Basics
- Location:
- Tuscon
- Setting:
- Mountainous
- Length:
- 5-8 miles
- Difficulty:
- Intermediate
- Aerobic Difficulty:
- Moderate to Intense
- Time To Allow:
- 1 - 2 hours
- Trailhead Elevation:
- 4200 feet
- Season:
- Year-round
Description
The Molino Trail is just tough enough to keep anyone's feet firmly on the pedals, but not so intimidating that it can't be a quick ride after work. There's a place to turn around and down at about two miles up for those who do prefer that quick ride. The turn-around part is just below Santa Catalina's old prison camp, so you can park the bike and explore the site (now a campground) if you like.
Whether you cut your ride short or not, though, expect to be exhausted at the mid-point. The stretch to the old prison camp is the worst, nothing short of grueling, but the rest of the trail (up to Pusche Wilderness Trailhead) is an old jeep road and rather gentle. The downhill is glorious, at that.
Details
Location:
Setting:
Length:
Out and back trail - 2-4 miles out, 2-4 miles back.
Difficulty:
More aerobically challenging than hugely technical
Aerobic Difficulty:
Breathless ride up for the first two miles, gentler after, nice downhill.
Time To Allow:
Trailhead Elevation:
Season:
Additional Details:
Mountain bikers can''t proceed past the Pusch Ridge Wilderness boundary at the 4th mile.
Watch for the rubber tire sections across the trail. They''re here to keep the trail for erosion, but you won''t want to hit them at high speeds on the downhill.
Map + Directions
Basic Directions
- From Tuscon
- Take Mount Lemmon Highway until you reach Molino Basin.
