Discover the best Tucson mountain biking. From flowy singletrack to epic backcountry rides, there is outdoor adventure for every rider.
Many people know Tucson for Saguaro National Park, great Mexican food, and a quirky southwestern vibe, but it’s also home to some great desert riding. Tucson mountain biking might not be as popular (or truthfully, as good…) as Phoenix and Sedona to the north, but the singletrack is definitely worth checking out if you find yourself on an Arizona road trip.
I’ve ridden in Tucson a handful of times now and I’ll happily return for many more trips. The trails cater to a variety of riders from flowy desert singletrack to gnarly downhill descents, epic backcountry rides, and lots of technical climbs to hone your trials skills.
The mountain biking is spread out around the city and each trail network has its own personality and uniqueness. To help you plan your trip and navigate the trails, I’ve put together this guide of what to expect and where to ride on your Tucson mountain biking adventure.
Why Plan a Mountain Bike Trip to Tucson?
Mountain biking in Tucson is a pretty unique experience. You can get the best of both worlds of long cross-country pedals as well as big, technical downhill descents and everything in between. There is a ton of variety and trails to explore. Here are a few of my top reasons to plan a mountain bike getaway to Tucson:
Where To Ride & Route Recommendations
One of the hardest parts of planning a mountain bike trip is knowing where and what to ride. To help take the guesswork out of planning your trip, here are the best trail networks to explore in Tucson as well as some route recommendations.
Note: I use TrailForks for my recommended routes. It’s free on desktop or $30-something per year for the app. If you are a mountain biker and ride places outside your home trails, you should have TrailForks on your phone.
Tucson Mountain Biking Map
1. Sweetwater Preserve
Ride it for:
- Tons of saguaro cacti
- Can ride most of the trails in one day
- Beautiful desert terrain
- Fun descent down Desperado
Need to know:
- It gets busy, especially on weekends
- Watch out for hikers and trail runners
Sweetwater Preserve is a beautiful park on the western edge of Tucson. It’s home to lots of different cacti species including saguaro, barrel cactus, ocotillo, chollas, and more. Many were blooming when I rode in May, making the landscape even more spectacular!
Most of the mountain bike trails at Sweetwater Preserve have great flow (the descent down Desperado is a must!) and the pedaling is, for the most part, pretty casual. But that being said, there is some chunk and rock gardens to keep you on your toes. The two hardest trails are Wildflower Ridge and Lost Arrow, both of which have rocky sections that may need to be walked.
There is minimal sustained elevation gain/loss throughout the park, so it’s a great place to get a lot of miles in. The trails are also very well marked with maps at each intersection, so it’s easy to navigate (but I still recommend having TrailForks downloaded to your phone).
Lastly, Sweetwater is a popular area, so expect hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and even equestrians.
Just looking for the best of the best? Check out my top picks for the best mountain bike trails in Tucson.
2. Tucson Mountain Park
Ride it for:
- Awesome views
- Some of the best singletrack in Tucson
- Good mix of tech and flow
Need to know:
- Have a ride plan and know where you parked. It’s easy to get into a very big day here
- Some trails are best ridden in one direction – see route recs above
Tucson Mountain Park (and the adjoining Enchanted Hills) is probably the most popular place to mountain bike in Tucson. Like Sweetwater, there’s a good variety 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. Use my route recommendations above 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.
Need Help Planning Your Trip?
I’d love to chat about your Tucson mountain bike adventure! Click the link below to set up a trip-planning session.
3. Catalina State Park & the 50-Year Trail
Ride it for:
- Unique slickrock riding
- Rock tech
- Amazing views
Need to know:
- Know what you’re getting into. 50-Year is a challenging trail
- Scope your line before you send and don’t be afraid to walk
Catalina State Park and the 50-Year Trail make up a stunning network at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains. Unlike Tucson’s other trail networks, this area is characterized by lots of boulders and slickrock. It’s one of the more popular areas in Tucson for mountain bikers and it’s also one of the most challenging. You can seriously hurt yourself here, so always scope your lines and walk if you’re not feeling it. That being said, Catalina is one of my favorite places to ride in Tucson if I’m looking for a challenge.
