AZT: Bellota

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Not Allowed

This is a great section of the Arizona Trail, most commonly ridden as an out and back starting from Reddington Road. Trail parking starts right around mile marker 12 on Reddington Pass Road. The Arizona Trail actually crosses the road here.

You'll have several sections to choose from: the Bellota AZT section or Italian Trap AZT section. This description is for the Bellota section.

The Bellota section goes west from the parking area towards Mt. Lemmon. There's a metal sign marking the trail and then about .5 miles from the road there will be a huge Arizona Trail sign and gate. The trail continues up from there with some tricky water bars to navigate on the climb. From there it continues on some fun winding singletrack before dropping you down into the wash. The descent also has some fairly easy water bars and switchbacks to navigate going west but on the return trip (once you are climbing them), they become a little more difficult. The trail style does not really change much for the first 8 or so miles.

Around mile 4.5 you'll come to a jeep road. The trail is off to the left, down and across the road. You'll ride through a sandy little wash and then reconnect with the trail. There will be another huge AZT sign. The trail continues heading west towards the mountain. You'll come across another jeep road at about mile 6.5. You'll stay on this jeep road for roughly 1.5 miles until you get to the junction with La Milagrosa.

From here you have a few options. You can head back which is the common day ride route, you can head down La Milagrosa, or you can go up a very miserable climb for about 2.5 miles to get you to Mt Lemmon highway.