With two members of our Radavist editorial team living in Arizona, it only made sense to head to Flagstaff for our second Cycling Guide. With its recent spike in new singletrack development, legendary dark skies, and accessible location as a hub for other Northern Arizona destinations, there’s a lot to talk about. Read on for a look at The City of Seven Wonders…
The Radavist Destination Guide to Flagstaff, Arizona, is sponsored by Discover Flagstaff.
Flagstaff is an economic and recreation hub for Northern Arizona and the greater Four Corners area. Located in the Colorado Plateau, a semi-arid region of the American Southwest, the city is surrounded by expansive pine forests, aspen groves, and volcanic mountain ranges.
Josh, our managing editor, lives just two hours (140 miles) south in Phoenix and spends a lot of time in Flagstaff to both escape the summer desert heat and partake in various snowsports during the winter. In terms of cycling, he’s compiled a list of favorite rides on established and recently-built trails around the city and within the mountains that surround it.
Geography and Weather
The city of Flagstaff is situated at the base of a visually striking volcanic mountain range called several names among various cultures (Navajo: Dookʼoʼoosłííd, Hopi: Nuva’tukya’ovi, Western Apache: Dził Tso, Keres: Tsii Bina, Southern Paiute: Nuvaxatuh, Havasupai-Hualapai: Hvehasahpatch/Huassapatch/Wik’hanbaja, Yavapai: Wi:mun Kwa, Zuni: Sunha K’hbchu Yalanne, Mojave: ‘Amat ‘Iikwe Nyava, and in English: San Francisco Peaks).
Once a singular mountain, the now-disparate San Francisco Peaks offer seasonal recreational activities that attract people from all over the world. Within the peaks’ caldera, an aquifer that had historically supported the city’s water supply, and on its exterior flanks is one of the most extensive Ponderosa Pine forests in North America.
Similar in elevation to Santa Fe, which we looked at in our first Cycling Guide, Flagstaff sits 7,000 ft above sea level. Summer monsoon storms are familiar occurrences at such a high elevation, and the area averages about 24 inches of rainfall each year. So it’s important to pack rain gear and have a bailout plan in mind when out for longer rides.
While it’s sometimes hard for us to believe, since it’s located such a short distance from one of the warmest places in the country, Flagstaff is one of the snowiest cities in the United States, with an average snowfall of over 100″ each year. Thankfully for cyclists, the snowy months are typically late November to March, which leaves ample time for trail access.
Getting to Flagstaff
Drive Time from Neighboring Metropolitan Areas:
- 1.5 Hours South of Grand Canyon
- 2 Hours North of Phoenix
- 4.5 Hours West of Albuquerque
- 3.5 Hours Southeast of Las Vegas
- 7 Hours East of Los Angeles
- 10 Hours Southwest of Denver
Flying:
Train:
- Amtrak services Flagstaff daily on the Southwest Chief line from the historic train station on Route 66
A Dark Sky City
Flagstaff is designated a “dark sky city” primarily because of its commitment to preserving the night sky by reducing light pollution. This initiative began in the 1990s when the city recognized the importance of dark skies for astronomical research and the surrounding natural environment.
Located on a hill overlooking the city, Lowell Observatory is home to a variety of astronomical studies, and maintaining dark skies is crucial for high-quality observations. With fairly strict codes in place, Flagstaff’s outdoor lighting designs minimize glare and unnecessary brightness.
And because the city is surrounded by forested areas without much light pollution from neighboring cities, you can usually count on clear starry night views. Dark Sky Brewing, where we drank and ate at the adjoining Pizzicletta restaurant during a recent riding reconnaissance excursion, takes its name and many of its brews’ names from the city’s famous night skies.
Best Time of Year to Ride
Peak riding months are from May through early November in Northern Arizona, but year-round riding can be found nearby to the south in places like Sedona, or a little further into Prescott or Phoenix.
September and October are the best months for mountain biking before the snow falls and the aspen leaves change from green to gold.