The trails at Catalina are not well marked at all with signs, so you need some sort of GPS app like TrailForks or MTB Project. You can also expect some hike-a-biking, but the descents are worth it and there are tons of alt-lines to session if you want to work on your trials and slow-speed skills.
4. Marana Trails
Ride it for:
- One of the most beautiful routes in Tucson (IMO)
- Ridgeline trail!
Need to know:
- There is a serious hike-a-bike at the start
- There are no options to bail once you’re back in the valley. Bring everything you need
- Skip Wild Mustang if you’re tired
The Marana Trails are located north of Tucson and offer amazing views out over the city and surrounding mountain ranges. This area is kind of out in the middle of nowhere, except the trailhead is situated within the gates of the Ritz-Carlton (there’s a public trail access parking area).
There aren’t many mountain bike trails here, but if you have the stamina and patience to do the Tour de Tortolitas route that I’ve recommended. I think it’s one of the most beautiful areas for riding around Tucson. HOWEVER, there is a nasty hike-a-bike at the start of this lollipop loop, so be aware of that.
Tour de Tortollias
This is a tough ride and definitely not for everyone. Don’t attempt it in warmer months because it could be dangerous due to the heat. All that being said, the route traverses through one of the most beautiful and remote rides around Tucson and it’s one of my favorite rides.
The loop starts with a mellow pedal up Wild Burro and then you get into a serious hike-a-bike up Alamo Springs. I’m not sure even the 1% of pro riders could do it. (Make sure you take the hike-a-bike trail on the right of the canyon, not the left).
After the hike-a-bike, there’s still a bit more climbing, but at least it’s rideable. The loop around upper Wild Burro and Ridgeline is some of the best singletrack in Tucson with amazing desert views and a lookout over the city followed by a ripping descent.
You can finish your ride by hiking back down the Alamo Springs hike-a-bike section or continue on to Wild Mustang. The climb up to the top of Wild Mustang is burly and awful, but then you get into a technical descent with a bit of everything including lots of expert rock features and some flow. If you’re feeling worked after Ridgeline, consider taking the hike-a-bike back down or else Wild Mustang isn’t going to be enjoyable.
Have TrailForks or MTB Project downloaded to your phone and bring at least 3L of water as this area is very remote!
5. McKenzie Ranch
Ride it for:
- Fast rolling, cross-country riding
- Rest day option
- Great for kids or newer riders
Need to know:
- Some mountain bikers might find it boring
- Check to see if there is a race going on
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.
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 the route I recommend above. If you only want to do one loop, I thought the Lozen Loop is the better of the two.
McKenzie Ranch is very cross-country with 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.
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.
6. Fantasy Island
Ride it for:
- Fun trail art and trail signs
- Rollercoaster-like whoops
- Quick access from downtown Tucson
- Fast-rolling desert singletrack
Need to know:
- There is very little tech
- Fantasy Island can get very busy
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.
7. Vail Vortex/Colossal Cave
Ride it for:
- Experience a section of the Arizona Trail
- AZT-Colossal Cave is through a beautiful canyon
- Easy, fast-rolling desert singletrack on the lower trails
Need to know:
- Watch out for hikers, especially on the AZT
- There are some wheel-stopper rocks on the AZT-Colossal Cave section
The Colossal Cave/Vail Vortex trail network southeast of Tucson is worth heading out to if you’ve already ridden the more popular trail networks in Tucson (namely Sweetwater, Tucson Mountain Park, and Catalina).
The lower trails are very cross-country with fast-rolling singletrack through ‘groves’ of prickly pear cacti and other desert vegetation.
If you head out to the Colossal Cave section of the AZT, you’re in for a treat! It’s a beautiful stretch of singletrack, some of it through a beautiful narrow canyon. Watch out for wheel-stopping rocks, though – there are a few sections that are tricky (but doable for any intermediate rider).
8. Mt. Lemmon
Ride it for:
- Very technical singletrack
- Awesome views
- Cooler temps in the summer
Need to know:
- The trails on Mt. Lemmon are the most technical in Tucson
- Watch out for hikers
- Know what you’re getting into if you attempt the Full Lemmon Drop
Mt. Lemmon is the highest peak in the Santa Catalina Mountains at 9,159 feet. It’s also home to the most technical and rowdy mountain biking in Tucson. Most people shuttle Mt. Lemmon, but you can access the trails by riding up General Hitchcock Road, which does have a nice wide shoulder.
