Dawn to Dusk Arizona is 12 hours of mountain biking on some of the most enjoyable desert singletrack in the Phoenix area. Held at McDowell Mountain Regional Park outside Scottsdale, the race uses much of the Pemberton Trail system on a 16+ mile loop with less than 1,000 feet of climbing per lap.

The course is approachable enough for newer mountain bikers but still plenty of fun for experienced racers. Each lap begins with a gradual climb before working through Cinch, Scenic and Pemberton Trails, then dropping onto Bluff and Granite and eventually returning to the Four Peaks Staging Area. The reward is a fast, fun finish and expansive views of the Sonoran Desert throughout the course.

What makes Dawn to Dusk especially appealing is that you can decide just how much suffering you want. Race it solo for the full 12 hours, grab a partner and race as a duo, or put together a team of three or four and turn it into an all-day mountain bike party. There are junior, age-group, single-speed, male, female and coed categories, along with a corporate division for teams of up to seven riders.

Whether you’re chasing laps, trying your first endurance mountain bike race, or spending the day trading laps with friends, Dawn to Dusk combines a great course, beautiful desert scenery and the camaraderie that makes endurance mountain bike events so much fun.