REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Payson/Rye area riding

3159 Views 25 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Jayem, Jan 28, 2022

LaneDetroitCity

Discussion Starter · Nov 11, 2021

Thanks to Rockman I have my sights set on some new trail energy.

What kind of routes have you ridden around Payson Rye Pine and that general area.

I want to ride higher up with trees but not as cold as Flag at night

Map Line Handwriting Circle Atlas

Ecoregion World Map Atlas Slope

Ecoregion Map World Atlas Parallel

See less See more

3

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

escrowdog

· #2 · Nov 11, 2021

Ya, I'd like to learn a little more about this area as well. I rode some of Highline from the Fish Hatchery East, just out and back. I REALLY liked what I was seeing, true narrow single track through the pines. Unfortunately the buddy I was with was not in the condition to really explore a lot of it. But it's a beautiful area and checks the adventure box! Seems a bit disjointed for a longer ride or loop.

clockwork

· #3 · Nov 11, 2021

Cabin loops!

Highline is a butt kicker with HAB but great trail

Drews trail is a short dh trail from upper rim to highline. Its been awhile but I think Drews would also be an ok climb as well.

Reactions: 1

LaneDetroitCity

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 11, 2021

I'm on my way there now. Gonna ride the "Pine loop" one day for sure. Then the trails by Rye on the way back. But on Saturday I'm gonna get a huge ride in. What Highline trail are you talking about? I see a bunch of sections of it. The one that says AZT Highline?

Ecoregion Map World Yellow Font

Ecoregion White Map Line Slope

See less See more

2

J_Bone

· #5 · Nov 11, 2021

I did a Mt Peely ride/climb and I believe it will take you to the Rye area. It starts just West of Mt. Ord.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

See less See more

Impetus

· #6 · Nov 12, 2021

LaneDetroitCity said:
I'm on my way there now. Gonna ride the "Pine loop" one day for sure.
View attachment 1956417

This is an amazing loop, I do it a few times a year.
but do it in the clockwise direction, not the way it's drawn here.
Pine Canyon #26 (the northbound eastern trail on the map) is such a fun downhill, but a real grind of a climb. Barefoot trail (Northern part of the loop) is good either way, as is the Pine-Strawberry Connector (western portionof the loop).
P-S conn is a substantial portion of the Fire on the Rim racecourse, which uses the trail from N to S.

Park at either the TH, or That Brewery, or Old Country Inn, ride up Hardscrabble rd to the trail and go north, cross Hwy 87, ride barefoot east to 26, and take that to finish the loop.

LaneDetroitCity

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 12, 2021

Impetus said:
This is an amazing loop, I do it a few times a year.
but do it in the clockwise direction, not the way it's drawn here.
Pine Canyon #26 (the northbound eastern trail on the map) is such a fun downhill, but a real grind of a climb. Barefoot trail (Northern part of the loop) is good either way, as is the Pine-Strawberry Connector (western portionof the loop).
P-S conn is a substantial portion of the Fire on the Rim racecourse, which uses the trail from N to S.

Park at either the TH, or That Brewery, or Old Country Inn, ride up Hardscrabble rd to the trail and go north, cross Hwy 87, ride barefoot east to 26, and take that to finish the loop.

Thank you. When someone says a climb is a real grind, I get a boner. I am going to follow your route though because I'm going to use this loop as a recovery day on my Stumpjumper. Today I'm riding that gold 47 trail on my SS. Then my 3rd rife will be

Park at Washington Park. Ride east on highline to 144 and back. Then up Colonel Devin to the AZT take that to the creek crossing towards 87 and back. Then do the fred trail, to ubar, to whatever it is, to Houston back to Fred, and back to Washington park.

Im kind of pissed that I have never heard of this place before in 4 years in AZ. Always looking for somewhere to have trees and climb. This is a perfect place to escape the heat. I usually come back dec 1 to AZ. But switched to Oct 1 now so need places like this when its still hot and this will let me stay into may more vs April 1

See less See more

rockman

· #8 · Nov 12, 2021 (Edited)

Be sure to give a shout out to Flagline Trails if you see them. They are helping realign and improve the trail as part of the Tonto National Forest's Foundation Highline Trail Restoration project. Tonto National Forest - News & Events
How to help for those interested in that sort of thing. https://www.nationalforests.org/reg...rockies/highline-trail-restoration-initiative

Volunteer for Trailwork – Pine Strawberry Fuel Reduction

psfuelreduction.org

psfuelreduction.org

Report back on how the climb went on Gold Ridge #47 on a singlespeed!

Reactions: 3

rockman

· #9 · Nov 12, 2021

This is a pretty sweet interactive map for the Pine and Strawberry area. https://psfuelreduction.org/trails/

Reactions: 2

LaneDetroitCity

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 13, 2021

I started the #47 trail too late in the day, it was way more exposed to the sun than I expected. I parked at the deer creek dirt parking lot. There was no shade for my van with my dog. I started and went around 2 miles up. Im going to start this climb in the dark of the morning and descend in the daylight. I need it to be around 50 degrees when I start not 79.

So then I went to trail 200 in Payson and thats an amazing trail. I stopped to take some pictures and then about 1/2 mile later had a crash and snapped my brake lever off 🤣. Took a 140mm line on a 100mm bike lol. Dumb choice. Good thing I brought backup.

