A Mountain Biker’s Guide to Tucson, Arizona: Slickrock & Saguaro Country

Tucson Mountain Bike Trail Map

Most of the mountain biking is Tucson is located in the north and west side of the city, although there are networks on the east side as well.

Plan your rides!

1. Ride Among the Saguaros at Sweetwater Preserve

Sweetwater Preserve one of my favorite places to ride in Tucson. It’s a stunning park located on the western edge of Tucson and it’s home to an impressive variety of cacti including saguaro, barrel cactus, ocotillo, chollas, and more. When I rode there in May, many of the cacti were in full bloom, making the desert landscape even more beautiful!

The mountain bike trails at Sweetwater Preserve are on the whole, pretty cross-country. There’s a lot of flow and smooth singletrack and while the pedaling is fairly mellow, there are some sections of chunk and rock gardens to keep things interesting. It’s a great place to rack up some easy miles while enjoying the beautiful desert landscape.

Navigation here is pretty easy thanks to well-marked trails and maps at every intersection (although I still always recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone). Keep in mind that Sweetwater is a popular place for all trail users, so be prepared to share them with hikers, runners, fellow mountain bikers, and even horseback riders.

2. Explore Tucson Mountain Park

Tucson Mountain Park (and the adjoining Enchanted Hills) is one of the most popular place to mountain bike in Tucson. Like Sweetwater, there’s a good mix of trails, but Tucson Mountain Park covers a larger swath of terrain and has even more variety and awesome views.

The thing to know about Tucson Mountain Park, though, is that some trails are definitely best-ridden in one direction. I’ve suffered my way up trails are meant to be downhills and it wasn’t fun… Use my route recommendations in my Tucson Mountain Park guide or Tucson MTB Itinerary to avoid hike-a-biking up Explorer or missing out on the fun descent down Mockingbird.

It’s also worth noting that the far northwest trails (the network of ‘green’ trails on TrailForks) aren’t really worth riding. They’re sandy and best left for the equestrians.

3. Find Your XC Flow at Honeybee Canyon Ranch

Honeybee Canyon Ranch is a large network of (mostly) fast-rolling, smooth desert singletrack. If you visit in the spring and you’re lucky, it’s a great place to see tons of wildflowers in full bloom. There’s also some petroglyphs hidden among the rocks if you know where to look.

Honeybee isn’t the most interesting or engaging place to ride in Tucson, but it’s a good place for newer mountain bikers, family, or those who enjoy laying down the miles on fast, smooth singletrack.

4. Get Rowdy at Catalina State Park & the 50-Year Trail

If you like technical riding and unique rock features, you’re in for a treat at Catalina State Park. Situated at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains, this network is one of the more popular areas for Tucson mountain biking. It’s also one of the most challenging. Expect a bit of hike-a-biking, punchy climbs, technical features, and tight corners. But there’s also super fun descents and plenty of alt-lines to play around on and work on your slow-speed skills.

50-Year Trail is the trail to do here. It’s one of the most iconic trails in Tucson. It’s not an easy ride, but it’s super unique with cool rock features and masterful routing. It’s a must for anyone visiting Tucson to ride. That being said, you can seriously hurt yourself here, so always scope your lines and walk if you’re not feeling it.

Navigation can be tricky since the trails at Catalina aren’t well marked, so a GPS app like TrailForks or MTB Project is essential.

5. Enjoy a backcountry feel at Marana Trails

The Marana Trails are located north of Tucson and offer amazing views out over the city and surrounding mountain ranges. The area is kind of out in the middle of nowhere, except that the trailhead is randomly situated within the gates of the Ritz-Carlton (there’s a free public trail access parking area).

There aren’t many mountain bike trails here, but if you have the stamina and patience, I highly recommend doing the Tour de Tortolitas route. I think it’s one of the most beautiful rides in Tucson and has a special backcountry feel. However, there is a nasty hike-a-bike at the start of this lollipop loop, so be prepared for that!

6. Get your XC on at McKenzie Ranch

McKenzie Ranch is the ultimate new-school cross-country trail network in Tucson. It’s a mountain bike competition course and there is no tech – literally. It’s all smooth, buff trail with great flow. It has some fun, fast downhills, mellow climbs, and great views of the desert and surrounding mountains. It’s built for mountain bikers and is very well-marked with maps at each intersection.

Two loops make up McKenzie Ranch: the Lozen Loop and the Daheste Loop and they are both directional, so you need to ride them clockwise. You can combine them to make one big 9.7-mile loop, which is what I did when I rode there. If you only want to do one loop, I thought the Lozen Loop is the better of the two.

Also, as I mentioned above, this is a racecourse so it might be smart to avoid it on weekends, or else you may drive all the way out there and not be able to ride.

7. Fantasy Island Fun

Fantasy Island is a small network of trails on the southeast side of the city and it’s a great place for entry-level mountain bikers or families. I haven’t (yet) biked at Fantasy Island (there’s so much mountain biking to cover in Tucson!), but I have heard that it is made up of pretty mellow cross-country terrain with well-signed trails and not a lot (or even any) tech. But what it’s missing in features it makes up for with fun whoops and rollercoaster-like terrain.

The trails are well marked – most with fun and funky trail art and trail signs – and there is one main loop with several optional side loops.

The loops at Fantasy Island are one-way, so be sure you follow the signs.

8. Vail Vortex & Colossal Cave

The Colossal Cave/Vail Vortex trail network, located southeast of Tucson, is definitely worth checking out if you’ve already explored the city’s more popular trail systems like Sweetwater, Tucson Mountain Park, and Catalina. I liked it for its quieter vibe compared to the busier networks.

The lower trails are classic cross-country riding with fast-rolling singletrack that weaves through ‘groves’ of prickly pear cacti and other iconic desert vegetation.

For a real treat, though, head over to the Colossal Cave section of the Arizona Trail (AZT). This stretch is stunning, with beautiful singletrack winding through a narrow canyon that feels like a hidden desert gem. But keep an eye out for some wheel-stopping rocks—there are a few tricky sections that require careful line choice!

9. Downhill action on Mt. Lemmon

Mt. Lemmon, towering at 9,159 feet, is the highest peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains and home to some of the most technical and rowdy mountain biking in Tucson. The first time I rode Mt. Lemmon, I was a bit taken aback by how hard it was compared to Tucson’s other trail networks. This is not the place for casual cross-country desert riders! Mt. Lemmon demands your full attention with its challenging rock gardens, hike-a-bike sections, and steep, technical climbs.

One of the most iconic rides to do in Tucson (for very advanced riders) is The Full Lemmon Drop. It’s a full-day endeavor with very technical riding and some guaranteed type 2 fun moments. I was worked after the first time I did it! If you don’t want to commit to that epic of a day, the route below is a good intro to the riding on Mt. Lemmon.