Best of the AZT: Snowbowl Road to FR 418

Dogs Leashed

E-Bikes Not Allowed

Features Commonly Bikepacked · Flow · Views

This is the highest section of the Arizona Trail, traversing the base of the beautiful San Francisco Peaks near Arizona Snowbowl. Excellent singletrack flows through subalpine meadows, stands of aspen and old-growth conifers. This section is best as a point-to-point route with a shuttle.

For a shorter and easier version of this ride, start from Aspen Corner on Snowbowl Road. Doing so eliminates the techy climbing and makes the route mostly all downhill.

Starting at Snowbowl Road, begin climbing on the Arizona Trail. This climb is long and challenging but well worth the effort! There are flowy sections on nice hardpack dirt, plus some sections of techy rock moves as the trail moves into the higher elevations. Ponderosa pines give way to aspens and firs as you climb higher on the slopes of the San Francisco Peaks. 

When you reach "Aspen Corner," you'll start traversing on flowy singletrack along the base of the San Francisco peaks through beautiful sub-alpine meadows with panoramic views. Aspen Corner is the informal name for a trailhead higher up on Snowbowl Road, and it's very popular with families during the fall leaf season.

Farther down the trail and past Bismarck Lake, the forest becomes denser and aspen trees more plentiful. The descent to forest road 418 is a dream; flowy trail swoops through tall aspens and thick ferns. The fast, swooping trail may hold your full attention, but try to remember to look around and take in the scenery.

This route ends when the trail intersects with FR 418. Most people set their shuttle here, but more motivated riders can simply turn around and enjoy the same trail as and out and back.