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+ 65

Desert Classic Trail

Mountain Biking Trail

Moderate
17.2 mi
1,571 ft
The easiest trail in the South Mountain Trail System makes for the perfect after work cross country ride.

The Desert Classic trail is hands-down the easiest trail in the South Mountain Trail System. This ultra-popular route runs along the base of the mountains without climbing high into the hills. As a result, it's popular with beginner mountain bikers, cross country riders looking to log miles, and hikers and trail runners as well. In short, the Desert Classic is *popular*. Since it's easily accessible from the Pima Canyon Trailhead and a multitude of feeder trails along its length, you can expect to encounter tons of trail traffic at any time of the day and on every day of the week. This massive popularity has lead to much of the trail widening from true singletrack mostly doubletrack—a phenomenon that can be observed across the entire Phoenix Metro Area. While it's the easiest trail in the South Mountain network, South Mountain ranks on the very rough end of the technical spectrum, meaning that even the "easiest" cross country trail could be rated as difficult in other places in the nation. That said, you won't encounter any serious obstacles on the Desert Classic. Instead, any technicality here comes from erosion freeing loose rocks from the ground, a few sections of rough embedded rock, and regular dips into drainage ditches with short, steep descents and short, steep climbs back out. While an athletic beginner could still have a great time riding this trail, it's not nearly as beginner-friendly as one might expect. Instead, the Desert Classic serves as a great after-work rip for cross country riders on hardtails and short travel bikes looking to log serious miles, without traveling too far away. As mapped, this out-and-back ride measures over 17 miles long, and it can easily be extended by climbing higher into the mountains. Written by Greg Heil
Created By
Strava Routes

Route and Elevation

Segments

NameDistanceElev. Diff.Avg. Grade
Ramadas to Home1.45 mi-59 ft-0.3%
Pima Lot to Tanks3.41 mi128 ft0.3%
Ramada Hill Out0.13 mi-33 ft-3.1%
Climb Along Homes0.39 mi52 ft2.5%
House Out0.66 mi49 ft0.9%
BC DC Rock0.30 mi-46 ft-2.9%
Course de Cote0.06 mi33 ft8.9%
RANCH CLIMB0.44 mi69 ft2.9%
San Gabriel to Fast Way Back1.65 mi85 ft0.4%
Charlie Don't Surf0.31 mi72 ft4.3%
south mountain tour de backyards1.31 mi72 ft0.9%
Let's Write an S (N to S)0.56 mi66 ft1.4%
DC Intersection to Tanks0.43 mi52 ft2.0%
K's Corner1.08 mi79 ft0.3%
K's Corner: 1st Half0.59 mi-56 ft-1.2%
DH past Secret0.28 mi-66 ft-4.3%
K's Swoop0.19 mi-33 ft-3.0%
K's Corner Climb0.52 mi66 ft2.3%
The Cheese Grater west bound0.90 mi118 ft1.8%
CDL to Bus Stop West0.46 mi82 ft3.2%
Rock Gardn0.32 mi-52 ft-2.2%
lil' Chunky0.11 mi-36 ft-2.8%
Helipad Turnoff to 2nd Saddle0.80 mi98 ft1.2%
Saddle to Telegraph2.18 mi-177 ft-0.4%
Whoosh0.20 mi-46 ft-3.8%
Westbound Saddle Descent0.58 mi-148 ft-4.7%
Fork to Telegraph Pass0.79 mi92 ft2.1%
Pad to DC final climb0.45 mi-23 ft-0.2%
Desert Classic - final climb to Telegraph Pass0.31 mi75 ft4.4%
Fun DC Downhill0.32 mi-75 ft-4.5%
Telegraph Pass to Fork0.79 mi-98 ft-2.1%
Telegraph to Saddle2.25 mi180 ft0.4%
Westbound Saddle Climb0.59 mi171 ft5.3%
2nd Saddle to 1st Saddle1.27 mi-105 ft-0.7%
swoopy D sizzle0.56 mi-85 ft-2.5%
DC - Helepad split to Corona split (East)1.02 mi-108 ft-1.2%
The Cheese Grater east bound0.90 mi-118 ft-1.7%
Bus Stop To CDL East0.48 mi-89 ft-3.4%
Turbo Cheese0.39 mi-82 ft-3.4%
Tank Hill Eastbound0.57 mi59 ft1.2%
Desert Classic Tanks back to parking lot3.47 mi-112 ft-0.3%
hit the drop or it doesn't count0.26 mi-39 ft-2.8%
Tanks to Big Wash0.60 mi-59 ft-1.5%
DC - Kachina Tank to E Western Star2.01 mi-85 ft-0.7%
Let's Write an S (S to N)0.55 mi-69 ft-0.8%
Rocky Climb0.18 mi46 ft4.6%
Filling Rattler0.17 mi-36 ft-4.0%
Home to Ramadas1.46 mi59 ft0.2%
Desert classic final push for home0.26 mi30 ft1.9%
Final Climb to Ramada0.12 mi46 ft6.7%