Phoenix, Arizona – ideas for a spare few days

I’m going to Phoenix for a work trip in October, and will have a few days spare to do what I like with. In this situation before I’ve taken a bike and done a few days bikepacking, but I’m not totally sure that’s what I want to do this time.

Anyone have any recommendations for the general vicinity? Grand Canyon trip is one option, but getting there is a bit of a pain (don’t really want to hire a car) and I can imagine it being a bit like Disneyland unless you know where to go to avoid the crowds. Hiking would reduce bike-transport faff.

Sedona? Can’t mind how far it is (couple hours?). Did that when visiting pal in phoenix years back. Gives you option of biking or hiking. Amazing scenery.

Don’t forget Winona

It doesn’t help much but I was in a similar situation…. working in Phoenix but had a couple of days at the weekend…. drove to the Grand Canyon, stayed overnight and drove back the following day.   Canyonlands and Arches are wonderful places as well but a bit too far for you drive I would have thought.

Sedona.

Just accept you’ll be hiring a car, as else everything is really hard , and then Sedona is a good bet

Like airplanes? – then PIMA Air Museum at Tucson with a (pre-booked) trip around the USAF “boneyad”

I go out there 3 or 4 times a year for work. And have for a decade or so.

There’s decent riding in phoenix itself, certainly for a half day at a time, well signposted trails, probably 6 or 7 spots with a variety of tech. Hawes mountain is my favourite but south mountain has more tech. Browns is pretty flat, more gravel than xc.

Other than that Sedona, Prescott and tuscon all have good riding, the latter you can get a service to take you to the top of a decent of over a mile in height (lots of pedalling still needed!)

Weather in Oct is still warm, but normally bearable. Probably peaking on a hot day around 100f so worth getting your rides in early/late.

Grand canyon is day trippable, if you’re fit you can get to the bottom and back in one go but it’s a long way (26 miles, 1700m vert from memory). It’s a well signed trail, and not technical, but is fairly risky to do solo, I think I saw maybe 5 other people significantly far in. If you go and don’t want that risk, do hike a couple of miles down the trails, the top is really busy but (no exaggeration),95% of folks don’t leave the very top, so the atmosphere 10 mins down the trail is completely different. There’s also good, technical hiking in phoenix, camelback is a good one to test your legs, bit of a scramble in parts, all well signed posted again

Oh and regardless of what you choose, you want a hire car. You can’t get anywhere in Arizona without one, and whilst Uber is pretty good, your own car is way way easier.

Thanks all! Will definitely look at Sedona.

Point taken about the Grand Canyon and almost no-one going further than 50 yards from the car park. Bit like the Lakes then ?

It’s been a few years since I was in the US and I forgot just how car-centric it is. Will reconsider a hire car then.

Anywhere good to hire a bike from @5lab?

Sedona has loads of options for hiring (sorry no recommendations because we bring ours). Just make sure you pick something without Shimano brakes so they can swap them….

I was a bit mheh on the grand canyon – it’s very big but {shrugs}. Slot canyons on the other hand…. My only recommendations are further north near Zion but if there are ones further south then worth investigating.

I always just take my own bike as well – the issue with renting is it delays your ride start till 9.30ish when it’s getting warmer, I’m normally on the trail at sunrise

I did once use these guys pre COVID, went fine..

Grind & Gears – Carefree, Cave Creek and North Scottsdale, AZ

I was going to mention the train as that’s how we went to GC from Williams, but you’d need to get to Williams first and that’s hours away by public transport.

Benefits of renting a car in the US are pretty obvious, but driving over there is pretty easy out of the city, just remember to only use 1 foot as they can’t handle 2 footed driving!

In the unlikely event that it’s raining, I quite like the musical instrument museum.

Just another to add. Rent a car.

Grand Canyon get up early watch the sunrise. The South Rim is LONG you’ll find somewhere there aren’t too many people.

Head back to Phoenix via Sedona. Rent a bike. Go riding.

the issue with renting is it delays your ride start till 9.30ish when it’s getting warmer, I’m normally on the trail at sunrise

In October that might be a good thing – Sedona is 4,500ft up. Bit of a random suggestion but the little restaurant at Sedona airport is really good, and the airport itself is pretty unique being on a plateau.

Grand Canyon, stay overnight, get up early and hike rim to rim and back. Take salty snacks 😉

Oh, please go to Air Park Bikes in Scottsdale and see if it’s still a basket case of displays. Nowhere else have I seen high end bikes randomly strewn over the floor and stashed under clothing displays!

South Mountain is worth a ride. It’s kind of interesting to ride it on a Pivot (who sponsor some of the trails there) – really feels like it’s exactly the terrain they’re designed for.

Tucson has Mt Lemmon (which I haven’t ridden due to snow!) and Saguaro National Park and Brown Mountain are pretty mind blowing if you like cacti.

If you can get an appointment to visit the Bisbee Bicycle Brothel, if you like a certain kind of weird this is a treat. https://www.bicycletucson.com/news/bisbee-bicycle-brothel-closing-its-doors-moving-online/15945 Bisbee is kind of cute too, in a Hebden Bridge sort of way. If you do go to BBB, my experience is that Ken will appreciate you turning up with hard liquor!

I’d be tempted to grab a flight to Vegas if that’s your thing. Bryce Canyon is IMHO more interesting than that other one and much closer to Vegas than Phoenix. You can either book guided tours or hire a car; a “compact” US hire car might well be big enough

When we were there cyclists were done and sheltering from the heat at home by mid-morning, dunno about October though

In October that might be a good thing – Sedona is 4,500ft up. Bit of a random suggestion but the little restaurant at Sedona airport is really good, and the airport itself is pretty unique being on a plateau.

That is great advice I’d forgotten all about that. Cracking view from the airport…