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Arizona Trail Mormon Lake
1 reviews
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Start at Lake Mary Road exit off I-17 in Flagstaff or Highway 260/87 intersection north of Pine/Strawberry. Drive 20 miles south or 45 miles north to the intersection of Lake Mary Road and Mormon Lake Road at the north end of Mormon Lake. Turn west onto Mormon Lake Road and drive 1.7 miles. Turn west (right) onto Forest Road 132 which is marked with a sign that says "Weimer Springs 5mi". Go west .1 miles and park in an area on the right signed as the Pine Grove Quiet Area.
Bike west on the road a short ways over a rise and part way down the hill to where the poorly marked Arizona Trail crosses the road. Watch for an ATV trail on the left and turn left onto the singletrack that starts at the same point. For a short ways the trail closely follows an old logging railroad roadbed marked by deteriorating railroad ties. Turn right away from the roadbed and climb through a meadow and then pine trees towards Mormon Mountain. Climb steadily south, stopping for three gates. Fun downhill section after last gate. Cross one well-used jeep road, one eroded jeep road and then merge onto third jeep road that climbs sometimes steep and rocky to the south. As the jeep road tops the hill and starts downhill, turn right on a secondary jeep road and watch for the Arizona Trail to turn off to the right at a signed intersection. Cross the well-marked Mormon Mountain Trail and soon reach another gate. Continue gradually climbing to Munds Park Road FS240. If you feel like you have already done a sufficiently long ride (4 miles to this point), this is a good place to turn around.
If you want to add an extra 2.5 miles, significantly more technical difficulty and a scenic overlook to your ride, continue riding across the road. Descend into a rocky valley, ride through the Double Springs Campground and look for the signed Arizona Trail/Lakeview Trail on the right. Cross a small stream over some wooden bridges and start the rocky climb. Pass through another gate and come to the intersection of the Lakeview and Arizona Trails. Turn right on the Lakeveiw Trail and climb to the top of a ridge where there is a very scenic overlook over Mormon Lake. If you are looking for still more mileage, new sections of the Arizona Trail are still being added south of the Arizona Trail/Lakeview Trail intersection.
If you need to cut your ride short, there are bailouts at Double Springs Campground, Munds Park Road, Mormon Mountain Trail, and the long jeep road section, that will take you east out to Mormon Lake Road where you can turn left and ride back to the starting point on pavement.
Summary: I stumbled across this new section of the Arizona Trail while riding the Mormon Mountain trail listed in one of the Arizona mountain biking books. This is a much better mountain bike trail. It is mostly new singletrack that is never too steep or technical. I gave it a three for Aerobic Difficulty and a three for Technical Difficulty because it is pretty mellow trail but the fun levels raise the Overall Rating to a four. What it lacks in pain it really makes up for in grins. CAUTION; Due to the density of trees, deadfall on the trail is a real possibility. Beware when flying around blind corners.
Recommended Route: The first four miles of this trail up to Munds Park Road is very suitable for intermediate riders. Most of it is pure mountain single track. The section of the trail past Double Spring campground really changes character. It is an older, more eroded trail that is steeper and more technical. The Lakeview overlook is worth the climb if you like overlooks. Good stopping point for lunch. The new section of the Arizona Trail south of the Lakeview Trail intersection looks really good but I haven't had a chance to ride it yet. I believe the trail extends for another 1-2 miles with a new section of trail having been added just this past weekend.
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