National: Phoenix’s Most Iconic Mountain Bike Trail

Mountain biker riding down rocky desert trail in Arizona with cacti and shrubs lining trail

I’ve ridden National Trail on South Mountain in Phoenix several times now and every time I ride, I’m reminded why I love it so much. It’s the mountain bikers goodie bag of challenging tech, playful flow, great views, and puzzle piece features that will make you want to keep coming back to try solve (for me, riding UP the waterfall will never happen).

Not everyone will love National Trail – just read the comments of this post – but for me, it’s one of my favorite must-rides in Phoenix. But there are a few things you need to know before tackling it— most notably which section of National trail to hit.

Ready to take on Phoenix’s most iconic trail? Here’s everything you need to know about mountain biking National.

National Trail at a Glance

Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Distance: The FULL National Trail is 12-miles one-way and spans the ridge of South Mountain. However, the section of National that most mountain bikers ride is the eastern-most 3-mile stretch.
High point: 2,500 feet
E-bikes allowed? Yes

Mountain biker riding bike down rock roller on National Trail in Phoenix with beautiful views out over desert landscape

Should you ride National Trail?

What I like

Really fun and playful natural rock features.
Great views out over Phoenix.
Super fast and flowy stretches.
Lots of tricky tech that will test and improve your skills.

What I don’t

The climb is a bit brutal.
It gets really busy, especially on weekends.
You’ll probably get frustrated.

Quick Tips

For riding National Trail in Phoenix

The climb is tough. Pace yourself and walk if you need to.
Expect trail traffic and avoid on the weekends if you can. Remember, hikers have right of way.
Stop and session features! The tech on this trail is one reason I love it. Stop and try different lines — this is how you get better.
Watch for alt-lines. There are so many ‘sneaker’ lines on National. Scope them out on your way up and try to remember where they are on the way down.
The full National trail isn’t worth it (IMO). You’d think the other 11 miles would be great, but it really isn’t…

TWW Take

Please note that these are my personal opinions – you may argue otherwaaaaise! And if so, state your case (politely) in the comments 🙂

Fun-ness Factor

Trail Variety

Average Difficulty

Be a responsible mountain biker: On one of my rides on National, a group of mountain bikers came bombing down the trail as I was pedaling up, scattering (and scaring) hikers and other trail users. Do not be these mountain bikers. This is not the trail to go for KOM/QOMs on. Practice good trail etiquette and be kind and courteous to other people on the trail.

Preparing for your National Trail ride

How to ride it – SoMo Rollingpin

The best route (in my opinion) for riding National Trail is the ‘Mormon Loop’ (aka the SoMo Rolling Pin). You can do National as an out-and-back (i.e. don’t include Mormon), but the initial climb on National is super steep, loose, and rocky. Mormon has a mellower grade (but don’t expect it to be easy) and just offers something a bit different. I like loops.

Where to park

There’s a large parking lot with water fountains and bathrooms at Pima Canyon (slightly different from where the Somo Rollingpin Route starts). Or you can park at Beverly Canyon, but there are no services.

Tip: Most mountain bikers only ride the easternmost 3-miles of National Trail. I’ve ridden portions of the rest of the ridge and, personally, didn’t think it was worth it. The whole trail is also best-ridden east to west, which means you miss the best descent down.

Route Map

View on TrailForks

Woman riding mountain bike down rock feature on National Trail South Mountain in Phoenix — The Waterfall – arguably the hardest feature on National

Trail Breakdown

Javelina Canyon or Dirt Road

Depending on where you park, you’ll either pedal up Javelina Canyon, a mellow blue-rated singletrack trail or up the doubletrack dirt road leading from the Pima Canyon parking. Either one is pretty chill, but I usually park at Pima Canyon just because that’s what I’ve always done and there are bathrooms and water fountains. If you want the ‘most fun’ way, Javelina Canyon is probably the better option.

Javelina Canyon (old Mormon section)

Hopefully your legs are warmed up because now it’s time to climb! The pedal up Mormon (I don’t know why they renamed it to Javelina Canyon) is pretty brutal, to be honest. Kudos to you if you clean the whole thing. But I promise, the descent down National is worth it.

Mountain biker riding bike over large rock roller on National Trail, South Mountain in Phoenix

National (the climb)

After you’ve reached the top of Mormon (yay you!), enjoy the views and then turn left onto the Javelina Canyon to National Connector. This is a short downhill and then you’ll be climbing again on National. But aside from a few punchy features and the waterfall section (which, unless you’re Jeff Lenosky, is impossible to climb), it’s not quite as bad of a climb as Mormon.

Once you reach the top (you’ll know), enjoy a snack before bombing back down!

National (the descent)

Now for the reward! The initial descent from the top is fast, flowy, and fun. Enjoy it because there’s some tech coming up that will either have you walking or taking a few attempts to clean. The waterfall, which you already came up, is probably the most technical feature, but there are some other surprises thrown in. Also, keep your eye out for alt-lines — like The Whole Enchilada in Moab, there are some sneaky ways to make National even more interesting.