Read on below for a look at some of our favorite trail rides in Flagstaff and the best-equipped bikes for these rides.
What bike to Bring?
Much of Flagstaff’s riding is accessible from town and, when possible, we encourage folks to ride to the ride. With the lack of commercial shuttle services, however, many people drive into the mountains and park at trailheads. Where appropriate, we will identify parking options with each highlighted trail below.
Additionally, there is little to no running water in the Flagstaff backcountry. Many rides consist of steep climbs for the payoff of immensely enjoyably long descents, which means they start high (7,000+ ft) in town and go much higher.
We recommend each rider carry one liter of water for each hour they plan to be on the trail. If riding in the heat of 85ºF+ or consistently at high elevation, carry even more.
When it comes to bikes and preparations for Flagstaff’s hundreds of miles of trails, there are some things to consider. Below, we’ll offer bike and gear spec recommendations for the variety of trails listed.
Trails and zones like Meteoride and Fort Tuthill can be ridden on a rigid mountain bike. While most riders would benefit from at least some front suspension, rigid bikes with ample gearing and wide tires are appropriate depending on the rider’s comfort level.
Rigid Mountain Bike Spec
- Mountain gearing – either a 2x drivetrain or a 1x drivetrain with a wide gearing spread
- Singlespeeds should have climbing gear, in the neighborhood of 30-18, or be prepared to hike in the steep sections
- 2.4″ tough casing tires minimum for Fort Tuthill, 2.6″ for Full Sail
- Tire puncture kit or spare tube
- 2+ L of water
- Rain shell jacket
Hardtail Mountain Bike Spec
- Mountain gearing
- 120 mm travel hardtail recommended for Full Sail, 140 mm for Metroride or Heart Trail
- 2.4″ tough casing tires minimum
- Tire puncture kit or spare tube
- 2 L of water Full Sail and Meteoride, 3+ L for Heart Trail
- Rain shell jacket
Full Suspension Mountain Bike Spec
- Mountain gearing
- 120 – 150 mm travel full suspension recommended for Full Sail, Metroride, or Heart Trail
- 2.4″ tough casing tires minimum
- Tire puncture kit or spare tube
- 2-3+ L of water
- Rain shell jacket
Mountain Biking Rides Hub
Flagstaff has many singletrack riding options, from moderate flow to steep and rocky tech. The zone also has spectacular gravel road rides, which we hope to incorporate into a future project. In this guide, we’re spotlighting a few favorite trails – both well-established and recently built – that are prime examples of the excellent mountain biking the area has to offer.
Additionally, we’ll reference two variations of a favorite overnight mountain bike tour accessible right from town.
Some of the trails we’re sharing are just some of the many contained in Discover Flagstaff’s Trails Passport. This interactive guide, available for mobile devices, is “designed for you to easily and conveniently select trails from a specially procured list intended to assist you in avoiding trail congestion and provide you a better experience.” Used alongside apps like Komoot, Trailforks, or MTB Project, we found the Trails Passport is a valuable resource for uncovering some of Flagstaff’s gems.
Full Sail Trail
One of a few recently developed trails in Flagstaff, Full Sail has become an instant classic. When the trail opened in the spring of 2024, rumblings reverberated among riders all over the state, who were stoked to learn of a new directional flow trail within the already-popular established trail networks flanking Schultz Pass Road.
Flagstaff isn’t historically known for having many modern flow trails, at least not outside of the Fort Tuthill area. Adding Full Sail within the established Schultz Pass trail network changes this, adding nearly four miles of machine-built flow that features jumps, tabletops, berms, and other fun features. But the true beauty of Full Sail is that it’s fun for all levels of mountain bikers – those wanting to hit a variety of features and shred berms on a safe directional trail will find no shortage, while others simply looking for a fun trail amid beautiful pine forest close to town can find that as well. Alt-lines and roll-able obstacles are all over the trail, making airtime optional.
