more stats
3.3 miles
Distance
397 ft
Climb
-327 ft
Descent
00:27:31
Avg time
69 ft
Altitude change
1,267 ft
Altitude min
1,556 ft
Altitude max
1,361 ft
Altitude start
1,430 ft
Altitude end
0.4%
Grade
-37%
Grade max
22.2%
Grade min
2 miles
Distance climb
4,964 ft
Distance down
3,156 ft
Distance flat
00:27:31
Avg time

Pima Canyon Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Horse
    • Hike
    • Trail Running
  • Riding Area
    South Mountain Preserve
    Phoenix, Arizona
  • Difficulty Rating
    Blue Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (4 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    60 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 45 in E-Biking
    • 60 in Trail Running
    • 70 in Hiking
    • 5 in Horseback
  • Global Ranking
    #119536 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #132466 in E-Biking
    • #137517 in Trail Running
    • #127230 in Hiking
    • #19780 in Horseback
  • State Ranking
    #1,812 in Mountain Biking · Arizona [+]
    • #940 in E-Biking
    • #2,390 in Trail Running
    • #2,483 in Hiking
    • #676 in Horseback
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    AM, XC
  • Direction
    Both Directions
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Rock Face, Rock Garden
  • Land Owner
    City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation

As of 2021 this trail has been updated to be part of the 2017 Master Plan "Pima Canyon Loop" trail, as per the trail posts. The information below may only be partially relevant to the new alignment. Desert Classic is utilized to form the complete Pima Canyon Loop.

This trail is multi faceted. North of Pima Truck trail is more all rider friendly. There are pass arounds for the more difficult sections. There is the older trail if you want to challenge yourself on climbs or descents. I would consider this portion a green trail if you ride the pass arounds. If you take the old truck trail then it will push into a blue category.

South of Pima it gets more advanced. The climb up beverly from Pima going south is not long, but steep with a few technical sections. The decent on the other side is a blast. Big reward for the little effort the climb demands. The descent is pushing more black diamond as there are some tech sections that would eat up a novice rider real quick. At speed the descent is only a minute or so long. The bottom of the descent gets loose with golf ball sized rocks.

This is a great little add on after doing a natty run. Way better than just riding the pima trail back to the parking lot.

Tags
CanyonDesertRock gardensRock slabs

Local Trail Association

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 19 rides
  • 14 miles avg distance
All
  • 482 rides
  • Last: Oct 7, 2026
c1c2c3c4
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Status:
on May 5, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 3.63 (21 votes)
Your vote: 0

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      Directions to pima-canyon-loop trailhead (33.363630, -111.986020)
      View on Discover Map

      Photos

      8 more »
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      59 |
      Feb 3, 2026 @ 11:22am
      Feb 3, 2026
      mtb
      229 |
      Oct 13, 2019 @ 7:22am
      Oct 13, 2019
      mtb
      241 |
      Jan 29, 2019 @ 9:46pm
      Jan 29, 2019
      mtb
      258 |
      Jul 18, 2018 @ 11:17pm
      Jul 18, 2018
      Views 1Trail Sign 1

      Videos

      6 more »
      Beverly Canyon DH - South Mountain - Phoenix,...
      mtb
      5:43 | 402 | Feb 19, 2024 , Phoenix
      South Mountain 10-04-2020 | Tagging along for...
      mtb
      11:27 | 501 | Oct 5, 2020 , Phoenix
      Riding South Beverly Canyon at South Mountain
      mtb
      10:58 | 726 | Feb 18, 2020 , Phoenix
      Beverly Canyon South Mountain Phoenix, AZ
      mtb
      2:16 | 1017 | Jan 15, 2019 , Phoenix

      Routes with this trail

      52
      Pima Lot Javalina DH Loop
      ★ 5.0 • 5 miles • 528 ft • 6 • Loop •
      Quick loop to do downhill Javalina
      137
      National Loop
      ★ 4.0 • 12 miles • 1,621 ft • 13 •
      Pima lot to National out and back from Buena Vista with Javelina-Beverly Canyon loop
      119
      East National to Pima Canyon Trailhead
      ★ 5.0 • 5 miles • 271 ft • 13 • Point to Point •
      Nice 5 mile trail that is mostly downhill and a TON of fun! Flows through a couple of side trails that...
      3.5 ★★★★★
      21 Ratings
      5 ★ 24%
      4 ★ 33%
      3 ★ 19%
      2 ★ 19%
      1 ★ 5%

      4 Reviews & Comments

      Ampfrog Ampfrog
      The climb northbound from Desert Classic trail looks heinous in person, but is pretty ridable if you like tech climbs, only had to stop a handful of times for bad line choices and one definite HAB spot. Descending down to the Pima road after was fun (chunky), especially with the few optional drops/jumps at the end.
      Creamcorn1
      Overall it's a blue diamond but there are a few stretches that are black diamond. Can't describe where they are at but they are tricky.
      aztrail
      This is not a green trail especially the south face of the mountain connection to desert classics is on par with National trail.

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      Nearby Trails

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      Frequently Asked Questions

      ▼ Where is Pima Canyon Loop located?
      Pima Canyon Loop is located in South Mountain Preserve, Phoenix, Arizona, United States. It is part of the South Mountain Preserve trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 33.36363, -111.98602.
      ▼ How hard is Pima Canyon Loop?
      Pima Canyon Loop is rated as Blue difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 0.4%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      ▼ What is the elevation gain for Pima Canyon Loop?
      Pima Canyon Loop has 397 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 327 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,267 ft to 1,556 ft.
      ▼ Is Pima Canyon Loop a point to point trail?
      Pima Canyon Loop is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ How long is Pima Canyon Loop?
      Pima Canyon Loop is 3.3 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      ▼ Are dogs allowed on Pima Canyon Loop?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Pima Canyon Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Pima Canyon Loop?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Pima Canyon Loop are:
      • October (15 activities)
      • April (11 activities)
      • December (9 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      ▼ How do I access Pima Canyon Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Pima Canyon Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
      ▼ How long does it take to ride Pima Canyon Loop?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 28 minutes to ride Pima Canyon Loop. The trail is 3.3 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      ▼ How busy is Pima Canyon Loop?
      Pima Canyon Loop is a moderately popular trail. There have been 4,125 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 4,073 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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