
Passage 31 –
Walnut Canyon
After navigating what seems like endless lava rock in exposed fields on Anderson Mesa you enter Passage 31 and the shade of tall pines. The single track through this passage is grand (in either direction). Once you make the descent to Fisher Point the trail is a sandy ribbon in a sea of grass surrounded by painted canyon walls. It’s hard to believe Flagstaff is just a few miles away. An urban paradise for sure. This section truly earns it’s place on my Best Passages of the Arizona Trail.
Passage 27 –
Blue Ridge
Any trail that was remotely flat and rideable would get praise if it followed Passage 26 and the Mogollon Rim. With that said the Blue Ridge passage is a beautiful section of trail. I even rode close to 3/4’s of it at night, but regardless of the time of day it rides so well. It’s definitely an island paradise sandwiched between the Happy Jack and Mogollon Rim areas.
HONORABLE MENTION
Passage 12 – Oracle Ridge
Before you scream at the screen thinking, “IS THIS GUY CRAZY!”, I only mean the last section of this Passage. The descent off the ridge on Tr. 9 is a blast to ride.
Passage 17 – Alamo Canyon
I would say the last few miles of Passage 16 could be included in this list. From the single track to the views you can’t beat the last miles of the AZTR 300.
More Helpful AZT Resources
Read these next.
Your ultimate bikepacking guide to the AZTR.
A detailed look at what I used on my AZTR (ITT), what worked and what didn’t.
In depth look at what I would bring for gear and why, if I rode the AZTR again.
Checkout our bikepacking resource page for more planning help.
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