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Does anybody have any valid info on the Maricopa Trail? Specifically the West Side. Estrella>White Tank>Lake Pleasant. Thx. -rhino
Maricopa Trail
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Looks like the White Tanks>Pleasant is the "Beardsly CSR".urbanseeds said:
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It loosely follows the McMicken Dam up to Grand Ave. I have ridden that far, but the signs stop. I thought the trail would pick up on the Beardsly CSR, so I crossed under Grand and couldn't find any signs.luckybastard said:
County told me, and as I suspected, the segment north of Grand Ave to Lake Pleasant is not marked and the actual trail is overgrown. Stated it should be completed with in the next two months.
I can figure out how to get to Lake Pleasant by using Google, but my goal was to actually be on the MT.
I will attempt this again in the near future.
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Couple years ago I took the Agua Fria from my place up to Happy Valley Road. I think it was about 18 miles. Probably another 15 to get to the lake...
Last week I rode a very new section just south of the dam. Started at new River Rd. and headed west. Initially, it's FLAAAAAAAAAT for a couple of miles as you near :Lake Pleasant. If you're still awake, it then drops down into a wash where the dam then goes out of view. Much different scenery. Probably one of the more interesting sections in that area. Countinuing to head west, it them climbs back out near the Waddel CSR and abruptly ends near the smaller dam that provides the water for Beardsley CSR. Probably the most climbing on the MT in that area. As of last week, there was a SWECO dozer at the end......pointing south........to continue on, I suspect.
Only problem with that part of the trail is that it was SOFT. The flat part from New River rd. has been there for a leat a year or two, but once you start heading downhill, it gets sketchy. Tires dig into the dirt, not a lot of braking action....I had to take it slow. Guess it'll take a year or two to beat that trail into submission. Almost feels like riding in sand....although it was just (dry) dirt.
I'll try to post a couple of pics once I get them off my phone.
Also, on the MT today just east of New River Rd. There is a fun little part that hugs the small bluffs just above the New River flood plain heading south. After that it, turns east and makes a bee-line toward the Ben Avery shooting range. About half way there, it's covered in grass. No tire tracks except my own (and maybe a moto or possibly just the SWECO?). Try to do my part in helping to keep the trail clear, but the dirt road that paralles the trail is easier.
Conitinued north where the MT hits the humble begining (and flatest part) of the BCT. Right before the correction center, the MT turns right and dead ends at a gate at the back of the shooting range. The MT actually continued on the other side about 3/10 of a mile east toward Deadman Wash and Pioneer Rd, but apparently, they haven't figured out how they will cross the back of the shooting range.
So, I headed north on the BCT to Emery Henderson Trailhead.
Only problem with that part of the trail is that it was SOFT. The flat part from New River rd. has been there for a leat a year or two, but once you start heading downhill, it gets sketchy. Tires dig into the dirt, not a lot of braking action....I had to take it slow. Guess it'll take a year or two to beat that trail into submission. Almost feels like riding in sand....although it was just (dry) dirt.
I'll try to post a couple of pics once I get them off my phone.
Also, on the MT today just east of New River Rd. There is a fun little part that hugs the small bluffs just above the New River flood plain heading south. After that it, turns east and makes a bee-line toward the Ben Avery shooting range. About half way there, it's covered in grass. No tire tracks except my own (and maybe a moto or possibly just the SWECO?). Try to do my part in helping to keep the trail clear, but the dirt road that paralles the trail is easier.
Conitinued north where the MT hits the humble begining (and flatest part) of the BCT. Right before the correction center, the MT turns right and dead ends at a gate at the back of the shooting range. The MT actually continued on the other side about 3/10 of a mile east toward Deadman Wash and Pioneer Rd, but apparently, they haven't figured out how they will cross the back of the shooting range.
So, I headed north on the BCT to Emery Henderson Trailhead.
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@PhxChem
Do you want to share GPX files to see if can get this trail linked up. I only have the file from White Tank to Grand Ave. Going to work on Grand Ave North to Lake Pleasant in the next few weeks.
-rhino
Do you want to share GPX files to see if can get this trail linked up. I only have the file from White Tank to Grand Ave. Going to work on Grand Ave North to Lake Pleasant in the next few weeks.
-rhino
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Finally rode the Maricopa Trail from White Tank to 303. The section north of Grand is complete and signed, but stops abruptly west of 303. Nothing special unless you live in the area. Very sandy and destroyed by horses. Not a big deal, while rolling the Fat Bike. 40 miles round trip from the White Tank. Still trying to get to Lake Pleasant...for a swim.
Yeah, the trail near the White Tanks looks like it's pretty flat, based on Topo maps.
Really the only sections I've found worth while were roughly between Spear S Ranch and Cave Creek Park. Also, the section that heads north on the east side a Apache Peak like you're heading to Spur Cross (in the Cave Creek area). But once you get up on that plateau, it's pretty flat before you get to Spur Cross. Also, the small piece near Lake Pleasant is good, since it climbs over a couple of hills (but it's only a couple of miles at most).
Speaking of which, I was headed west on the Maricopa Trail just outside the north gate at Cave Creek Park, when I happened upon a group of hiker-looking folks...the youngest one carrying a shovel!! At first I was puzzled why a 12-year-old would be hiking with a shovel larger than him until one of them asked me if I wanted to try a new just-finished piece of the Maricopa Trail. Then it hit me, oh, these guys are building the trail. They're building some single track to reroute the Maricopa Trail off the Jeep road in that area. It was brand new and soft, but a welcome single track addition that was hand-built. I thanked them for their work.
So, where there is some elevation gain to be had, the Maricopa Trail is fun. On the flat parts.......it's......ummmmm....flat.
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Chongoman, Scotty and myself rode a "new" piece of this trail out at SoMo this weekend. it starts at the end of National and San Juan road and goes around the south side of the peak just south of "Alta". ending on a dirt road (Ray) near the Casino. we took canal paths back to street. It is signed where it crosses Komatke Lane and 51st Ave. heading West, but we didn't explore further. I believe the official route though SMP, is Pima canyon, National coast to coast then out this new section of trail.
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Thanks for the info BC. Allegedly. the MT is complete from Somo out to Tres Rios around 91st Ave. I have no actual knowledge as I haven't ridden it. Might try to venture from Estrella over to Tres Rio and see if I can pick up the MT to Somo.
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I believe, once completed, the Maricopa trail will circle all of Phoenix. However, in the riding that I've done, its really easy to get lost on this trail because the signs are somewhat inconsistent and the trail tends to disappear. I wish they could work on providing clearer trail directions but given the scale of the project, perhaps that is difficult.
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