Tag Archives: Mountain Bike

Sonoran Shred XC

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The Arizona XC Championships come to Southern Arizona on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with the Sonoran Shred at McKenzie Ranch Race Course in Vail. This purpose-built mountain bike venue sits within a 1,700-acre Pima County natural open-space park, with more than 99% of the property remaining natural desert. It was Southern Arizona’s first park built with a dedicated competitive mountain bike loop.

McKenzie Ranch is also a beautiful place to race. Sitting in the foothills of the southern Rincon Mountains, the ranch lies in a transition zone between the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts, creating a landscape a little different from what riders see closer to Tucson. The rolling grass-and-desert terrain includes mesquite, acacia, prickly pear, cholla and stands of ocotillo that can put on a spectacular show when conditions bring them into bloom. Keep your eyes open beyond the racers, too. This is wild desert country, where birds, rabbits and other desert wildlife are part of the surroundings.

The main XC race uses the Lozen Loop, a smooth and fast 6.6-mile lap with approximately 494 feet of climbing. Rather than being dominated by highly technical rock features, McKenzie Ranch is known for flowing singletrack, rolling terrain, gradual climbs, fast descents and sweeping turns. The XCC short-track race uses a compact 2.1-mile combination of Lozen Link and Lozen Loop, creating an even faster style of racing.

This is also a great race for spectators. Unlike many mountain bike races where riders disappear into the mountains for long stretches, the compact, looping nature of McKenzie Ranch gives spectators opportunities to see racers multiple times. Come out, walk around, find a good viewing spot, cheer loudly and bring a cowbell. The short-track racing should be especially fun to watch, with riders coming through frequently and positions changing quickly.

Whether you’re racing for an Arizona championship or just coming out to watch, the Sonoran Shred is a chance to experience competitive mountain biking in a venue built specifically for it, surrounded by the open desert and mountain views that make riding in Southern Arizona special.

xc

 

Prickly Pedal on the Maricopa Trail

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Get in a heart-pumping, rip-roaring ride through the desert terrain of the Maricopa Trail beginning in Cave Creek, AZ and finishing at Lake Pleasant in Peoria, AZ. Not ready for the Full ‘Pedal’? Try out the 15 mile, Half Pedal, ‘sprint’ distance.

MTB not your ride? We have a 10 mile trail run for all of you runners out there. The out and back course starts and finishes at the lake and takes you on a fun, rolling journey to Pipeline Cove and back.

Proceeds from the race help support the Maricopa Trail & Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, promoting, developing, and maintaining one of the nation’s largest county park systems. Their mission is to ensure that Maricopa County’s trails and parks remain accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable for all visitors.

There is also a run option.

Course Summary

The 10 mile run takes place on rugged, single track trail with significant challenging climbs, incredible views, steep descents and desert vegetation. The course offers a challenging but rewarding experience for all, from the beginning trail runner to the most experience

The Tusayan Tussle – Arizona Endurance Series

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The Tusayan Tussle

The Grand Canyon Stagecoach Line is a true backcountry Arizona adventure, starting in Tusayan just outside the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Choose between a 60-mile or 94-mile route, combining remote Forest Service roads, doubletrack and miles of the Arizona Trail through the high-country forests surrounding the Grand Canyon.

The 60-mile loop follows fun doubletrack to the historic Moqui Stage Stop before picking up the Arizona Trail for the ride back to Tusayan. It’s an epic route without requiring an epic-race résumé.

Want the bigger day? The 94-mile route includes roughly 40 miles of nearly traffic-free Forest Service roads before returning on the Arizona Trail. Near the end, riders reach Grandview Lookout, where those willing to climb the tower earn spectacular views and a time bonus. Take a selfie at the top for proof. Afraid of heights? The climb is optional.

Like other Arizona Endurance Series (AES) events, this is a fully self-supported ride. Riders need to carry what they need and be prepared to filter water if necessary. This isn’t an organized tour with aid stations every few miles. Self-sufficiency is part of the adventure.

Remote dirt roads, the Arizona Trail, high-country forest, virtually no traffic and the Grand Canyon just down the road. If your idea of a good ride involves a little adventure and a lot of Arizona, this belongs on the list.

August 29, 2026 | Tusayan, Arizona
60 Miles: 7:00 a.m.
94 Miles: 6:00 a.m.

Tussle

Route:

The Tussle will be a loop rather than the out and back. The route will be ridden in a counterclockwise fashion with the route consisting of 25 miles of scenic remote forest service roads, 35 miles on the Arizona Trail and 1 mile of asphalt/concrete riding through Tusayan back to the finish.

