While Sharon and I were camped in the Gilbert Ray campground in Tuscon Mountain Park near the Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum, I had a chance to ride in the area. All reports of the riding in the area mention Brown Mountain as being a tough trail. It was described as being steep, lots of tight switchbacks and loose baby head sized rocks. I took this all in and thought it sounded like a great ride for me. It totally was. Excellent views and scenery. I was not at all afraid of the steep switchbacks with ledges and loose rocks, the chain fruit cholla cactus on the flatter lower section of the loop on the other hand are terrifying. This loop has a lot of climbing to keep your heart rate up. I would call this loop classic Sonoran desert riding as the conditions change constantly and quickly without warning, ranging from fast, wide open, gently twisting smooth hard-pack to trail covered with loose rock and big ledges and steep.
Below is a video consisting of two clips spliced together that give a good feel of the Brown Mountain Trail.
Jay Holt
sharontb
Holy C-section mama those are some extra big baby head rocks!
and that cholla takes some Frazier/Tyson level bobbing and weaving
great video!
Jay and Sharon,
Tucson Mountain Park is our favorite place to camp when we visit
Tucson. The combination of nice campground, Desert Museum and
Suguaro NP, plus all the great riding trails that leave right from the campground. Brown Mt. is a great trail, but for the less hardcore the
trails that are south of the campground are wonderful. Also the trails
near Yetman Pass are great!
Bill