About
Peaks to Park is a multi-day nearly 100-mile-long mountain biking ride along the Arizona Trail from the San Francisco Peaks to Grand Canyon National Park. This is a vehicle-supported trip, wherein our camping gear is transported from campsite to campsite while the group bikes the trail.
The trip encompasses:
- four days of mountain biking
- four nights of camping
- fun group activities
- recooperation time at camp
- sharing group meals
- and practicing outdoor skills, such as meal preparation and tent setup.
Peaks to Park is truly an opportunity to make lifelong memories with friends new and old.
We are excited to be partnering with El Grupo, a Tucson-based youth cycling program, to implement the summer 2022 Peaks to Park program!
Who Can Participate?
Peaks to Park is for youth ages 13-15. In summer 2022, the group will include riders from El Grupo and ATA’s youth programs, Seeds of Stewardship & Gear Girls.
Riders should have proficient foundational mountain biking skills, experience on intermediate trails, and the excitement and grit needed to cover 18-27 miles per day in potentially hot and sunny conditions.
Dates
El Grupo riders: Monday, June 6, will be a travel day to Flagstaff. You’ll camp out on June 6 and meet the group the following morning at the start of the route. El Grupo coaches will be in touch about details for this travel day.
Drop off: Tuesday, June 7, at 8:00 AM at Aspen Corner.
Pick up: Sunday, June 11, at 12:00 PM at Thorpe Park.
El Grupo participants will arrive back in Tucson in the evening via El Grupo’s van.
Location
We’ll start our adventure at Aspen Corner and end on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. The route encompasses 92.6 miles of the Arizona Trail. For the first three nights along the way, we’ll stay in dispersed camping sites. The campsites will not include running water or a bathroom, but we will have all the supplies we need to be self-sufficient and practice Leave No Trace. After reaching the Grand Canyon South Rim, we’ll stay in the Mather Campground for our final evening; the campground includes running water and flush toilets, a glorious treat after days of boondocking!
About the Trail
The route traverses a variety of landscapes on mostly singletrack trails, passing through ponderosa pine forests, aspens, and juniper woodlands. This portion of the Arizona Trail is rated intermediate. Participants can expect flowy downhill sections, sustained climbs, chunky rocky roads, a section of tight corners with steep ups and downs, and everything in between.
Itinerary and Packing List
Please click here for a trip overview, itinerary, and a packing list.
Cost
Peaks to Park is a no-cost opportunity, and we are happy to lend out any equipment you need. Our goal is to remove as many barriers to participation as possible.
Registration
The group will be capped at 12 participants.
More Questions?
Please contact Julie Polovitch, Youth Outreach & Education Coordinator (Northern AZ), at julie@aztrail.org.
