I will be road tripping in Arizona the second week of April coming from SoCal. After a couple days in Sedona I'll be heading to Prescott for three days during the week. I would like to know what the best trails/loops Prescott has to offer. I usually do 15-30 mile rides with around 3-5k of climbing. I read a post from Jm for the "the 03 planned-spring fling route" which I'll probably do. Was thinking of doing the Spruce Mtn/Groom Crk loop and something around Granite Mtn. I may end riding solo but not sure if my buddy can make the trip. Any info is helpful on trail routes. I like everything from steep technical stuff to smooth flat pine-needle rides. Nice views don't hurt either. Thanks in advance.
Looking for Best of Prescott Trails
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Spruce mountain is only about 1300 of climbing and only takes a couple hours total.
Check in the trail reviews on this site, what you want to do is take trail 62 to 299 to spruce mountain road, then if you really want around 5K of climbing, go up to the top of spruce mountain, down the 5.5 mile trail, back up the 3.5 mile trail, then ride back down spruce mountain road to trail 297, then the 305, and you will be back at the trail head near costco. This would take about 6-7 hours to do minimum, and probably be close to 4-5K of clibing, especially when you add up all the little climbs.
Bigger loops in granite basin are pretty easy, also check the reviews because I have recently made some posts about these.
I probably can't ride with you during the week, but the planned spring fling loop is a lot of fun, even though the initial climbing really sucks. If you have some specific questions about it I will be more than happy to answer. It took us 4 hours and 15 minutes to do it last thursday, like I said you can add the frontside of spruce mountain into this for even more, if you feel up to it.
Check in the trail reviews on this site, what you want to do is take trail 62 to 299 to spruce mountain road, then if you really want around 5K of climbing, go up to the top of spruce mountain, down the 5.5 mile trail, back up the 3.5 mile trail, then ride back down spruce mountain road to trail 297, then the 305, and you will be back at the trail head near costco. This would take about 6-7 hours to do minimum, and probably be close to 4-5K of clibing, especially when you add up all the little climbs.
Bigger loops in granite basin are pretty easy, also check the reviews because I have recently made some posts about these.
I probably can't ride with you during the week, but the planned spring fling loop is a lot of fun, even though the initial climbing really sucks. If you have some specific questions about it I will be more than happy to answer. It took us 4 hours and 15 minutes to do it last thursday, like I said you can add the frontside of spruce mountain into this for even more, if you feel up to it.
Thanks for the info Jm. I do have a couple questions about other trails. Have you ever done Trail 37 to 39 to 38 and back on 37? Also how was the Yankee Doodle/Mt. Union ride? Is there an easy way to do a loop with Yankee Doodle on a 45lb rig? I looked at the map you had on another post but it is hard to make out all the fireroads.
I don't recommend going out on 38. I've been down it a few miles, and it is very exposed in that area, sandy, etc. Trail 37 is absolutely horrible as well to climb up. It is really sandy and has a lot telephone-pole water bars everywhere on the climbs.
One thing that I do recommend is trail 40 though, if you have to ride up 37 to get there it can be worth it, but I recommend starting to the north at Williamson Valley Road trailhead, and riding south to the lake, then 349, then around to 37 and back down on 40. This does have exposed sections, but the ride down trail 40 is very fun and roller-coaster like, the ride back the rest of the way from the lake is shallow, but still mostly downhill.
We haven't done this Mt Union ride yet, that is scheduled for Saturday. I have ridden there before though doing shuttles down Yankee Doodle. It is fun, but you are looking at 2200 feet of vertical to get to the top from the bottom. I'd say imposslible on a 45lb bike.
On a 45lb bike about the only thing you can do is ride up thumb butte road and down some fragmented trails and double tracks, although I have ridden my 49lb DH bike from the Williamson Valley trail head a few times, it is doable if you take trail 347 towards the lake. Then either ride back on this or 345. I've even shuttled from the trail 37 start all the way down to Williamson Valley trailhead, I pushed my DH bike up trail 37 for a mostly-downhill ride, although like I said it flattens out over the last half.
I can try to give you some info here, but check pauls book and the trail reviews for better info, the trail reviews themselves are a little limited, but they do have some good suggestions within the posts on how to link some rides.
One thing that I do recommend is trail 40 though, if you have to ride up 37 to get there it can be worth it, but I recommend starting to the north at Williamson Valley Road trailhead, and riding south to the lake, then 349, then around to 37 and back down on 40. This does have exposed sections, but the ride down trail 40 is very fun and roller-coaster like, the ride back the rest of the way from the lake is shallow, but still mostly downhill.
We haven't done this Mt Union ride yet, that is scheduled for Saturday. I have ridden there before though doing shuttles down Yankee Doodle. It is fun, but you are looking at 2200 feet of vertical to get to the top from the bottom. I'd say imposslible on a 45lb bike.
On a 45lb bike about the only thing you can do is ride up thumb butte road and down some fragmented trails and double tracks, although I have ridden my 49lb DH bike from the Williamson Valley trail head a few times, it is doable if you take trail 347 towards the lake. Then either ride back on this or 345. I've even shuttled from the trail 37 start all the way down to Williamson Valley trailhead, I pushed my DH bike up trail 37 for a mostly-downhill ride, although like I said it flattens out over the last half.
I can try to give you some info here, but check pauls book and the trail reviews for better info, the trail reviews themselves are a little limited, but they do have some good suggestions within the posts on how to link some rides.
