The best traffic-free bike rides in Coronado National Forest

The Cañada del Oro River Park is a 30‑acre community green space along the Cañada del Oro wash. The park has picnic areas, playgrounds, and several miles of hiking trails.

This is a beautiful, paved two-lane multi-use path that grants you sweeping views of the desert and of Mount Lemmon. The path is about ten miles long end-to-end and takes you along the northern edge of Tucson. Be sure to visit at sunrise or sunset for some spectacular views.

This is a beautiful, paved two-lane multi-use path that grants you sweeping views of the desert and of Mount Lemmon. The path is about ten miles long end-to-end and takes you along the northern edge of Tucson. Be sure to visit at sunrise or sunset for some spectacular views.

Just past the ghost town of Harshaw, is the somewhat controversial Hermosa Mine Project. Although you are in a very rural part of the state, due to the mining operations here please be aware and cautious of mining trucks and other large vehicles and heavy machinery pulling in and out of here. Please be courteous and give way to these trucks on these narrow roads through the high desert and mountains.

Harshaw, a ghost town in Santa Cruz County, southeastern Arizona, was settled in the 1870s as a mining community. Named after prospector David Tecumseh Harshaw, it thrived in the late 19th century, with the Hermosa mine producing $365,455 in bullion over four months in 1880. The town's fortunes fluctuated with silver prices, leading to cycles of growth and decline. By the 1960s, the mines closed permanently, and Harshaw was incorporated into the Coronado National Forest in 1953 and became a ghost town. Today, remnants include a few houses, building foundations, two small cemeteries, and decaying mine shafts, with most buildings demolished by locals or the Forest Service in the 1970s. Although there are no facilities here, it is still a somewhat popular destination for cyclists (Harshaw Road, which turns from pavement to gravel a bit north of here, is a main artery for many of the popular gravel rides in the area), hikers, and birdwatchers. In fact, Santa Cruz County is one of the premiere birdwatching destinations in the country in large part because it sits in the migratory path for many rare birds as they travel between the US and Mexico.

Apache Road is an amazing gravel road south of Patagonia and the ghost town Harshaw, AZ. This road is often a part of the Spirit World 100 course, a popular, challenging gravel race based out of Patagonia. Although this road is non-technical and generally well-graded, there can be some rough spots and due to the fact that it's quite far from any town, preparedness and self-reliance is a must. Although a dedicated gravel bike will make this road more comfortable, it is doable on a road bike with at least 35mm, if not 40mm+, tires. Tubeless tires is also highly recommended; its nice to be able to ride with lower tire pressures and there are sharp rocks, the occasional cactus spike, and this road is fairly remote, making it a less than ideal place to be having lots of mechanicals!

Harshaw Creek Road is one of the numerous, excellent gravel roads that is quickly transforming the small town of Patagonia, AZ, into a premiere gravel destination. This road takes you through a narrow, steep-walled valley with a season creek that feeds cottonwoods, willows, sycamores, and other plants. Although many of the gravel roads here can be quite rugged, this particular road is relatively tame. This wide, well-graded, smooth gravel road is usually in good condition, with no large rocks or overly loose stuff. It is a gravel road, however, and there are washboarded sections though so a dedicated gravel bike or a road bike that can take wider tires (~30mm+) is recommended.

The Cañada del Oro River Trail offers over 4 miles of paved, dual lane, multi-use trail along the Cañada del Oro River Wash. The views of the mountains surrounding the trail are stunning, just be sure to keep an eye out for other trail users.