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Melissa Fleming

My first time visiting Phoenix I stayed at the Biltmore. Being that I was here for work I didn't have much time for sight seeing or long adventures. But this is in the middle of everything - seriously 5-10 min from anywhere! It was literally a mile away from my hotel. I was surprised at how busy it was for a Thursday morning. Lots of traffic. Not very rustic - lots of man-made steps along the way which was a bit disappointing. But the elevation gain is steep. It's not long, it's not super high, but it's steep! And the views at the top are just awesome! Take a moment at the summit to reflect...and then haul tail downhill!

These trails are wicked awesome for MTB and trail running. I did a duathlon here recently and it didn't disappoint. It's not well marked at all so pay attention. It's a great combination of some technical climbs and rad fast single track. Black Trac was my fave - you fly downhill a bit and then climb until your legs are going to fall off. Once you recover, hold on tight as you go through some of the most rad dips I've ever ridden. I honestly saw my life flash before my eyes as I flew through wondering at what moment I would fly over my handle bars! I made it, though. This is easily the best MTB and trail running in central TX. I would call and/or check the website before you go as they have had events there that closed the trails that I was unaware of.