more stats
2.5 miles
Distance
281 ft
Climb
-332 ft
Descent
00:22:17
Avg time
-51 ft
Altitude change
1,612 ft
Altitude min
1,822 ft
Altitude max
1,673 ft
Altitude start
1,622 ft
Altitude end
-0.38%
Grade
-47.056%
Grade max
44.578%
Grade min
1 mile
Distance climb
1 mile
Distance down
1,320 ft
Distance flat
00:22:17
Avg time

Technical Loop Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
    • Adaptive Bike
  • Riding Area
    McDowell Mountain Regional Park
    Fountain Hills, Arizona
  • Difficulty Rating
  • Voted Difficulty
    Blue (1 vote)
  • Local Popularity
    45 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 60 in E-Biking
    • 5 in Adaptive Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #5829 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #7785 in E-Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
  • Direction
    One Direction
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Moderate
  • Dogs Allowed
    Yes
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • Land Owner
    Maricopa County Parks

Technical Loop is a one-way (counter-clockwise) single track trail. Most of its "technical" nature occurs early, with two steep drops (both with bypasses) and a tough, somewhat rocky climb. After that it is similar to the Sport Loop, with fast flow sections, short steep climbs and descents, a few rocky areas, and some tight bermed switchbacks. Near the end of the loop there is a crossover to the Long Loop before the Sport and Technical Loops merge and pop out into the parking lot.

Adaptive Bike Info
aMTB Black Rating: Advanced obstacles exist, some trail obstructions.

One pinch point and two semi off-camber exposed spots on the climb. One off-camber spot after the DH.

Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 0 rides
  •  
6 Months
  • 11 rides
  • 15 miles avg distance
All
  • 367 rides
  • Last: Sep 13, 2026
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Technical Loop Trail Reports

statusdatedescription
Mar 10, 2026 @ 11:22am (America/Phoenix)
Mar 10, 2026
Except for a couple of very steep drops, there is nothing really "technical" about this trail. Both "drops" have bypass trails so in reality,...
Feb 24, 2023 @ 12:14am
Feb 24, 2023
Feb 5, 2023 @ 6:02am
Feb 5, 2023
Beautiful, so green, spots like riding through a golf course!
Jan 12, 2023 @ 6:51am
Jan 12, 2023
Oct 24, 2021 @ 11:08am
Oct 24, 2021
Trail is getting good again after a summer of lots of rain. Over growth is starting to die back.
more »
Status:
on Mar 10, 2026
Ideal
Avg: 4.09 (26 votes)
Your vote: 0

view (2,564)
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      Directions to technical-loop-14914 trailhead (33.668830, -111.702130)

      Photos

      4 more »
      mtb
      245 |
      Oct 27, 2019 @ 4:21pm
      Oct 27, 2019
      mtb
      270 |
      Oct 27, 2019 @ 4:20pm
      Oct 27, 2019
      mtb
      226 |
      Oct 27, 2019 @ 4:20pm
      Oct 27, 2019
      mtb
      231 |
      Sep 18, 2017 @ 6:11am
      Sep 18, 2017

      Videos

      6 more »
      Tech Loop at McDowell Mountain Park
      mtb
      11:33 | 1051 | Mar 4, 2022 , Fountain Hills
      The McDowell Loops 4K
      mtb
      13:26 | 426 | Apr 9, 2021 , Fountain Hills
      McDowell Meltdown Course Preview
      mtb
      16:18 | 448 | Dec 9, 2020 , Fountain Hills
      2020 Specialized Cactus Cup | Enduro Course |...
      mtb
      5:57 | 665 | Nov 14, 2020 , Fountain Hills

      Routes with this trail

      23 miles 1,614 ft 22
      Nice long ride with a few very technical areas - about 100' total of possible hike/bike
      38 miles 4,592 ft 36 Loop
      A nice long ride connecting both sides of the McDowell Mountains.
      2.0 34 miles 2,266 ft 37 Loop
      This is the map from the MBAA website for the Red Loop for those racing Marathon.
      4.1
      26 Ratings
      5 35%
      4 42%
      3 23%
      2
      1

      6 Reviews & Comments

      Alvarado8 Alvarado8
      Not really techy, two nice drops in the beginning and frankly the climbing shortly after is the hardest but coming down the butte after the climb is a blast. Once past the tunnel it is no different than Sport Loop
      chrisjacobs1
      Definitely a blue trail not black; 2 good drops near the start but both have cheater trails around if needed, the rest of the trail is an easy blue
      Jschwach
      Definitely would not rate this as a black diamond, more of a blue square.

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      • By toddTF Pro Trailforks & contributors
      • #14914 - 4,536 views

      Frequently Asked Questions

      Where is Technical Loop located?
      Technical Loop is located in McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Fountain Hills, Arizona, United States. It is part of the McDowell Mountain Regional Park trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 33.66883, -111.70213.
      How hard is Technical Loop?
      Technical Loop is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 0.38%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
      What is the elevation gain for Technical Loop?
      Technical Loop has 281 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 332 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 1,612 ft to 1,822 ft.
      Is Technical Loop a point to point trail?
      Yes, Technical Loop is a point to point trail. The direction is One Direction. The trail type is singletrack.
      How long is Technical Loop?
      Technical Loop is 2.5 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
      Are dogs allowed on Technical Loop?
      Yes, dogs are allowed on Technical Loop. Please keep dogs on a leash where required and clean up after them.
      When is the best time of year to ride Technical Loop?
      Based on activity log data, the most popular months to ride Technical Loop are:
      • February (33 activities)
      • January (26 activities)
      • March (26 activities)
      Check the reports page for current trail conditions.
      How do I access Technical Loop? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
      The closest parking and trailhead locations to Technical Loop are: View all parking locations in the area.
      How long does it take to ride Technical Loop?
      Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 24 minutes to ride Technical Loop. The trail is 2.5 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
      How busy is Technical Loop?
      Technical Loop is a moderately popular trail. There have been 2,422 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 2,564 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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