Ride the Gooseneck from Fraesfield Trailhead.  This easier ride is a great sequel to the Skills Clinic.  The ride is low Intermediate Skills and Moderate Cardio level ride. It will travel over the flatter areas of the Gooseneck. The first ½ mile of the ride requires intermediate skills, but it is smooth sailing for the

Christmas Day Hike Fitness Hike at Gateway Trailhead.  Embrace the spirit of the holiday on this picturesque hike on the Gateway Loop that will take you into the heart of the McDowells. This is a Moderate hike of 4.5 miles in about 2.5 hours with significant elevation gain of 700 ft. Bathrooms available at the

Vaquero, Whiskey Bottle & Latigo Fitness Hike at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead  This hike on three picturesque trails will take you to a crested saguaro and then continue through a diverse landscape. Moderate hike of 5 miles for about 2.5 hours. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail. No dogs please.

Gateway Trailhead  to “Silver” Bell Pass Fitness Hike.  Celebrate the coming New Year on this Very Difficult but rewarding hike! Experienced Hikers suggested. The views along this challenging path will make the miles go faster. 7.2 miles in about 4 hours and gains 1,500 ft. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. Bring water, snacks and even

Jane Rau Trail Educational Walk at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead Join us for a leisurely walk on the awe-inspiring Jane Rau Trail. A slower pace will allow us time to stop for various discussions of the desert. Benches to sit are on the trail. About 1.5 miles over about 90 minutes.  Bathrooms available at the trailhead.

Tom’s Thumb Trailhead and Long Loop Fitness Hike This Very Difficult hike explores the rugged and scenic views of the preserve. End the year with a bang as we will go up Tom’s Thumb to East End and return via the McDowell Regional Park. In 9.3 miles there is over 1,500 ft. elevation change in

Marcus Landslide Fitness Hike at Tom’s Thumb Trailhead This Moderate hike visits the Marcus Landslide geological site, second largest landslide in Arizona. The elevation gain is 400 ft. over 4 miles in about 2.5 hours. Restrooms available at the trailhead. Bring water and snacks for the trail.  No dogs please. Arrive 15 minutes before start

Brown’s Mt & Cone Mtn. Loop Fitness Hike at Brown’s Ranch  Join us for a trip around Brown’s Mtn. and Cone Mtn. We travel on Upper Ranch, Wrangler, Brown’s Mtn., Cone Mt. and finally the scenic Latigo trail. This is a Difficult hike of 6 miles over about 3 hours with rolling ups and downs.

Hike with Natural Resources Coordinator at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead  Spend about 2 hours on an easy hike with John Loleit, the Natural Resources Coordinator, as he discusses various pertinent topics while hiking in the desert.  The material will depend on the season, animals, plants, and will cover whatever is happening in this wonderful environment.  Bathrooms

Twenty Miler from Pima Dynamite Trailhead.  This ride is longer and more intense than our normal rides.  It will be 2.5-3 hours and cover 20 miles with a Skill level of Intermediate and a Cardio level of Vigorous in the north eastern area of the preserve. All our rides are “No Drop”, meaning we will

Mountain Bike Skills Clinic at Fraesfield Trailhead  New to mountain biking? Looking to refresh your skills, improve your technique, enhance safety awareness and increase your overall enjoyment on the trails? Then come prepared with a mountain bike with knobby tires, helmet, water, and snacks. We begin with a demonstration and presentation by experienced riders covering

Bootlegger/Coyote Canyon Fitness Hike at Granite Mt Trailhead This Difficult hike explores the more remote part of the Preserve via Bootlegger, Granite Mountain Loop, Coyote Canyon, Renegade and 136th St. Express trails. Experienced hikers suggested.  7 miles in about 4.5 hours with rolling ups and downs. There are bathrooms available at the trailhead.  Bring water,

Did you know that saguaros have boots?  Stop by the Trailside Naturalist station at Gateway Trailhead between 9-11 am to learn about cactus, trees, and shrubs found in the Preserve.

Crested Saguaro Ride from Granite Mountain Trailhead.   Ever noticed the Crested Saguaros in the preserve?  Come ride with us to see a large number scattered throughout the north.  This 3.5 hour ride will cover more than 10 miles and is rated Advanced Skill and Vigorous Cardio.  A bike with wide knobby tires is required.  Please,

Bird Walk from Tom’s Thumb Trailhead: Join Kathe Anderson and Rick Pearce for about 2 hours to see some of our cool weather resident birds such as phainopepla, white-crowned sparrow, black-throated sparrow, Brewer's sparrow, and ruby-crowned kinglet, in addition to year-round birds such as thrashers, wrens, verdins, gnatcatchers, and towhees.  Restrooms available at the trailhead.

New to hiking? Want to get in shape in the New Year? Come meet Ray and Debbie Hendricks, lifelong hiking guides and owners of Just Roughin’ It Adventure Company. The Hendricks will cover the basics of hiking, including desert hiking techniques and essential equipment. They’ll also provide a guide to some easy beginner trails in

Cathedral Rock, Amphitheater, Cholla Loop Fitness Hike at Brown’s Ranch This Difficult hike will take us to several of the iconic granite formations in the preserve.  7 miles in about 3.5-4 hours. Experienced hikers suggested. Bathrooms available at the trailhead. Bring water, snacks and even a lunch for the trail. No dogs please.  Arrive 15

Learn the Line at Pima Dynamite Trailhead  Have you felt nervous or unsure about how to ride over that rock or around that technical corner?  Come out and ‘learn the line’ to gain confidence on technical pieces, both up and down hills, speed control, body position and moving your weight around. This is an Intermediate

New Trails Fitness Hike at Pima Dynamite Trailhead   This Very Difficult hike due to its 9 miles over about 4.5 hours covers some rolling hills for Experienced hikers. Explore the impressive new trails with nice views and granite formations. Arrive 15 minutes before start of hike.  Bathrooms and water available at the trailhead.  Bring

Botany Educational Hike at Brown’s Ranch Trailhead  Have you ever wondered what that plant is, or why it only grows in certain locations? Join botanist Steve Jones to learn this and a 1000 other things.  This is a Moderate hike of 3 miles in about 2 hours with frequent stops. Bathrooms available at the trailhead.