Mt. Lemmon is not for the cross-country desert rider. Expect challenging rock gardens, hike-a-bikes, and steep, technical climbs. But you’ll also get rewarded with incredible views out over the city and (short) sections of awesome flow.
One of the most iconic rides to do in Tucson (for very advanced riders) is The Full Lemmon Drop. If you don’t want to commit to that epic of a day, the route above is a good intro to the riding on Mt. Lemmon.
Planning Tips & Resources
Planning a mountain biking trip to Tucson? Here are a few tips and resources to help you make the most of your southern Arizona getaway.
First time riding in the desert? Check out my tips for surviving your first mountain bike trip to the desert.
Best Time Of Year To ride in Tucson
The best time to mountain bike in Tucson is the late fall through winter and early spring. I’ve visited in May, November, and February. November and February were perfect while May was already getting too hot for mid-day rides.
Tucson can actually get snow in the winter, so if you want to ride the trails on Mt. Lemmon, be sure to check the forecast.
Where to stay or camp
Tucson Camping
There are a few campgrounds around Tucson. Catalina State Park Campground is probably the most developed and it’s close to the 50 Year Trail. Book ahead of time, though, because it fills up fast.
You can also purchase a $15 Arizona State Trust Land Permit to camp on any Arizona State Trust Land for five consecutive days. I like to use the AllStays Camp & RV app to find dispersed campsites.
Got an RV or a Van?
Find the best and most unique campsites! I’ve been using Harvest Hosts & Boondockers Welcome for a while now and it’s one of my favorite resources for finding cool camping spots around the country.
Harvest Hosts connects RVers and Van Lifers to small businesses like wineries, breweries, and farms that have parking spaces. The idea is that you purchase something in exchange for a place to spend the night.
Boondockers Welcome is a network of generous homeowners that open their driveways and fields to fellow travelers for no fee at all!
Get 30% off Harvest Hosts + Boondockers Welcome when you use the link below to sign up.
Mountain biker-friendly Hotels
If you prefer to stay in a hotel, The Tuxon is a good choice for mountain bikers. It has secure bike storage for your bikes plus complimentary cruisers if you want to take a spin on the nearby Loop trail (see below).
The Tuxon is also located near Tucson Mountain Park and Highway 10 so you can easily get to other mountain bike networks.
Book Accommodations & Campsites
Use these affiliate links when booking your accommodations – it helps me keep Two Wheeled Wanderer running. Thanks for your support!
- HipCamp – Find some cool camping/glamping spots. Use the code BECKYT315233 to get $10 off your first booking.
- Booking.com – If you prefer to stay in a hotel
- Hotels.com – Another hotel listing site
- Expedia.com – Can also book cars and flights
- VRBO – For unique home rentals
- TrustedHousesitters – My favorite way to travel!
- Harvest Hosts – Stay at cool venues around the US like wineries, breweries, farms, etc…
What to pack for your Tucson Mountain Bike Trip
For a complete list of what mountain bike gear to pack for your trip to Tucson, head over to my Complete Mountain Bike Trip Packing List and Mountain Bike Pack Essentials posts.
A few specific things to pack for a mountain bike trip to Tucson are:
Read next
Planning a trip to Arizona? Check out these other mountain bike destinations:
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Have you mountain biked in Tucson? What are your favorite trails or routes? Let me know in the comments below!
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I can attest that bikers and hikers will enjoy Tucson Mountain Park. It\’s scenic and the trails range from rather mellow to a technical challenge. Just bring a sense of humor about occasionally wrecking into a cactus patch (and tweezers, like you recommend). Surprisingly, brief sections of Fantasy Island are more technically challenging than what one may expect. Because some of these sections come up with basically no warning, it\’s the closest I\’ve ever come to wetting my pants on a bike ride. Tortolita Mountain Park was my personal favorite; feels so remote. If you go back to Tucson, I recommend exploring Redington Pass. I\’ve never had a bad encounter with e.g. someone driving an ATV or a motorcycle. Fair warning though — I\’ve seen more scary snakes here than elsewhere in the Tucson area.
Thanks for those insights, Michael! I definitely plan on heading back to Tucson – there’s so much great riding there 🙂