McDowell Mountain Regional Park

Located on the east side of the McDowell Mountains near Fountain Hills, this regional park takes the busy metro area out of the equation. Developed campsites, many with ramadas, let visitors sleep under the stars or in RVs and get right on the desert trails when the sun comes up. Common wildlife sightings include javelina, coyotes, deer and birds. Visitors bringing mountain bikes pull into the first parking lot with an enormous staging area that shows how popular these trails are with cyclists.

Mountain Biking

Mountain bikers come to the park to test their skills on competitive tracks — three loops totaling 15 miles reserved for serious cyclists. Concentrated in the southeast corner of the park off McDowell Mountain Road, the Long Loop offers an easier romp through the desert for intermediate riders while the Sport Loop and Technical Loop feature steeper climbs and technical twists and turns for expert riders. Riders come to gauge their speed on rugged terrain that winds through the desert foothills. Road cyclists find plenty of open asphalt to ride on the park’s perimeter and on the paved ribbon that connects trailheads and campgrounds inside the park.

Desert Hikes

Some 50 miles of shared-use trails wind along the valley floor for hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers and horseback riders. All trails in the park are rated easy to moderate, and only become difficult when combined to create longer hikes. Commit to the 11-mile Dixie Mine Trail or take it easy on the 3-mile North Loop. Pemberton Trail winds through most of the park and tallies over 15 miles of gentle desert hiking. From the trailhead, see surrounding landmarks including Four Peaks in the Mazatzal Wilderness and Weavers Needle in the Superstition Mountains to the east, plus Tom’s Thumb in the McDowell Mountains to the west.

McDowell Sonoran Preserve

Surrounding much of McDowell Mountain Regional Park, the McDowell Sonoran Preserve features more challenging hikes. These trails have the steep elevation changes and panoramic viewpoints that the McDowells are known for. Tom’s Thumb is one of the metro’s most popular and challenging hikes. Access the trailhead west of the park and be prepared to climb single file with other hikers. For a more remote and less traveled trek in the McDowells, Brown’s Ranch Trail flows through the same desert beauty but with less elevation gain. The stars of all McDowell trails are the 50-foot saguaros that stop hikers in their tracks.

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