Work your way slowly into the rugged Huachuca Mountains. Garden Canyon/Brown Canyon Loop is a good introduction to southern Arizona mountain biking. This 13-mile trail gains almost 2,000 feet in elevation and connects with the Hamburg Trail to make a popular loop. Although this is a great ride for beginners with many flat stretches, expect some tough climbs and rocky runs to add some intrigue.

Just a short ride from Sierra 

Vista hotels, campgrounds and RV sites, another good primer to off-road adventures in southern Arizona is the Cooper Loop Trail. This 10-mile route close to town climbs 1,500 feet through the Huachucas. Cooper is perfect for experienced cyclists who can handle the steep climbs and difficult terrain, including tight switchbacks and narrow ridges that drop into a canyon where the trails continues along the creek. Be mindful on shared-use trails to give the right-of-way to hikers and horseback riders.

Ride Along the River

On the east side of the city along the valley floor, the San Pedro Trail meanders 9 miles along the San Pedro River. Expect less climbing and more rhythm on this remote trail with facilities available only at each end of the ride. The region’s heritage is on display at the Millville Rock Art Discovery Trail. Hop off and search for petroglyphs before you get back on the bike to ride hard-packed river banks and more sandy areas in the river bed.

While cyclists come here to ride, the area’s historic sites are well worth a short diversion. The Murray Springs Trail offers a quick jaunt off the San Pedro Trail. Walk the short loop through a forested area that leads to the Murray Springs Clovis Site. Here, archeologists discovered a nomadic hunting site with evidence of stone tools that date back 13,000 years.

Head to Those Distant Mountains

Pick up the Arizona Trail at multiple trailheads near Sierra Vista. Here, the rugged Santa Rita Mountains come into play, no more perfectly than at Kentucky Camp Trail, an 11-mile loop through the foothills that mixes forest service roads with Arizona Trail singletrack. Tuck under the canopy of oak woodlands and pull off the trail to check out the preserved remnants of a mining boom camp.

History pops up along every trail in the region, where Native Americans and conquistadors once traveled similar routes. At Stronghold Loop in the Dragoon Mountains, rugged sections along the 26-mile route require cyclists to carry their bikes. Other sections feature steep climbs and quick descents. Consider this a graduate-level trail for technical riders, a well-deserved diploma at the end of your epic southern Arizona mountain biking adventure.