A beautiful ride thru forest and hoodoos in the middle elevations of the Santa Catalina Mountains. It begins with a tough climb to a ridge, 15 minute hike a bike. Then begin descending on tight corners of the ridge and into a oak/pine/madrone forest for over a mile. The trail then climbs stairs to a ridge and views, descends moderate tech to hoodoos. From there the descent soon gets a little tougher, down a ridge face to the Catalina Highway. The trail splits above the highway. Left to continue or right to lower Bug Spring trailhead. Most will continue on to Prison Camp and from the rear of the camp area ascend another ridge and down the Prison Camp Trail to Molino Basin. Most will shuttle to here. Onward is tougher Milagrosa Trail.
I started out at the lower Bug Springs trailhead and took the road for 4 miles up until getting to the upper Bug Springs trailhead. After the initial hike a bike the decent was great especially the flow through the pine forest. After the second hike a bike you'll be treated of amazing views of Tucson and a fast technical decent back down to the parking lot. This loop was 9.2 miles and had 1,800 feet of elevation gain. Will be back to explore different parts of the Mt. Lemon trails.
| ThankBadass trail! Only part that sucks is the initial hike-a-bike and the one about half way in the trail. The best part by far has to be the section through the woods. The end can be kind of sketchy due to loose dirt, but as long as you stick closer to the mountain side you should be fine.
| ThankThis trail is amazing. The only reason I gave it 4/5 is because there are two signficant HABs. One is right out of the parking area, just water bar after water bar spaced exactly bike length apart for 15 minutes or so. There is some amazing riding through a forest, then another HAB, but shorter. Then you get to big scenery, and just haul @ss! There is a fun technical section or two. This is just an amazing trail with amazing scenery.
| ThankRode this trail up from Molino Basin to Prison Camp and back, twice, for a 13 mile day. It was a nice, techy sort of climb with a fun/tricky little descent. Misjudged remaining daylight and rode the last mile on a beautiful moonlit trail. Both the ascent/descent stretched my skills and I walked a couple short stretches in both directions. The trail almost has a backcountry feel except that the Catalina Hwy is always close at hand.
| ThankDon't make the mistake I made by bringing my DH bike. This is a XC trail! Lots of steep climbing and at least 2 hike-a-bike sections. The descents are not that memorable. Trail is made for hikers...not bikers.
| ThankTrail is awesome, hike a bike in the beginning sucks but the reward is well worth it. Some techy spots but i get along just fine on my 29er rigid. Beware, it does get fast in spots.
| Thankbest trail in tucson i absouloutly love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!* Review edited 2/26/2011
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