****Grandview Lookout will be on the route approximately 16 miles from the finish with a requirement to climb it. The views are worth the climb up. If you fear heights, you don’t have to climb it. ******* Time bonus for the ones that climb it. Selfie pic for proof******

Fully self-supported ride. Russell tank has water and can be filtered if needed. There will be NO water drop unless we have a volunteer drop and pick up at Russell Tank. Russell tank should have plenty of water for filtering with all the monsoon activity.

Tusayan_tussle_short_route

Tusayan_tussle_long_route

Please sign-up below with the link as well as commenting if you are interested in camping a 1-2 nights.

FRENZY HILLS RIDES

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Frenzy Hills Rides is a choose-your-own-adventure day on two wheels at McDowell Mountain Regional Park in Fountain Hills. With mountain bike and gravel distances ranging from 8 miles all the way to 100 miles, there really is an option for almost every kind of rider.

The courses roll through classic Sonoran Desert terrain using portions of Escondido, Pemberton and the Long Loop trails, with saguaros, wide-open desert and some of the Valley’s most recognizable mountain views as the backdrop. Riders looking for an endurance challenge can take on the 100 or 50-mile races, while 25, 15 and 8-mile options make the event accessible to riders who aren’t interested in spending their entire day in the saddle.

Frenzy also includes a 9-hour relay, junior races and a 25-mile Adaptive MTB race, making this much more than an event for hardcore endurance racers.

Prefer skinny-ish tires and drop bars? The Frenzy Gravel Grinder takes advantage of the smoother, less technical portions of McDowell Mountain Park, with 25, 50 and 100-mile gravel options, along with duo and quad relay categories.

Mountain bike or gravel. Solo or team. Eight miles or a hundred. Pick your bike, pick your distance, and spend a cool Arizona day riding through some spectacular Sonoran Desert country.

Register Now!

Tucson 10er

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Tucson 10’er at Old Tucson may have one of the most uniquely Tucson settings of any mountain bike race. This 10-hour endurance race takes place at historic Old Tucson, the legendary movie studio where countless Westerns were filmed, surrounded by towering saguaros and the rugged Tucson Mountains.

Race solo, as a duo, or put together a team and spend the day ripping wicked-fast Sonoran Desert singletrack. Between laps, Old Tucson becomes part race headquarters and part party, with a large barn, bar, stage, vendors, and plenty of room for racers, friends, and families to hang out.

And the location is hard to beat. You’re riding through classic Sonoran Desert scenery with Saguaro National Park next door, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum just down the road, and Tucson only a short drive over the hill.

Come to race hard, trade laps with friends, or simply spend a January day riding bikes through the saguaros. Ten hours of fast singletrack, Old West atmosphere, spectacular desert scenery, and a venue you won’t find anywhere else.

January 16, 2027

SDMB Poker Ride

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The SDMB Poker Ride is one of those events that captures what the Tucson mountain bike community is all about. Expect a who’s who of the local MTB scene, plenty of laughs, libations along the route, and a massive pile of prizes. Ride from station to station collecting cards, build your best poker hand, and see what you take home. With enough prizes that practically everyone walks away with something, this one is much more about community and fun than finishing times.

If you ride mountain bikes and want to become part of the Tucson mountain bike community, this is one of those rides you need to experience.

But perhaps you’re a runner. You’re welcome too. Come out and make the mountain bikers question their life choices as you fly past them on the climbs and technical sections.

Bikes, trails, friends, libations, questionable poker skills, and a whole lot of Tucson MTB culture.

Picketpost Punisher – Arizona Endurance Series

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Picketpost Punisher

ppp

When:
November 15, 2025
The B (49 miles) and C (22 miles) routes will start at 7:30am. The A route (76 miles) will start at 5am.

Where:
You will  start at the Picketpost trail head off of Route 60 near Superior, Arizona. This is about 60 miles east of Phoenix and about 5 miles west of Superior. If you pass the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, you’ve missed the trailhead turnoff. You can get directions to the start here.

The trailhead has pit toilets, but no water. Also no trash receptacles – pack it in, pack it out.

Camping is NOT allowed at the trailhead. There are however,  a bunch of places to primitive camp beside the road that leads to the trailhead.

What:
The Punisher will once again be split into 3 different lengths so that you can choose the amount of punishment you deserve. Make sure you review the GPS files.

The C ride will be the shortest AES ride ever. A measly 22 miles and about 2300 feet of climbing. In place of FR4, you’ll get to ride new trails in Arnett Canyon. The route will climb on dirt roads part of the way up Montana Mountain. The descent back down will be on the Arizona Trail back to the Picketpost trailhead. Easy peasy.

