Whether you love getting out onto rugged mountain trails or enjoy long-distance rides along dedicated bike paths, Marana’s got you covered. Cyclists love Marana, and when you bike around our fair community, you’ll see all the ways that Marana loves cyclists.
Santa Cruz Shared-Use Path
Winding through Marana is a riparian corridor teeming with desert wildlife. The ever-flowing currents of the Santa Cruz attract animals from near and far: here you can spy hawks flying overhead, deer leaping through the tall grasses, even coatimundi foraging for food in the thick undergrowth.
Running parallel to the river is an immaculately maintained shared-use path, offering cyclists the perfect opportunity to enjoy scenic views of the river, as well as the mountains looming in the distance. At its northernmost point, the shared-use path reaches El Rio Park, where Marana Lake often fills with water after a refreshing desert rain. As the lake rises, migratory birds make their way to these banks to sip the cool waters. For nature lovers, it would be hard to find a more picturesque rest stop.
Twin Peaks Trail
The premium outlets at Marana Center aren’t the only highlight on Twin Peaks Road. Approximately a quarter mile north of Linda Vista, a shared-use path begins, allowing cyclists a car-free trail so you can focus on riding and taking in the beautiful Sonoran Desert. As you gradually climb up the slopes of Dove Mountain, you’re ascending through an alluvial fan. Hundreds of years ago, the Hohokam tilled this arid landscape, taking advantage of the run-off from the Tortolita Mountains. Today, Marana has protected much of this natural land in Tortolita Preserve. On two wheels, you can enjoy the natural area in a way few others ever will.
Mountain Biking in the Tortolita Mountains
If you’ve got a bit of a wild streak, then mountain biking in the Tortolita Mountains may just be the perfect adventure for you. Start at the Wild Burro Trailhead and start pedaling north into the Wild Burro Canyon. Keep your eyes peeled for petroglyphs etched into these rocks long ago by the Hohokam. After a tough uphill, you’ll reach the Alamo Springs Trail spur, which you’ll take heading due east, and then dogleg to the north. Soon you’ll be back on the Wild Burro Trail. At its northernmost point, the path turns into the Loop Trail, which will take you back around to Ridgeline Trail. During this segment, you’ll enjoy some of the most exhilarating mountain biking in all of Arizona. After an impressive series of ups and downs, you’ll connect back to the Alamo Springs Trail, and retrace your tread marks back to your car. It’s a slog uphill (isn’t it always?), but once you reach that highpoint, you’ll experience what might be the most memorable downhill of your life.
Let Marana Help You Celebrate National Cycling Month
Our trails offer incredible biking all year, but only during this month can you take advantage of an attractive offer from HMS Bikes. For the entire month of May, HMS Bikes is discounting everything in the store 10% for Marana visitors. Present your current hotel check-in registration, and they will also reward you with a free water bottle. In the bright spring sunshine of Marana, you’ll be thankful for the hydration.
Looking for the perfect place to stay? Marana has a dozen affordable hotels located in the heart of our community, some of them just steps from the shared-use path. For a little luxury, head up to the Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, where you can enjoy unlimited, convenient access to the mountain biking trails of the Tortolitas. This Five-Star, Five-Diamond resort will even lend you a mountain bike for your desert adventures.
Wherever you choose to pedal in Marana, you’re in for a treat. There’s a reason so many people flock to Southern Arizona throughout the year. Spring is one of the best times to experience all we have to offer, and there’s no better vantage point for all this beauty than the seat of bicycle. It’s time to get up and go! Discover Adventures when you Discover Marana.
