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 is not exactly my cup of tea, I have done a handful of rides to explore the trails and terrain and in this post, I share everything you need to know to plan your McDowell mountain biking adventure.
Let’s dive in!
Getting to McDowell
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.
McDowell Mountain Regional Park vs. McDowell Sonoran Preserve. Even though these two parks are basically a continuous parcel of protected land, there is one key difference:
McDowell Mountain Regional Park requires a fee to park at and bike in while McDowell Sonoran Preserve is free.
Another key difference is that the biking in McDowell Sonoran Preserve is not as good. The trails are very rocky, very old-school, and not very fun. I recommend sticking to McDowell Mountain Regional Park for your two-wheeled endeavors.
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.
Where to park
There are a number of places to park to start your rides in McDowell, but the main entrance – and the entrance that accesses the best trails – is off of McDowell Mountain Road.
McDowell Mountain Regional Park fees
There is a day-use fee to enjoy 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.
Can’t I just bike in on one of the trails? Yes, you can. There are a number of spur trails that access the Park from the neighborhoods surrounding it. However, parking can be tricky and the whole point of an entrance fee is so that there is money available to take care of the trails that you are riding on. $7 is not a lot of money.
Why Mountain Bike at McDowell?
The mountain biking at McDowell Mountain Regional Park is the epitome of cross-country desert riding. If that’s your thing, you’ll love it. As I mentioned in the intro, desert cross-country riding isn’t really my cup of tea, so I didn’t love it, but I can appreciate it.
Here are a few reasons to head out to McDowell for a ride:
Important things to know
Before heading out to McDowell to ride your bike, there are a few things to take into consideration. Here’s what you need to know
- Trail traffic, especially on weekends. McDowell is a popular place for all trail users including mountain bikers, hikers, and horseback riders.
- e-bikes are allowed. Up to Class 1 pedal assist
- It’s easy to bite off more than you can chew. The miles at McDowell rack up quickly. Before you know it you could be 10 miles from where you parked. Have a route plan and don’t bite off more than you can chew.
- The Race Loops and the Pemberton Loop are the best. Outside of these routes, the trails get less and less ‘fun’. (I guess that’s subjective, but I think most people would agree with me).
Best Trails to Ride
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.
Just looking for the best of the best mountain bike trails? Here are my top singletrack trail recommendations around Phoenix.
Route Recommendations
Alright, time to ride! Here are three route recommendations for McDowell.
McDowell Gooseneck Loop
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.
Ride it for:
- Desert views
- Cross-country terrain
Need to know:
- There is no water along the trail
- Yield to equestrians
Route directions: Start from Ironwood Campground or Trailhead Staging Area Parking > Pemberton (NE) > Gooseneck Trail > Red Knob > Bluff > Pemberton (E) > Optional: Scenic (clockwise)
Make it longer: Add Scenic on at the end, riding it clockwise. There is a bit of a climb and the trail gets pretty rocky, but the views are awesome and there’s a fun downhill back down.
Make it shorter: You can make the loop shorter by cutting it in half via Lariat Trail to Granite.
Pemberton Loop
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!
Ride it for:
- Desert views
- Cross-country terrain
Need to know:
- There is no water along the trail
- Yield to equestrians
Route directions: Trailhead Staging Area Parking > Pemberton Loop (it’s well-signed)
Make it longer: Add Scenic on at the end, riding it clockwise. There is a bit of a climb and the trail gets pretty rocky, but the views are awesome and there’s a fun downhill back down.
Cactus Cup Race Loops
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!
Ride it for:
- Fun, flowy trails
- To see the ‘race tracks’
Need to know:
- People ride these loops for training, so you may get told to get out of the way
- The loops are directional – counterclockwise
Route directions: Competitive Track Trailhead > Sport Loop > Tech Loop > Long Loop
Make it shorter: All the loops lead back to the trailhead parking, so you can choose to do them all or only one or two. The most fun is probably the Sport Loop.
Watch a pro rider ride the Race Loops during the Cactus Cup
What to Wear & Pack
The mountain biking at McDowell is very mellow and chill compared to some other networks and trails around Phoenix.
The biggest thing to remember is that there is no water out on the trails, so you should have a hydration pack filled with at least 2-3 L of water.
Other things that would be good to pack are:
- Mountain bike snacks
- Your mountain bike pack essentials
- Appropriate desert mountain bike clothes
- A good pair of sunglasses (I love my Smith Shift Split MAGs with photochromatic lenses)
- Sunscreen
Camping at McDowell
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.
When to go
I highly, HIGHLY recommend planning your mountain bike trip to McDowell (and Phoenix) during the cooler winter months.
December through February are my ideal times to visit because the temps are in the 50s and 60s and the sun is still shining.
You can get away with late fall and early spring, but you might still experience hot days, so just be prepared with plenty of water.
I DO NOT recommend trying to mountain bike in Phoenix during the summer unless you plan on getting up a 5am to start your ride.
And that wraps it up! I hope you have all the information and tips you need to plan a mountain bike ride at McDowell.
If you like cross-country riding, you’ll really love these trails. If you don’t, I recommend heading to one of the more advanced trail networks like Hawes or South Mountain.
Enjoy your ride!
Read next
Planning a mountain bike trip to Phoenix? Use these guides to make sure you have maximum fun (and not type two fun) out on the trails:
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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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