The B ride is heading south this year. It is actually a subset of one of the previous year’s A route – without crossing the Gila River. You will head south on the Arizona Trail to FR4, then turn south on FR4 (it is not closed in this area). You’ll climb up on the ever lovely Telegraph Canyon road, then down, past Ajax Mine to Box Canyon. There will be a hard left to get you over to Martinez Canyon. After traversing the “brass knuckles” you’ll end up at the Gila River not far from the Arizona Trail. Filter water at the river, then head north to the AZT – all the way back to Picket Post.

The B ride has an opportunity for a time bonus. You’ll notice a little additional part of the route in Box Canyon. This goes to a section where the canyon gets very narrow – really cool to see. This is an out and back of about 3.75 miles. Do this and take a selfie. Your selfie, along with your GPS track, will get you an hour deducted from overall time.

The A ride (aka: The Pulverizer) will be the same stroll in the park as last year. You’ll begin by heading south on AZT down to the Gila River. You’ll cross the river (good chance to filter water) and start climbing to Florence-Kelvin Highway. You’ll then bomb down that dirt road all the way to Kelvin Bridge. From there it is AZT all the way back to the start.

READ THIS IF YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT DOING THE A RIDE:

The A ride is a seriously difficult ride. It is only for very experienced and capable back country endurance cyclists.  One of your sources of water is the Gila River – and that needs to be filtered. If you cannot meet the following criteria, don’t even bother:

1. You must have a GPS and know how to use it. There are no trail signs and it will be very easy to get lost.
3. You need to be prepared to be on your bike for 10-15 hours or more. Some VERY fast folks have done this in 10 hours. Expect it to take longer for most everyone else. 
4. You must have lights and be comfortable with riding at night in challenging terrain.

Water:
In a race of this length and remoteness, water is a concern. Bring as much as you can! We’ve done some scouting and found some possible and some dependable water sources. Water sources are marked (as waypoints) on the GPS files.

Route:
It is HIGHLY recommended that you bring, and know how to use, a GPS for this race. The Legends of Superior section has lots of areas where it is easy to miss the trail and get off course. Using a GPS and paying attention are the best ways to stay on course and not get lost. GPS files for all three courses can be obtained at the links below.
PPP_C_route
PPP_B_route(punisher)
PPP_A_route(pulverizer)

Kentucky Camp – Arizona Endurance Series

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When:
October 24, 2026 at 9:00 am (9:15 start time for those doing the short course)

Where:
Kentucky Camp, 40 miles south of Tucson. Google maps link here.

What:
There are two options for this race, (1) a 29-mile lollipop or (2) a 46-mile figure 8. There will be camping available and a post-race party in the area for those that would like to grill. This year, we are doing the Kentucky Camp as a charity event for the Arizona Trail Association. If you want to ride and are not a member, please become a member here: https://aztrail.org/get-involved/join/ 

GPX files and maps:

Kentucky_camp_long_route

Kentucky_camp_short_route

For help uploading the GPX files to your GPS see: http://topofusion.com/tutorials/uploading-tracks.php

Using a GPS is highly recommended!

Prickly Pedal on the Maricopa Trail

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Get in a heart-pumping, rip-roaring ride through the desert terrain of the Maricopa Trail beginning in Cave Creek, AZ and finishing at Lake Pleasant in Peoria, AZ. Not ready for the Full ‘Pedal’? Try out the 15 mile, Half Pedal, ‘sprint’ distance.

MTB not your ride? We have a 10 mile trail run for all of you runners out there. The out and back course starts and finishes at the lake and takes you on a fun, rolling journey to Pipeline Cove and back.

Proceeds from the race help support the Maricopa Trail & Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, promoting, developing, and maintaining one of the nation’s largest county park systems. Their mission is to ensure that Maricopa County’s trails and parks remain accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable for all visitors.

There is also a run option.

Course Summary

The 10 mile run takes place on rugged, single track trail with significant challenging climbs, incredible views, steep descents and desert vegetation. The course offers a challenging but rewarding experience for all, from the beginning trail runner to the most experience

SDMB Poker Ride

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The whose who of the Tucson MTB scene will be there. It will have libations on the route, massive amounts of prizes for the best hand, everyone wins something. Want to be a part of the Tucson Mountain Bike Community/ Then this is a ride you must do.

 

But perhaps you are a runner… you are welcome to come out and make the riders look slow as you fly up the hills and technical sections.

May be an image of 1 person, motorcycle and text that says 'TUCSON MOUNTAIN PARK WANTED POKER RIDERS & RUNNERS SUNDAY SUNDAY7THDECEMBER 7TH DECEMBER 2025 START 9 SDMB 0然同行 8888888 PARKING: FIESTA AREA LOT KENNEDY PARK'tSDMB