more stats
1,617 ft
Distance
6 ft
Climb
-363 ft
Descent
00:10:07
Avg time
-357 ft
Altitude change
2,205 ft
Altitude min
2,563 ft
Altitude max
2,563 ft
Altitude start
2,205 ft
Altitude end
-22.105%
Grade
-41.728%
Grade max
7.582%
Grade min
130 ft
Distance climb
1,427 ft
Distance down
59 ft
Distance flat
00:10:07
Avg time

Microwave DH Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    Hawes
    Mesa, Arizona
  • Difficulty Rating
    Double Black Diamond Rate
  • Local Popularity
    40 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 70 in Trail Running
    • 70 in Hiking
  • Global Ranking
    #158738 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #107103 in Trail Running
    • #91386 in Hiking
  • State Ranking
    #2,516 in Mountain Biking · Arizona [+]
    • #1,689 in Trail Running
    • #1,767 in Hiking
  • Hiking SAC Scale
    T1 Hiking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM
  • Direction
    Downhill Primary
  • Climb Difficulty
    Double Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    No
  • Ride in Rain
    Yes
  • Land Owner
    Tonto National Forest

Very steep and loose with a lot of drops and rock features.

Tags
Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 0 rides
  •  
All
  • 25 rides
  • Last: May 2, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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update trails status or condition

Microwave DH Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Sep 17, 2026 @ 10:30pm (America/Phoenix)
Sep 17, 2026
Insane ruts after the rainstorm on 10/17/26
Sep 14, 2025 @ 8:39am (America/Phoenix)
Sep 14, 2025
 loose
Feb 27, 2025 @ 10:54am
Feb 27, 2025
 gnarly
Dec 7, 2024 @ 11:11am
Dec 7, 2024
Nov 21, 2024 @ 8:52pm
Nov 21, 2024
 blown out, rutted, not great for the average rider, very very similar to pure O
more »
Status:
on Sep 17, 2026
Avg: 3.41 (12 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (393)
close
      Directions to microwave-dh trailhead (33.496130, -111.640040)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      7 more »
      mtb
      57 |
      Nov 21, 2024 @ 8:53pm
      Nov 21, 2024
      mtb
      197 |
      Feb 12, 2021 @ 7:42am
      Feb 12, 2021
      mtb
      203 |
      Jun 8, 2019 @ 9:50pm
      Jun 8, 2019
      mtb
      247 |
      Feb 28, 2019 @ 7:15pm
      Feb 28, 2019

      Videos

      2 more »
      The forgotten trail of Hawes | Microwave DH |...
      mtb
      2:23 | 75 | Mar 11, 2026 , Mesa
      MIcrowave DH - Mesa, AZ - MTB Trail Preview
      mtb
      2:00 | 132 | Apr 2, 2025 , Mesa
      3.3 ★★★★★
      12 Ratings
      5 ★ 33%
      4 ★ 17%
      3 ★ 17%
      2 ★ 8%
      1 ★ 25%

      5 Reviews & Comments

      Ceallach121
      If you want to add to this run me and a friend are rebuilding a old trail that is grown over and really janky but we do plan on fixing it up it goes from the very top of the mountain and goes into the micro wave tower trail
      drthunder81 drthunder81
      Probably my favorite trail at Hawes, but certainly not for everybody. Tread is steep and narrow, with some decent chunk and some fun drops. You're likely to get lots of "You're riding THIS on a bike?!" comments from hikers...
      AZ101
      Hike-a-bike for 70ish% of the way. Very steep and technical going down. Not for beginning. Expert level and dangerous with plenty of rock and sand.

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      Nearby Trails

      Hawes

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Microwave DH located?
      Microwave DH is located in Hawes, Mesa, Arizona, United States. It is part of the Hawes trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 33.49613, -111.64004.
      ▼ How hard is Microwave DH?
      Microwave DH is rated as Double Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 22.105%. The climb difficulty is rated Double Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Microwave DH?
      Microwave DH has 6 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 363 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,205 ft to 2,563 ft.
      ▼ Is Microwave DH a point to point trail?
      Microwave DH is not a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Primary. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Microwave DH?
      Microwave DH is 1,617 ft long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Microwave DH?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Microwave DH. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Microwave DH?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Microwave DH are:
      • February (2 activities)
      • March (2 activities)
      • April (1 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Microwave DH? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Microwave DH are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Microwave DH?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 10 minutes to ride Microwave DH. The trail is 1,617 ft long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Microwave DH?
      Microwave DH is a moderately popular trail. There have been 324 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 393 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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