Bike rides in Arizona

Explore 12 rail-trail, greenway and park ride options in Arizona, with route lengths, surfaces, access notes and starting locations. These are selected recreational outings, not an exhaustive trail inventory. Read each guide’s scope and access cautions before choosing a ride.

12 ride guides · alphabetical order

• Buffalo Park — Nate Avery loop

  Flagstaff

  2.0 mi · Loop

  Hard-packed aggregate, unpaved shared-use park loop

  Ride the broad loop around Buffalo Park on the flat top of McMillan Mesa in Flagstaff. Plan on approximately 2–2.2 miles for one complete circuit, plus your walked parking approach. The city trail map and directory describe a two-mile loop; its parks page lists 2.2 miles. This guide retains that small source difference instead of presenting a surveyed distance or doubling the loop into a return ride.

• Cañada del Oro short return from Steam Pump Ranch

  Oro Valley

  Up to 2 miles · Out-and-back

  Paved shared-use path

  Walk from designated ranch parking to the signed Cañada del Oro shared-use path along the wash. Head southwest/downstream toward First Avenue on the paved main path. Turn after one outward mile, or sooner before an at-grade public-road crossing, a barrier, path end or uncomfortable ramp, then retrace. Stay on the CDO pavement. Do not cross Oracle Road to enter Catalina State Park, follow a natural wash trail, cross to another bank, take the Big Wash extension or ride through a private neighborhood. Use only an open, dry underpass; walk a narrow approach or turn before it.

• Chaparral Park — south lake loop

  Scottsdale

  1.1 mi · Loop

  Paved shared-use park paths

  A short paved park outing follows the city's 1.1-mile South Loop at Chaparral Park in Scottsdale. This is one complete circuit, with your walked parking approach extra. It stays south of Jackrabbit Road and does not include the one-mile North Loop, the full 2.1-mile park circuit or a longer Indian Bend Wash ride.

• East Skip Rimsza Paseo short concrete return

  Phoenix

  Up to 2 miles · Out-and-back

  Concrete

  Walk south from the public lot along the paved trailhead approach toward Sonoran Desert Drive. At the signed Paseo junction turn left/east onto East Skip Rimsza Paseo. Follow the concrete path parallel to the road. Turn after one outward mile, or earlier at a path end, at-grade road/drive crossing, barrier or uncomfortable slope, and return. Walk the parking approach again. Stay on the paved Paseo; do not follow Badger Brawl into the natural wash trails, take Apache Hill climbs or enter the traffic lane. Road noise is part of this setting.

• Grand Canalscape — Urbandale Park: short bicycle return

  Phoenix

  Up to 1 mile return · Out-and-back

  Concrete designated bicycle / pedestrian path; inspect access transitions

  Follow the signed main path east on the signed concrete Grand Canalscape bank. Turn after 0.5 outward miles or before the first public-road crossing, work barrier, uncertain continuation or uncomfortable transition, whichever comes first; retrace. Walk any initial lot or access-drive interface. Do not use a road or private-property detour.

• Paseo Trail very short north return from Tibshraeny

  Chandler

  Up to 1 mile · Out-and-back

  Concrete east-bank canal path

  Walk from the park lot to the Paseo Trail beside the canal. Use the concrete east-bank course and head north, away from Chandler Boulevard, toward the Galveston Street end. Turn before Galveston or the end of the signed concrete path, a road/drive crossing or barrier, or after half a mile outward, whichever comes first. Retrace. This is deliberately a very short introduction: the actual return may be substantially less than one mile. No official half-mile marker is promised. Do not cross Chandler Boulevard, switch to the unimproved west bank, enter the canal or add the park’s separate walking circuit.

• Prescott Peavine short rail-trail return from Sundog

  Prescott

  Up to 4 miles · Out-and-back

  Compacted gravel / cinders; paved entrance

  Walk from the designated lot along the paved Peavine entrance, past the picnic ramada, to the broad former railway. Follow the signed Peavine north toward Watson Lake and the Granite Dells. Stay on the wide main railbed. Turn after two miles outward, or sooner at a barrier, public-road crossing or unsuitable gravel, then retrace. The Watson Woods pedestrian gate, shoreline hiking branches, rocky Dells trails and Iron King extension are excluded. This is not a lake circuit. Keep clear of nesting areas and do not step off the trail for a closer wildlife view.

• Rillito River Path west return from Brandi Fenton

  Tucson

  Up to 4 miles · Out-and-back

  Asphalt

  Walk from designated park parking to the signed paved Rillito River Path at the river edge. Follow the north bank west/downstream toward Campbell Avenue, keeping the river on your left. Stay on the same bank and main pavement. Turn at two miles outward, before an at-grade public-road crossing, a barrier or an uncomfortable underpass, whichever comes first, then retrace. A dry, open underpass can be used at walking pace; do not ride onto the road above it. Do not use the Dodge bridge to switch banks or add a shopping-center or race-track loop.

• Rio Salado North Overbank short asphalt return

  Phoenix

  Up to 2 miles · Out-and-back

  Asphalt

  Walk from designated trailhead parking to the signed North Overbank Trail. Follow the upper asphalt path east/upstream toward 7th Street, keeping the river on your right. Turn at one mile outward or before an at-grade public-road crossing, path end, barrier or uncomfortable section, whichever comes first. Return along the same bank. Stay on the black hard-surface route shown in the city map. The lower brown Terrace trail, wash crossings, nature-center walks and road lanes are excluded. Use an underpass only when open and dry, walking if the ramp or sightline is uncomfortable. Do not switch banks or assume a proposed river bridge exists.

• Rio Salado South Overbank short asphalt return

  Phoenix

  Up to 2 miles · Out-and-back

  Asphalt

  Walk from designated trailhead parking to the signed South Overbank Trail. Follow the upper asphalt path east/upstream toward 16th Street, keeping the river on your left. Turn at one mile outward or before an at-grade public-road crossing, path end, barrier or uncomfortable section, whichever comes first. Return along the same bank. Stay on the black hard-surface route shown in the city map. The lower brown Terrace trail, wash crossings, nature-center walks and road lanes are excluded. Use an underpass only when open and dry, walking if the ramp or sightline is uncomfortable. Do not switch banks or assume a proposed river bridge exists.

• Tempe Town Lake west shore return from Beach Park

  Tempe

  Up to 2 miles · Out-and-back

  Concrete shared-use path

  From the lot, walk into Beach Park and onto the main concrete south-shore path. Ride west toward Tempe Center for the Arts, with the lake on your right. Turn after one mile outward, before the Elmore pedestrian bridge access if reached sooner, or at any barrier or unsuitable section. Return the same way. Stay on the south shore and the concrete bicycle path; do not cross Mill Avenue, ride a road lane, take a staircase, cross a bridge or drop onto the lower decomposed-granite walking terrace. Walk busy plaza and access ramps.

• Yuma West Wetlands upper paved short return

  Yuma

  Up to 1 mile · Out-and-back

  Paved upper-park multi-use path

  From the pond/playground-side public lot, walk to the paved upper-park multi-use path. Follow the owner brochure’s maroon route west toward the solar-array and hummingbird-garden side of the park, remaining on pavement. Turn after half a mile outward, before reaching 22nd Avenue, a road/drive crossing, a barrier or a path end, whichever comes first. Retrace. Walk any parking or access-drive interface. Stay above the lower wetland trails; do not take a brown hiking trail, beach ramp, boat launch or riverbank shortcut. Do not head east toward Gateway Park or the I-8 underpass.