{"id":4694,"date":"2015-06-18T10:00:03","date_gmt":"2015-06-18T17:00:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=4694"},"modified":"2018-11-11T22:01:15","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T06:01:15","slug":"mountain-biking-escape-sedonas-mystical-desert-singletrack","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/mountain-biking-escape-sedonas-mystical-desert-singletrack","title":{"rendered":"Mountain Biking Escape: Sedona\u2019s Mystical, Desert Singletrack"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pulling into Sedona with a bike on your roof rack is different from driving into any other desert mountain-biking destination. Sure, red-rock buttes rise left and right. And yes, desert trails beckon from the end of the pavement. But posh spas and upscale galleries line the streets instead of gritty small-town establishments, and you\u2019re more likely to see advertisements for \u201cvortex tours\u201d than billboards for mountain-biking excursions. The town certainly harbors a mystic vibe. Don\u2019t let that fool you into passing on through without sampling the singletrack.<\/p>\n

Sedona\u2019s trails are world class\u2014they\u2019re where Bike<\/em> magazine has gone to test new bike models. The best trails in the area are special because they were built by mountain bikers, not adopted from Jeepers or motorcyclists. And if you\u2019re more into roughing it than spending ducats on a comfy night at the spa, dirtbag-style BLM campsites can still be found outside of town. Here\u2019s how to get the best of Sedona.<\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

<\/h4>\n

\"Sedona<\/p>\n

Brendan Leonard cruising along\u00a0the Aerie Trail.<\/em><\/p>\n

Ride for flow on the Mescal-Aerie Loop.<\/h4>\n

If you like buff trail and flowy turns, this is where you want to put your rubber down. You\u2019ll still have some small sections of rocky climbing through shady juniper forest, but you\u2019ll be fully rewarded in joyous, curvy swoops and a view of gorgeous buttes opening up before you.<\/p>\n

Or hit the ledges on the Hangover Trail.<\/h4>\n

If double black diamond, high-exposure riding sounds like your type of fun, head to the Hangover Trail. You\u2019ll roll over a knife-edge ridge and ride along the edge of a 200-foot cliff face. It\u2019s not for the faint of heart\u2014and provides a full-value slickrock experience with challenging steps up, steep descents and puckering roll-offs.<\/p>\n

\"Sedona<\/p>\n

Photo credit: Brendan Leonard<\/i><\/p>\n

Munch on Mexican food for recovery.<\/h4>\n

We\u2019ve heard it said that horchata\u2014the sweet, cinnamon-flavored almond milk drink\u2014is the best recovery drink. The science might still be out on that, but it certainly hits the spot after a sweaty, sunny ride. And the tortas and burritos at Tortas de Fuego will fill you up and leave you dreaming of your next day of mountain biking chased with a Mexican meal. Address: 1630 W. State Route 89A, Sedona, AZ 86336.<\/p>\n

Camp in Coconino National Forest.<\/h4>\n

If you\u2019d rather pitch a tent than pay for a hotel room, a few national forest sites dot the highway north of Sedona. If you\u2019re an angler, pack your rod because a couple of them are along the gravelly banks of Oak Creek, which is stocked with trout and home to refreshing swimming holes. Check out the Red Rock Ranger District<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n

Or go for the upgrade at to a hotel.<\/h4>\n

If your idea of comfort is clean simplicity\u2014single-dollar-sign style\u2014check into the popular Sedona Motel. If your vacation dream is closer to the three-dollar-sign rank, reserve a room at El Portal, and trade making your own campfire for the elegant fire pit in the courtyard and your sleeping pad for a soft bed in a glamorously rustic room.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pulling into Sedona with a bike on your roof rack is different from driving into any other desert mountain-biking destination. Sure, red-rock buttes rise left and right. And yes, desert trails beckon from the end of the pavement. But posh spas and upscale galleries line the streets instead of gritty small-town establishments, and you\u2019re more […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":4695,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[76,25,370,110],"internal-tag":[511,1675,495],"class_list":["post-4694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cycle","tag-arizona","tag-cycle","tag-hilary-oliver","tag-mountain-biking","internal-tag-arizona","internal-tag-pre-redirect-cycle","internal-tag-united-states"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/mountain-biking-escape-sedonas-mystical-desert-singletrack","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Mountain Biking Escape: Sedona\u2019s Mystical, Desert Singletrack","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/mountain-biking-escape-sedonas-mystical-desert-singletrack","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/mountain-biking-escape-sedonas-mystical-desert-singletrack"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/AZBIK20110517-124.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/06\/AZBIK20110517-124.jpg?fit=1500%2C998"},"articleSection":"Cycle","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Angela Crampton"}],"creator":["Angela Crampton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["arizona","cycle","hilary oliver","mountain biking"],"dateCreated":"2015-06-18T17:00:03Z","datePublished":"2015-06-18T17:00:03Z","dateModified":"2018-11-12T06:01:15Z"},"rendered":"