Sedona (my home away from home)

[MNbiker]

Those of you who know me have heard my rants about Sedona, AZ - my favorite place to go riding. I try to make it there at least twice a year (next trip coming up in April). It's a great place to ride, with 300+ miles of great trails within biking distance of downtown, great restaraunts & hotels and some of the most unique & friendly people you'll ever meet. Unlike Moab, Sedona's a place you can actually take the wife and kids without feeling guilty, as there are plenty of non-biking activities.

Check out the trails at:
http://www.az-fattire.com

Check out Sedona at:
http://www.sedona.net

Check out my favorite funky bike shop in Sedona at:
http://www.mountainbikeheaven.com

-Steve

[BrightYellow]

I went riding in Sedona once and I had a great time! Granted it was about 7 years ago and it was the first place I took my first mt. bike. Needless to say, I was a little out of my league.

I remember the submarine rock and the fact that you could climb it, although it looked like there was no way you'd stick. I also remember some ladder trail and a great loop out in the desert.

Can you name a few of your favorite trails out there? How is the weather in March?

[MNbiker]

Don,

Sedona was your first mountain biking experience? eek!
There are a few "moderate" trails there, but it would definitely be a challenging place to start out!

Daytime highs in March average in the mid-60's. It looks like I'll be there the last week of March this year, and will likely see some 70 degree days.

As for trails, there are tons of great ones. I'd HIGHLY recommend picking up Cosmic Ray's Arizona Mountain Bike Guide. It's available at Amazon or in most any bike shop in Arizona. Ray has excellent maps & descriptions of the most popular trails in Sedona & surrounding areas.

Broken Arrow is probably the best known trail in Sedona. It has lots of slickrock, and goes right by Submarine Rock. I usually tie this together with the Catherdral Rock/Buddha Beach trail to create a longer 3-4 hour ride.

The "Secret" Trails, North of Hwy 89A are a fun place to play, and are right by downtown Sedona.

The Huckaby Loop along Oak Creek is cool if you're into big drops.

There's a brand-new trail that follows Schnebly Hill Road up towards Flagstaff. It starts from the same trailhead as Huckaby. I rode it last year, and really liked it. You climb most of the way out, so the return is a blast.

My absolute favorite trails in the area are on Mt. Elden in Flagstaff. 2-3,000 feet of climbing, then a glorious 8 mile descent between pines, over rocks and through streams. However, Mt. Elden isn't usually rideable until around May 1st.

-Steve