Full Sail can be accessed via town from various trail connections, such as the AZT Schultz Creek section or Dog Food Trail to Schultz Pass Road. From there, climb either Broadside or Sunset Trails. Full Sail is a directional trail that begins where Broadside and Sunset converge atop a beautiful hill that offers expansive views of the valley below. If not riding to the trailhead, vehicle parking can be found off Schultz Pass Road at either Sunset or Weatherford Trailheads.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Bike: Mountain Bike – Rigid, Hardtail, or Full Suspension
Distance: 7 Miles
Elevation: 900 ft
Estimate time: 1-2 hours
Best time of year: Late Spring through Fall
LINK TO GPS ROUTE
Meteoride Trail
Another recent addition to Flagstaff’s trail catalog, Meteoride, opened to much fanfare earlier this year. Unlike Full Sail, however, Meteorde is for advanced riders. The mostly downhill-trending trail consists of nearly two miles of rock drops and otherwise technical features.
Like Full Sail, Meteoride can be accessed from Flagstaff through a varied network of easy and moderate trails, such as Lower Oldham Trail, to Elden Lookout Road. You could also ride up the road from town, but most riders would prefer singletrack over the dusty gravel surface. For vehicle access, park at either Oldham-Rocky Ridge or Brookbank Trail Heads on Elden Lookout Road. From there, most riders will find Meteroride Trail from Brookbank, which is a steep climb up bench cut and switchback singletrack. This section of the trail is multi-directional, so be aware of and courteous to other users.
While there are plenty of technical lines and features on Meteoride, alternatives exist. So, for riders wanting to up their game and see what a more difficult trail has to offer, Meteoride is a viable option.
Difficulty: Intermediate, Advanced
Bike: Mountain Bike – Hardtail or Full Suspension
Distance: 6 Miles
Elevation: 1000 ft
Estimate time: 2-3 hours
Best time of year: Late Spring through Fall
LINK TO GPS ROUTE
Heart Trail
The Sandy Seep Trailhead in east Flagstaff is a small dirt lot that offers significant solitude compared with the trailheads northwest of the city. From there, a 16-mile loop can be made in either direction by using the Little Elden, Little Bear and Heart trails. This one is a big effort with more than 2,000 feet of climbing.
Heart can also be used as a decent via climbing Mt. Elden Road from town and accessing from the top following a short section of Sunset Trail. This option becomes a long loop, as the trails back to the starting zone – Pipeline and Forces of Nature – can be a challenge for already tired legs.
But the payoff, besides epic views northeast toward the Painted Desert, is that you’re unlikely to encounter many other people, and descending either Little Bear or Heart offers 3-4 miles of steep, exposed, and sustained downhill.
Difficulty: Advanced
Bike: Mountain Bike – Hardtail or Full Suspension
Distance: 16 Miles
Elevation: 2,100+ ft
Estimate time: 3-5 hours
Best time of year: Late Spring through Fall
LINK TO GPS ROUTE
Fort Tuthill Trails
Just south of Flagstaff at Fort Tuthill County Park is the city’s skills park and popular cross-country trails. The park is popular among families, high-school teams, and riders practicing their pump-track and jumping technique. It is connected to the greater Flagstaff Urban Trails System, which links the entire city, meaning it can easily be looped into a longer ride.
Made up of a wide trail network, which is centered around the skills course, all levels of riders will find the terrain here to be fun and engaging. Among other events, Fort Tuthill hosts the Arizona Cycling Association’s youth XC race each year during September, and we enjoy camping in the expansive campground and watching our kiddos enjoy the flowy trails with their peers.
Difficulty: All Levels
Bike: Mountain Bike – Rigid, hardtail, or full suspension
Distance: Varies
Elevation: Varies
Estimate time: 2-3 hours
Best time of year: Late Spring through Fall
Around the Peaks S24O Tour
With Flagstaff’s close proximity to endless forest roads and abundant trail networks, it’s easy to get out of town and tour via bicycle for as long as your legs can carry you. But with efficiency in mind, one of our favorite routes is known as “Around the Peaks,” which essentially circumnavigates the San Francisco Peaks via a mix of gravel roads and singletrack.