Bicycle Wheel Tire Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Bicycle wheel

Sky Plant Mountain Cloud Natural landscape

Sky Plant Natural landscape Tree Landscape

Plant community Bedrock Plant Mountainous landforms Formation

Bicycle tire Bicycle handlebar Bicycle Road surface Asphalt

See less See more

5

LaneDetroitCity

Discussion Starter · #11 · Nov 13, 2021

Impetus said:
This is an amazing loop, I do it a few times a year.
but do it in the clockwise direction, not the way it's drawn here.
Pine Canyon #26 (the northbound eastern trail on the map) is such a fun downhill, but a real grind of a climb. Barefoot trail (Northern part of the loop) is good either way, as is the Pine-Strawberry Connector (western portionof the loop).
P-S conn is a substantial portion of the Fire on the Rim racecourse, which uses the trail from N to S.

Park at either the TH, or That Brewery, or Old Country Inn, ride up Hardscrabble rd to the trail and go north, cross Hwy 87, ride barefoot east to 26, and take that to finish the loop.

Is there water available along this you described?

schillingsworth

· #12 · Nov 15, 2021

LaneDetroitCity said:
Is there water available along this you described?

I assume you rode the loop? If not, yes, there's water at the Pine Creek crossing at the junction of Bearfoot & Pine Canyon. I used to ride this loop CW for years, then last spring finally rode it CCW & think it rides much better overall. Seemed most of the chunkier stuff was in the downhill direction. YMMV.

Reactions: 1

Impetus

· #13 · Nov 15, 2021

schillingsworth said:
I assume you rode the loop? If not, yes, there's water at the Pine Creek crossing at the junction of Bearfoot & Pine Canyon. I used to ride this loop CW for years, then last spring finally rode it CCW & think it rides much better overall. Seemed most of the chunkier stuff was in the downhill direction. YMMV.

I'm not sure I'd be comfortable drinking the stream water untreated/unfiltered, but there is a year-round water source under the bridge.

It's interesting you liked it better CCW. Different strokes for different folks I guess.
I'm not sure the climb up #26 going CW would be much fun on my 'other' bike- a 35# 170/150 travel 64° hta smashwagon built for enduro racing.
I've only ever done it on a singlespeed, maybe with a light geared bike the climb up #26 is better.
I enjoy the punchy techy climbs on Barefoot, and P-S conn rides so good either way that losing out on so many miles of sustained downhill coming down #26 it seemed like a waste.
Coasting down Hardscrabble at the end of the ride seems....anticlimactic. lmao

Maybe I'll do it the other way again someday with a geared bike.

Reactions: 1

schillingsworth

· #14 · Nov 16, 2021

I never said I'd drink unfiltered water, just said water was available. You are correct, coasting down Hardscrabble....meh. I completed the loop on trail: Walnut to AZT for some bonus hike-a-bike!!

Impetus

· #15 · Nov 16, 2021

schillingsworth said:
I never said I'd drink unfiltered water, just said water was available. You are correct, coasting down Hardscrabble....meh. I completed the loop on trail: Walnut to AZT for some bonus hike-a-bike!!

Only you crazy bike packers have filters with you on rides.
Please don't take this as contrarian or arguementative, but for most people- when I'm told "water is available" I think of a drinking fountain or spigot. I just didn't want LDC to get into trouble thinking there was a place to refill a bottle when the water is in fact a stream.
It's a beautiful spot to rest though!

Plant Ecoregion Canopy walkway Natural landscape Tree

See less See more

Reactions: 3

Jayem

· #16 · Dec 2, 2021

Pretty good today.

Plant Wood Tree Natural landscape Thoroughfare

See less See more

Reactions: 1

834905

· #17 · Dec 8, 2021

How’s the Pine Loop right now? I rode it a few months ago and the section of Pine Canyon closest to the AZT lot was beat to hell from cows and elk walking the wet trails. Probably wouldn’t have been bad on a full squish, but it was a really taint smasher on the hardtail.

I may go do it again this weekend, before any snow starts kicking off up there.

AZ Stumpy

· #18 · Dec 8, 2021

SingleSpeedSteven said:
How’s the Pine Loop right now? I rode it a few months ago and the section of Pine Canyon closest to the AZT lot was beat to hell from cows and elk walking the wet trails. Probably wouldn’t have been bad on a full squish, but it was a really taint smasher on the hardtail.

I may go do it again this weekend, before any snow starts kicking off up there.

The trials up here are good now. Was a rough summer with all the rain. Watch the weather for this weekend though. Rain and maybe snow on Thursday and Friday so this weekend probably will be a mess.

834905

· #19 · Dec 8, 2021

AZ Stumpy said:
The trials up here are good now. Was a rough summer with all the rain. Watch the weather for this weekend though. Rain and maybe snow on Thursday and Friday so this weekend probably will be a mess.

I just saw that, thanks for the heads up. May head down to Kentucky Camp or something instead.

Jayem

· #20 · Dec 8, 2021

SingleSpeedSteven said:
How’s the Pine Loop right now? I rode it a few months ago and the section of Pine Canyon closest to the AZT lot was beat to hell from cows and elk walking the wet trails. Probably wouldn’t have been bad on a full squish, but it was a really taint smasher on the hardtail.

I may go do it again this weekend, before any snow starts kicking off up there.

It was good last week.

Reactions: 1

1 - 20 of 26 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.