BUG SPRINGS

Level: Intermediate (3B to 3C)

Description: Bug Springs is one of the most fun trails Mt. Lemmon has to offer. No matter what kind of mountain biking you like, Bug Springs delivers and will put a smile on anyone's face. Fast and smooth with a few choice technical areas, this is one of our favorites.

We're not going to lie to you... the first mile or so is STEEP hike-a-bike over big water bars. Only a mysterious few "super-bikers" have been rumoured to climb this nasty climb. It's not technical... it's just steep. You WILL get your workout pushing your bike up to the top. BUT once you're at the top, the downhill is well worth it. This trail winds through cool, wooded areas, over slickrock HooDoos, and down to Gordon Hirabayashi (Prison Camp) all with incredible views of the mountain and Tucson below. Always be on the lookout for hikers, and take plenty of water.

One popular option is to park vehicles at the Molino View parking lot just south of the Fee Station, and shuttle up to Green Mountain. From there, you can easily ride Green Mountain, Bug Springs, and Prison Camp, which ends just a mile or so uphill from your parked cars. One of SDMB's great sponsors, Southwest Trekking, offers a shuttle service for those interested. You need to have at least six riders, and the cost is usually around $15/person. Contact John at SWTrekking and tell him you found this on the SDMB site.

Another popular option is to park your cars at the Agua Caliente Park, and shuttle up the mountain. Shuttling, you can do Aspen Draw, Green Mountain, Bug Springs, Prison Camp, AZTrail-Molino Basin trail and La Milagrosa for a technical-lovers dream day-ride. Be aware this combo ride is brutal and not for the faint-of-heart.

Directions: Take Mt. Lemmon Highway to the Bug Springs parking area. At the side of the parking lot, the trail begins with a steep, steep hike-a-bike, but after that, it is one of Tucson's best trails. Google Map.

More photos of an SDMB Bug Springs ride can be seen here.

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