I wrote about my first outing on this route a few years ago, which you can reference here for all of the specifics. In a nutshell, however, the route begins from town and climbs singletrack along Schulz Creek until peeling off on the historic Waterline Road for a long and sustained climb up into the Peaks’ Inner Basin. Once at the top, drop into the aspen-lined Inner Basin Trail to Lockett Meadow, FSR 552, and then around to the AZT via FSR 418, where singletrack leads all the way back to town along some of the most gorgeous terrain around.
Note: At the time of publication, Lockett Meadow is currently closed to vehicles but open to nonmotorized travel due to the fire restoration projects. Always check road and trail status before venturing out.
Difficulty: Intermediate, Advanced
Bike: Mountain Bike – Hardtail or Full Suspension
Distance: 60 Miles
Elevation: 5,500 ft
Estimate time: 24 hours
Best time of year: Summer through Fall
LINK TO GPS ROUTE
Trail Building and Advocacy
Meteoride and Full Sail are examples of some 30+ miles of new trail built as part of the Mount Elden Dry Lake Hills Recreation Project (MEDL) during the past three years. After what seemed like a lull in new or rebuilt trails in the area, MEDL has been a massive project and seems to represent a new era in Flagstaff trail building.
We caught up with Joe Hazel of Flagstaff Biking Organization, who offered insights about these exciting new developments: “[Full Sail] trail was built by Flagline Trails, LLC with FBO paying for the construction. In contrast, the other directional trail is steep tech: Meteoride is the realignment of the old social trail known as Ginger and is a hand-built natural surface technical trail incorporating natural terrain features. The Forest Service did the layout and design with input from local riders.
Meteoride was built by volunteers, who contributed over 500 hours of time, and the Flagstaff Ranger District Trail Crew with support from Nackard Pepsi, Fratelli Pizza, Flagstaff Biking Organization, Flagstaff Bicycle Revolution, and Absolute Bikes. Full Sail was built by local trail and bike park builders. Flagline Trails, with funding provided by the Catena Foundation, matched with Flagstaff Ranger District and Flagstaff Biking Organization project management time.
Hopefully, two more directional MTB trails will be on tap in 2025. Adoption and realignment were needed of the popular double-black trail known as Private Reserve and a single-black that will be in the same area.”
Route 66 and Beyond
Flagstaff is a hub for a variety of side trips and experiences. It’s the gateway city to Grand Canyon National Park, 1.5 hours away, Monument Valley Tribal Park three hours northeast, and even closer to Wupatki and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monuments just north of the city.
Flagstaff is also home to a significant stretch of historic Route 66. Also known as the “Mother Road,” the thoroughfare was established in 1926 to connect Los Angeles to Chicago. Its legacy plays a prominent role in the city’s identity, and there will be some epic celebrations when it turns 100 in two years.
Many historic motels, diners, and service stations from the Route 66 era still stand, showcasing classic Americana. The city’s downtown area is well-preserved and has vintage signage, shops, and restaurants celebrating Route 66’s legacy. In fact, Eat ‘n Run Cafe, where we ate breakfast multiple times during a recent fall riding trip, is just one of many adaptively reused buildings along the historic roadway offering eclectic experiences for tourists and local customers. The popular local Mother Road Brewing Company is also named after the route’s colloquial moniker.
A variety of historic motor lodges line Route 66 in Flagstaff as well, but we opted to stay at the more modern Little America Hotel, which offers direct access to singletrack out the hotel’s back door.
Enjoy Your Stay!
We’ll be updating this guide with more rides and resources in the coming months, so bookmark this post and be sure to visit it again when planning your trip. If you have favorite local rides, drop them in the comments!
We like to think of Flagstaff as a home away from home. We hope that you will, too. When you do visit, we’d like to encourage you to enjoy their stay and, while riding, follow the Leave No Trace Principles.