Arizona Sonoran Desert Weekend Cycling

Meet your guides and fellow riders at our host hotel in the heart of Scottsdale, Arizona. After introductions, a short drive brings us to tonight’s campsite at Usery Mountain Regional Park and the starting point for our first ride! Your experienced guides will help fit you to your bike before we set out for a loop ride that takes us through the outskirts of Tonto National Forest and along the lush wildlife-rich Salt River. We’ll tackle a brief climb at Usery Pass, before heading back and settling into camp for the night. As your guides prepare a delicious meal to fuel the following days of road riding, you can relax around the campfire, enjoying mild Arizona nighttime temperatures where the busy-ness of the day-to-day can’t reach you. Lunch and dinner included.

Cycling: 20 miles, Elevation gain/loss: +1,118’ / -1,118’; Van transfer: 45 minutes

The first full day of our touring journey begins with a guide-prepared breakfast—the best way to kick off a great day in the saddle. We pack up camp and let our support vehicle do the heavy lifting of moving the comfy camp setup to our next stop. Once we saddle up, we follow the Salt River upstream where wild mustangs, bald eagles and river otters are commonly spotted. This ride also takes us past the historic Saguaro Lake Ranch for a gorgeous climb out of the Salt River Canyon. We cross over land owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, then through the town of Fountain Hills. As we approach our next camp at McDowell Mountain Regional Park, the rolling hills turn to more gradual, drawn out climbs as we ease into our home for tonight. All meals included.

Cycling: 39 miles, Elevation gain/loss +2,069’ / -2,378’

Wake up surrounded by rugged, rocky mountains and arise in our comfortable basecamp, starting the day with made-to-order hot coffee or tea and a hearty breakfast. Our bike trip today takes us over 50 miles of varying terrain and scenery. We encounter a unique mix of vast desert vistas, old west charm, and quiet communities built to blend in seamlessly with the surrounding landscape. From “9-mile climb”, as the locals call it, to the pristine, winding pavement of Sonoran Desert Drive, this route allows you to roll along picturesque roads while sinking into the rhythm that only adventure cycling can offer. With plenty of support and encouragement along the way from your guides and fellow riders, we arrive to our final camp ready to relax. Tonight takes on a celebratory feel as we eat, drink, and exchange stories from our day on the road. In the background, shooting stars welcome wishes while our guides build a campfire. Coyotes howl— marking the end of this truly epic day in the desert. All meals included.

Cycling: 52 miles, Elevation gain/loss +2,251’ / -2,053’

The final day of our road cycling journey takes us through the charming wild west towns of Cave Creek and Carefree, Arizona, where bull riding is considered an evening pastime, and where Gila monsters and javelina are common backyard guests. Quiet, low-traffic roads undulate with the fun, hilly terrain to cap off this unbeatable four-day adventure with the perfect blend of challenge and gratification. After a picnic lunch, as the day begins to wind down, we return to our Scottsdale hotel by 2pm and reluctantly conclude our road cycling journey through the Sonoran Desert. Breakfast and lunch included.

We invite you to stay in town awhile and get to know Scottsdale—it offers world-renowned restaurants, shopping, golf, and a spring training schedule featuring 15+ MLB teams.

Cycling: 35 miles, Elevation gain/loss +1,632’ / -1,856’; Van transfer: 45 minutes