Wuss
Jm's a downhill junkie! On a light XC bike you can zip up 37 and enjoy the challenge of cleaning the water bars. I've looped and out and backed 37 both to the northwest and to the east down into Granite Basin.
For one trip to Prescott, however, the way I'd ride Granite Basin is to start at the Williamson Valley trailhead, and ride the loop counter clockwise, with the big climb up the switchbacks. Tack on a loop west of the camp grounds, then come back the remainder of the loop you started on.
Tr 347 right on Tr 345, lft on Tr 352, right on Tr 351, thru the parking/camping area, left on Tr 349, cross the road again, right on Tr 346, left on Tr 347, and take 347 back to Williamson Valley. 3+ hrs of nice, swoopy fun, with a few jumps and a few tech challenges, but nothing hairy.
For an epic (length and climbing) Prescott ride, park above the Costco, and ride up 62 and 299, take the forest road up to the top of West Spruce, ride the 307 loop, clockwise, partway down the forest road and peel off right on 297, across the highway and down 305 to Costco.
You can get maps at www.sharlot.org in the archives section.
Jm's a downhill junkie! On a light XC bike you can zip up 37 and enjoy the challenge of cleaning the water bars. I've looped and out and backed 37 both to the northwest and to the east down into Granite Basin.
For one trip to Prescott, however, the way I'd ride Granite Basin is to start at the Williamson Valley trailhead, and ride the loop counter clockwise, with the big climb up the switchbacks. Tack on a loop west of the camp grounds, then come back the remainder of the loop you started on.
Tr 347 right on Tr 345, lft on Tr 352, right on Tr 351, thru the parking/camping area, left on Tr 349, cross the road again, right on Tr 346, left on Tr 347, and take 347 back to Williamson Valley. 3+ hrs of nice, swoopy fun, with a few jumps and a few tech challenges, but nothing hairy.
For an epic (length and climbing) Prescott ride, park above the Costco, and ride up 62 and 299, take the forest road up to the top of West Spruce, ride the 307 loop, clockwise, partway down the forest road and peel off right on 297, across the highway and down 305 to Costco.
You can get maps at www.sharlot.org in the archives section.
I have ridden most of the trails suggested here. I really like 305. The Granite basin area is good, but short loops.
I will be out of town for the Sea Otter in mid April. If you e-mail me with the days you will be here I might be able to do a mid week ride.
We could do the Epic Rides course that they are racing on in May. 4200 ft. of climbing and great views.
John
[email protected]
I will be out of town for the Sea Otter in mid April. If you e-mail me with the days you will be here I might be able to do a mid week ride.
We could do the Epic Rides course that they are racing on in May. 4200 ft. of climbing and great views.
John
[email protected]
Um...you can put together loops at granite basin that will keep you riding all day long. You can ride on single track all the way from Williamson Valley trailhead to Little Granite Mountain trailhead, and back, in a variety of ways, that will take you all day if you want.SHU said:
Speaking of short, 305 is, that's why it's nice to join it with 297 or other trails. 305 is a good "after work" trail, but not much for an all day mtb aventure.
Thanks to all for the info. I'm probably going to bring both of my bikes-the 4" and the 7". Prescott sounds like 4" material. John:I'll definetly send you an e-mail sometime next week to try and hook up for a ride. I will most likely be there the 13th-15th. I may go over to Globe after that for the "Blowout". I was planning on doing South Mountain after Prescott but I would rather ride without the heat and after 7 days of riding in a row, shuttles in the cooler weather sounds better.
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5,179 Posts
Noelg recently pointed out to our riding group this excellent set of trail maps for the Prescott area. I had lost track of the web address, so was happy that he posted it again! Does anyone know who put these maps together??
from Noel:
If you want an interactive map with all the trails listed as well as the
trails in the surrounding area (Lynx Lake included), check out this website:
http://sharlot.org/archives/maps/trailmaps/
from Noel:
If you want an interactive map with all the trails listed as well as the
trails in the surrounding area (Lynx Lake included), check out this website:
http://sharlot.org/archives/maps/trailmaps/
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2,400 Posts
Hey Durtgurl!!
The OLD WEBSITE was http://www.prescottaz.org/~maps/
It used to be the Yavapai Trails Map but I THINK the people from the Sharlot Hall Museum purchased the map and have now archived it on their website. I don't know who originally made the maps but I hope he/she got a nice big fat check from the museum for his/her efforts.
What a handy resource to be available for all of us that love to explore new trails!
The OLD WEBSITE was http://www.prescottaz.org/~maps/
It used to be the Yavapai Trails Map but I THINK the people from the Sharlot Hall Museum purchased the map and have now archived it on their website. I don't know who originally made the maps but I hope he/she got a nice big fat check from the museum for his/her efforts.
What a handy resource to be available for all of us that love to explore new trails!
I forget his name, but
The guy who created those maps is also doing a Flagstaff project. I don't know if those are on line yet. He is a cyclist from Prescott, active in the Prescott Cycling Club. He does it as a hobby, using his GPS and actually riding all of the trails indicated. Pretty ambitious, eh?
The guy who created those maps is also doing a Flagstaff project. I don't know if those are on line yet. He is a cyclist from Prescott, active in the Prescott Cycling Club. He does it as a hobby, using his GPS and actually riding all of the trails indicated. Pretty ambitious, eh?
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