Local Flavours: The Complete Guide to Riding in Prescott, Arizona

It was my final morning in town. The sun was out, the temps a perfect 65 degrees Fahrenheit, and I had one more thing to do before starting my drive home across the country. My trip to Prescott came on the heels of a whirlwind stretch that saw me drive from the east coast to BC to produce a Local Flavours on the Sunshine Coast, before heading south to the pajama party on wheels known otherwise as the Sea Otter Classic, then across the desert to this Yavapai County gem I had spent the last 6 days exploring. The miles had most certainly been adding up, on my car as well as my legs. The amount of names that come and go on trips like this can be overwhelming, and the juggling act of managing multiple stories and the hundreds of gigs of digital media is probably comical when you're not in the thick of it. The truth is, I often feel like a punching bag at the end of trips like this, I just happen to have a smile on my face more often than not because, well, it's just bikes.












Arizona was created as a US territory in 1863 as a means of helping mitigate the costs of what was turning out to be a rather expensive proposition otherwise known as the American Civil War. Prescott was born of a hankering for gold in them hills early on, and actually served as the state's capital for a few years before Phoenix took those duties on in 1889. While the restored facades of many of the businesses allude to a "wild west" sensibility that Prescott hangs it brand on, the reality is that this place epitomized the wild west culture around the turn of the 20th century.

Today Prescott still holds on to those sensibilities, at least as far as their storefronts along Montezuma Street go. Cowboy boots, spurs, false front architecture; it's all there and is definitely one of the charms of the city. Add to it a landscape surrounding town in Prescott National Forest that begs to be explored, a surprisingly diverse food and drink scene with pretty stellar year-round weather and you have yourself the perfect southwest getaway that you probably haven't heard of before.


Prescott is kind of in the middle of nowhere, which on one hand is a big part of the appeal to this place: it's a rad town with loads of space and top-notch
trails to ride. On the other hand, getting here takes a bit more work than many other mountain bike destinations, even those found in Arizona. The nearest major airport is Phoenix's Sky Harbor International. It's a huge airport and flights are often pretty cheap there. You can get to Prescott from the airport via Interstate 17 in a little over an hour and a half. If you're not in a hurry, I'd suggest the scenic route via Route 60.

Prescott is a fairly small town, and in truth if you're okay with walking or pedaling everywhere, you can catch a shuttle from the airport to town via a handful of services, including Fly-U and Groome Transportation. If you decide to go this route, a few of the more remote trails might require a shuttle service as well, which are available through some bike shops.



























Prescott's elevation is at a mile high, which means a few things when planning a trip here. First, if you've never ridden at a high altitude, then expect some shortness of breath on your first few rides. It's not like Angel Fire where you can hammer on trails at above 11,000 feet, but the air is still a bit thinner here compared to sea level, so it's something to keep in mind. More importantly, the weather here is pretty damn pleasant year-round. Mid-summer average temps typically stay in the upper 80's, while the coldest months of the year still manage to hang around in the low 50's. Snow in late winter is not unheard of, but generally speaking, Prescott is a great spot for year-round mountain biking. It's the desert, so remember that even if the daytime highs are up there, it'l cool significantly overnight, so be sure to pack some warm layers.


I had both my Firebird and my Switchblade with me, and while I rode the big bike once or twice on some of the bigger descents, that decision was made not knowing exactly what to expect prior to hitting the trail. By and large, a short to mid-travel trail bike is all you need for a good time here. I've heard whispers of some properly gnarly terrain out on Mingus Mountain which is close to an hour outside of town, but for everything in and around Prescott, you'll want something that will handle some lengthy climbs and descents, and most modern short travel trail bikes will manage your needs well.



The Prescott Mountain Bike Alliance aims to "preserve, protect and promote mountain biking, trail access and diverse riding opportunities on Prescott area public lands through community education, tourism, advocacy and unified action."













I spent my entire week in town at The Motor Lodge, a perfectly restored vintage motor lodge that has all of the modern amenities you could ask for, with outdoor fire pits, a garage attached to each unit, super comfortable rooms, a kitchen, and quick wifi. The staff their was incredibly helpful, and they offer up a beer upon check in as well, an offer I gladly accepted. Let's go back to the garage thing for a second. Simply put: it's awesome. For whatever reason, most motels and hotels have done away with this concept over the decades since it was more prevalent, and while ultimately it's a space eater that takes away from additional rooms, I loved it. I was able to secure my bikes every evening and keep them out of the rain that never fell, and it left me with more space in my room.

There are plenty of additional hotels and motels in and around Prescott, and a VRBO or Airbnb search will yield dozens of results as well.

You can eat very well in town, and very cleanly - something that I was pleasantly surprised by. Much of Prescott's charm lies in the old-timey aesthetic that has been carefully restored throughout much of town, and while the brothels might be a thing of the past, the turn of the century saloon facades that pepper downtown are in fact still saloons to this day. Here are a few of my favorites from my week in town.

Breakfast:
The Raven Cafe has great espresso, and a top notch breakfast menu. It was my go to all week.
I love breakfast food, but typically don't do big breakfasts, especially before a ride and photo shoot. However, if you love to shovel food into your face first thing in the morning then The Lone Spur Cafe is your style. Endless coffee refills and hearty breakfast options aplenty in this throwback eatery.

Lunch:
The Local is a great breakfast or lunch stop, with locally sourced menu options, with clean and tasty food throughout the menu.
Bill's Grill is right down the street from the Motor Lodge with great burgers and a solid beer selection.

Dinner:
The Barley Hound is dog friendly, with an awesome menu and loads of tasty drinks.
Park Plaza Liquor Store & Deli is a surprisingly great place to grab a bite out on a patio with friends.
El Gato Azul is a laid back, comfy restaurant offering up tasty margaritas and southwest inspired tapas and cuisine.



Prescott is home to 5 esteemed bike shops:
Ironclad Bicycles
High Gear Bike Shop
Bikesmith Cyclery
Soul Ride
Southwest Sounds and Cyclery (no website...they're old school like that)


1. Make Prescott Your Northern Arizona MTB Hub. Prescott has enough trail available to fill your week by itself. But what is great about this place is that it provides you with a fantastic opportunity to explore nearby regions including Sedona, Flagstaff, Phoenix and Mingus Mountain from a more affordable location.
2. Check out Jerome. Once an Arizona boom town, Jerome was, at its peak, the largest producer of copper, gold, and silver in the state before seeing all of its mines dry and eventually becoming the largest ghost town in the western United States. It was revitalized in the 1960's as an art community, and has since been declared a National Historic Landmark and offers up staggering views of Sedona below and the massive San Fransisco peaks above Flagstaff.
3. Pay Respect to the Granite Mountain Hotshots. On June 30, 2013, 19 men lost their lives battling one of the deadliest wildfires in American history about 20 miles southwest of Prescott, in the town of Yarnell. The Granite Mountain Hotshots have had a movie made about them (it's called "Only the Brave", and is a great watch), and also have a learning and tribute center in Prescott. The GMIHC Learning and Tribute Center aims to educate the public about wildfires and prevention, while honoring those who fell protecting their community.




Prescott mountain biking trails

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