Mountain Biking at McDowell: Phoenix’s Mellow, Meandering Singletrack Mecca
The mountain biking at McDowell Mountain Regional Park in Phoenix is the stereotype of desert riding. It’s fast, it’s flowy, it’s scenic, and…. it’s a bit boring. Sorry! To be honest, the riding here is a touch too cross-country for me, BUT I can see why people love it.
In fact, McDowell is one of the most popular places to mountain bike in Phoenix. Between the infamous Cactus Cup race, numerous weekend races, the uber-popular Pemberton Loop, a great campground, and a little skills park for the groms, there’s a lot to be said about riding here.
While McDowell isn’t my personal favorite zone in Phoenix, I have logged plenty of miles here and have a good sense of what’s worth riding, and what’s not. Here’s my straightforward guide to mountain biking at McDowell Mountain Regional Park.
Quick Tips
For mountain biking at McDowell Mountain Regional Park
TWW Take
Please note that these are my personal opinions – you may argue otherwise! And if so, state your case (politely) in the comments 🙂
Fun-ness Factor
Trail Variety
Average Difficulty
Should You Ride McDowell?
What I like
What I don’t
Planning your McDowell Rides
McDowell Mountain Regional Park is HUGE. With over 21,000 acres and 50 miles of trails, it’s not a small, compact place like some of the other mountain bike networks around Phoenix.
Best trails to hit
As is true with all the trail networks in Phoenix, there are good trails and bad trails. Here are the ‘good’ trails I recommend riding at McDowell Mountain Regional Park:
BEGINNER
- Escondido Trail – a nice, pedaly, scenic beginner-friendly trail
- Bluff – A fun (if slightly pedaly) downhill with stunning views.
- Pemberton – This is a 15+ mile loop that is very popular with cross-country enthusiasts. See route recommendations below
- Sport Loop – One of the race loops. It’s built really well and has a ton of flow.
INTERMEDIATE
- Scenic – A beautiful trail that traverses a ridgeline above the park. It’s rocky in places and has a fun downhill.
- Long Loop – One of the race loops. A bit more chunky and technical than the Sport Loop.
- Tech Loop – One of the race loops. It’s really not very technical aside from some steep, loose climbs.
Tip: The only trail I don’t recommend riding at Hawes is Riverview. It’s annoying.
Route recommendations
- McDowell Gooseneck Loop (beginner) – This loop is a nice beginner-friendly cross-country loop that is a bit more interesting than the Pemberton Loop (see below). I recommend adding Scenic if you’re up for some climbing and a rocky descent.
- Pemberton Loop (beginner+) – The Pemberton Loop is the iconic loop to do at McDowell for cross-country lovers. It’s mostly flat, fast-rolling, and the kind of trail that people (wearing lycra) really lay down the hammer. For me, it = boring, but you may love it!
- Cactus Cup Race Loops (beginner+) – There are three competitive race loops at McDowell: the Sport Loop, Tech Loop, and Long Loop. These tracks are used for many weekend races as well as the infamous Cactus Cup race that takes place in the spring. This route links together all three of the race loops. Just be sure to ride them on a weekend when there isn’t a race!
McDowell Trail Map
McDowell Mountain Regional Park or McDowell Mountain Sonoran Preserve? If you use TrailForks, you’ll see that these trail networks are night next to each other and even link into one another. However, they are not created equal.
- McDowell Mountain Regional Park is what most mountain biker’s ride when the ride ‘McDowell’. It’s where Pemberton Trail is and has the flowiest singletrack
- McDowell Mountain Sonoran Preserve is best left to equestrians and hikers. The trails are chewed up and rough and really not fun to ride. You’ve been warned.
FAQs & Planning Tips
🚗 Getting there: McDowell Mountain Regional Park is located on the east side of Phoenix near the community of Fountain Hills. It butts up against McDowell Sonoran Preserve.
🅿️ Parking: There are several trailheads that you can park at depending on which trails you want to ride (see route recommendations above).
- The Wildhorse parking area is at the start of the Wildhorse climbing trail, which accesses the more downhill-focused trails
- The Bush Highway Parking area is on the west side of the trail network and is a good starting spot for the lower-down trails (that are still equally fun with plenty of descending!)
🎟️ Entrance fee: There is a day-use fee to ride the trails at McDowell Mountain Regional Park. If you’re camping there (see camping info below), the fee is included. But if you’re just planning on riding for the day, it’s $7 per vehicle or $2 if you bike in. The fee can be paid at the main entrance to the park off McDowell Mountain Road.
🗺️ Navigating the trails: The trails at Hawes are well-signed, but there are no maps. I recommend having a mountain bike trail app downloaded to your phone.
💧 Water: There is no water at the trailheads or on the trails. Bring all that you need with you and your pack essentials.
📅 How many days: For the riding itself, I’d say just one… but if you’re camping there (see below), it’s worth spending a few days because the campground is great.
☀️ When to go: Winter (November through March) is ideal for mountain biking in Phoenix.
🚲 What type of bike to bring: A short or mid-travel full-suspension bike would be best.
⚡️ E-bikes: Class 1 pedal-assist bikes are allowed at McDowell.
🏕️ Camping: There is beautiful camping at McDowell, so if you plan on riding here, I recommend booking at least one night. The developed campground has hook-ups and electric, but I prefer staying at the quieter Ironwood Campground. There are bathrooms and water, but you need to go to the main campground for showers. Learn more about McDowell Mountain Regional Park camping.
🏨 Hotels: When I’m in Phoenix and not camping, I prefer to stay in Fountain Hills. It’s close to McDowell as wells as Brown’s Ranch and Hawes, and not too far of a drive from Gold Canyon. Check out these hotels and rentals around Fountain Hills.
Watch a pro rider ride the Race Loops during the Cactus Cup
Need gear recs?
Head over to my gear closet! I’m always testing out new pieces of bike gear and if I really like them, they earn a place on this page.
At the end of the day, McDowell is far from my favorite network to ride in Phoenix. Is it ok? Yes. Is it amazing? I wouldn’t go that far. But that said, a lot of people love it. If you consider yourself a cross-country mountain biker or you’re new to desert singletrack, you may really love it. But if you’re looking for more engaging trails with interesting features, I recommend skipping McDowell and heading over to Hawes, South Mountain, or even Brown’s Ranch.
Have you done any mountain biking at McDowell Mountain Regional Park? What did you think? What questions do you still have? Leave a comment below!
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