Mountain biker standing on rocky trail in the desert with bike upside down on rocks after a crash — Some lines on National are tricky! National is a challenging trail, but it’s a fun trail to session features and lines

Female mountain biker on National Trail in Phoenix, Arizona about to roll down a steep and rocky section of trail — Have you ridden the Waterfall?

FAQs for riding National Trail

Got questions? I’ve got answers! Here are some helpful tips for planning your ride:

Yes, e-bikes are allowed on National Trail.

I’d give yourself 2-3 hours to do the SoMo Rollingpin route I recommend above.

Not really… Definitely not easier and if you try to make it shorter, you miss out on some of the best riding.

If you want to do an mellow ride at South Mountain, I recommend Desert Classic, which also starts from the Pima Canyon Trailhead.

It’s definitely a solid black-rated trail. There are fast, flowy sections, but there are also expert features – and one really expert feature, the waterfall – that less experienced riders will need to walk.

The climb to the top is also relatively steep and takes more than a little effort and skill, so keep that in mind before setting off as well.

All that being said, if you like a challenge and you’re up for a hefty climb, give National a go! A lot of people ride this trail knowing they will session features, which is how you get better 🙂

There are water fountains at the Pima Canyon Trailhead.

National Trail is one of the most popular trails in the city for its views and great riding. It is multi-use meaning that hikers and runners utilize it as well. As such, National can get crazy on the weekends. If you have the option, try to hit it on a weekday when most of Phoenix is stuck behind a desk.

As for the best time of year to ride National, it’s optimal during the winter or shoulder months when temperatures are cool. Summer can get really hot and I don’t recommend attempting to climb up National at the peak of summer unless you start before daylight.

Not really. I recommend having TrailForks or MTB Project downloaded to your phone.

Yes, there’s good cell service on South Mountain.

Any mid-travel full-suspension mountain bike is a great choice for National. I recommend something with 140-150mm of rear suspension travel.

If you’ve looked at a map of National Trail, you’ve probably noticed that the full trail spans the length of South Mountain from west to east for 15 miles.

You might be thinking, “Cool! More fun!” But in actuality, it’s really only the easternmost 3-mile section of National Trail that most mountain bikers ride. The rest of the trail is rocky, very technical, and better left to hikers unless you’re up for an epically long day – mentally and physically.

Don’t believe me? I rode a loop of National Trail by pedaling out Desert Classic, hike-a-biking up Telegraph Pass trail, and then riding National Trail east from the top of Telegraph Pass. It wasn’t worth it. There was a lot of pushing my bike and cursing. The rest of National Trail South Mountain is a hiking trail, not a mountain biking trail.

I don’t shoot video, but here’s an edit by TrailSage of his ride on South Mountain

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.

See my gear favorites

National Trail on South Mountain is one of the most iconic rides to do and one of my favorites in Phoenix. It’s beautiful, challenging, and a really great trail for experienced riders or adventurous intermediates.

I hope this post helps inspire your first ride down the National on South Mountain. It’s one that you can ride again and again without getting bored!

Have you ridden the National Trail on South Mountain? What did you think? Leave a comment below!

7 Comments

Johnny G says:

February 6, 2022 at 8:06 am

Thanks for taking time to write this, it’s much appreciated! I have been otb so much I think it’s my thing! I have ridden the National from the ranger trail west and out and it was a great downhill experience- if we park a tandem car at the far west end- and start at Pima on the Far East end is it a good ride?

1. Becky Timbers says:
  
  February 6, 2022 at 8:36 am
  
  If you start at Pima in the east and end in the west, you’ll be climbing the most popular descent (which it sounds like you’ve already done). I haven’t ridden the full National Trail, but I do know that it’s pretty rugged and not at all like the 3-mile easternmost section. If you go for it let me know how it rides!
  
  1. James Hauser says:
    
    September 6, 2024 at 4:24 pm
    
    i have rode the national from end to end and i never ride up mormon. and unlike what you have said all of national is ridable
    
    1. Becky Timbers says:
      
      September 7, 2024 at 9:07 am
      
      Sorry, but guaranteed you didn’t ride all of National unless you’re a pro trials rider. There are several hike-a-bike sections. If you’re looking for the best and most fun riding, pedaling up Mormon and descending down the east side of National is the way to go.
      
Will says:

July 5, 2021 at 11:54 pm

What kind of bike would you recommend for the National Trail? I’m going to ride it a couple of days with demos from Pivot. Will a full suspension trail bike work or do you need a more enduro bike? I don’t want to make the climb too hard on myself if it’s not necessary. I’m not planning on bombing it. I’m an intermediate rider who hasn’t mastered big jumps, drops, and features yet.

Erich Wissinger says:

July 5, 2021 at 11:52 pm

I recommend not riding this trail at all way to busy and not fun mostly hike a bike.

1. Becky Timbers says:
  
  July 6, 2021 at 12:12 am
  
  It’s definitely not for everyone! Those technical sections are tricky the first time around. It also does get quite busy on the weekends, so best ridden during the week. All that being said, National is one of my favorite trails! If you’re looking for more riding in Phoenix, Brown’s Ranch is super fun and more cross-country.

National: Phoenix’s Most Iconic Mountain Bike Trail

National Trail at a Glance