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Level: Advanced
Length: 5 mi (8 km)
Surface: Other
Configuration: Network
Elevation: +498/ -464 ft
Total: 38 riders
Mountain Biking North Urban Trail System - West
#141 of 417 mountain bike trails in Arizona
The North Urban Trail System is an interconnected series of trails along the red rock front country at the north edge of Sedona. The western portion, described here, includes Lower Chimney Rock, Summit, Chimney Rock Pass, and Thunder Mountain Trails. These trails may be reached using the three trailheads (see directions) or from the Teacup Trail from the west.
An easy 1.4 mile loop can be made from the Thunder Mountain Trailhead using Lower Chimney Rock Trail and the southern portion of the Thunder Mountain Trail. From the loop, a short but steep route climbs up the Summit Trail to Chimney Rock Vista on top of a red rock hill with a great 360 degree view. A moderate 2.6 mile loop can be made using the Chimney Rock Pass Trail and more of the Thunder Mountain Trail. or, a moderate "figure 8" of 3 miles can be hiked using the same trails. The trailhead at the north end of Andante Drive can also be used as the starting point for these loops. These trails offer no shade.
The Thunder Mountain Trail is the connector between these western trails and the eastern portion of the North Urban Trail System. The trail begins at the Thunder Mountain Trailhead and goes north, passing Chimney Rock. It then turns east and crosses the open area south of the sheer face of Capitol Butte, intersecting Teacup Trail at 1.7 miles. This is an easy, level trail, but there is no shade. The Teacup trail continues east. The Sugarloaf Trailhead is .3 miles to the south.
First added by searsandrewj on Dec 15, 2008. Last updated Apr 28, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
Thunder Mountain Trailhead - From the junction of Routes 89A and 179, take 89A west 3.2 miles to Dry Creek Road on the right. Go north .5 miles to Thunder mountain Road on the right. Go .6 miles east to the turnoff on the left for trailhead parking. GPS: N34° 52' 14.5194", W-111° 48' 40.86"
Andante Drive Trailhead - From the junction of Routes 89A and 179, go west 2.5 miles to Andante Road on the right. Go north 1.2 miles to end of road and small trailhead parking area on left next to water storage tank. Follow spur trail west 120 yards to the Thunder Mountain Trail.
Sugarloaf Trailhead - from the junction of Routes 89A and 179, take 89A west 2 miles to Coffee Pot Drive on the right. Go .5 miles to Sandborn Drive on the left, then .02 miles to Little Elf Drive on the right. Go .2 miles to the end of Little Elf and turn right on Buena Vista Drive for 50 yards to the trailhead parking area on the left.
System trails (1)
Don't bother with Sedona. You most likely won't love the unbelievable scenery wherever you go. You can probably find more trails elsewhere. The roads are crowded. Prices are high. Please don't come.
| ThankAmazing trail....if you're hiking. Definitely NOT a mountain bike trail. It climbs with huge rocky steps that even Danny Macaskill couldn't navigate. I would highly recommend leaving the bikes behind, hike the trail, enjoy the views, then go ride long canyon or the 2 dozen other mountain bike tailored trails Sedona has to offer.
| ThankThe Summit Trail is probably just a hiking trail. According to the map, the Chimney Rock Pass (Upper) Loop appears to go through wilderness area (which means biking is verboten) ... although there are no signs along the trail telling you that. The "very difficult" rating is because of Thunder Mountain Trail
| ThankSedona has some awesome sunsets. People like to watch them from Airport Mesa, which makes it crowded and hard to find parking. Outsmart the crowds and hike to the summit off the lower Chimney Rock Loop for great views. This figure-eight will roll by really fast if you're biking. Hardly worth unloading your bike unless you'r also heading down Thunder Mountain Trail. Take a nice hike.
| ThankOnly the far west portion is built for beginners. The Thunder Mountain Trail crosses a number of washes that have rocky, sandy, steep entries and exits. There are some fast, buff stretches, but there will be dismounts for many. These trails aren't really worth visiting in their own right, but make a good start to some epic loops that you can link up with other Sedona trails. The most frustrating thing is that the Chimney Rock trail makes a loop that passes through just a tiny (less than 1/4 mile) piece of wilderness--it's like they drew the wilderness boundary just to keep bikers from being able to loop it.
* Review edited 3/28/2009
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