, but probably
Map: TrailForks

Ride it for:

A bootleg trail network feel
Some of the best west-side riding

Need to know:

You’ll probably get turned around
Harvs Howl & Kimurel’s Hurl are downhill-only

Route directions: FINS Trailhead Parking > Northeast Passage > Muriel’s Mile > Kim’s Climb > Harvs Howl > Joey’s Jaunt > Spent Spade > Mark’s Meander > Exposure Grunt > Kylie’s Cross > Brian’s Brink > Wayne’s World > Rusty Rake > Kimurel’s Hurl > Muriel’s Mile > Boneyard > Tiki Man

Make it shorter: A great way to make this route shorter is to descend down Bluff Trail, which is arguably more fun than completing the full Pemberton Loop

Make it longer and harder: If you’re up for a technical climb on loose sidehill, it is worth taking Exposure Grunt to Northstar.

Woman riding mountain bike up trail at FINS in Phoenix

What to wear & pack

There’s nothing too technical or backcountry at FINS, so you’ll just want to make sure you have your mountain bike pack essentials and enough water for a 2-3 hour ride.

If you’re newer to mountain biking and want some gear recommendations, check out these posts:

Looking for a new helmet?

Protect your precious noggin. If you’re in the market for a new mountain bike helmet, I recommend the Giro Manifest.

At over $250, I get that it’s not the most budget-friendly helmet out there, but after using it for two seasons, I can say that it is the best helmet I’ve tried.

It’s lightweight, has great ventilation, fits well (for me), and is comfortable to wear even on long rides. I barely know that I have it on.

But what about safety? The Manifest is designed with Spherical MIPS technology, which means that it helps prevent injury from rotational forces when you crash (think your head getting rolled around on rocks).

I love it and I think you will, too!

Buy AT Backcountry Buy AT Competitive Cyclist

Homemade wooded trail sign that says "wear a helmet, use your head"

Ready to tackle FINS? I hope this post gives you all the info you need to head out to Goodyear for a fun day at Fantasy Island North Singletrack.

It’s a unique place to ride with a local’s vibe and some fun trails to explore. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Fantasy Island North Singletrack: Mountain Biking at FINS in Phoenix

Where is Fantasy Island North Singletrack?

Where to park

Why Mountain Bike at FINS?

Important things to know