New 3.5-mile loop trail to open atop Pinal Mountains

A new trail is near completion at the top of the Pinal Mountains. Temporarily known as the Pinal Mountain Loop, until its official name is determined, the loop spans approximately 3.5 miles.

The trail was constructed by Tonto Gravity Riders, a nonprofit trail-building organization founded in 2010. The group is made up of outdoor enthusiasts and mountain bikers who volunteer their time to maintain and improve trails in the Pinal Mountains.

While the organization has long worked on trail maintenance, this marks the first time the crew has built a trail in the Pinals from the ground up. Sitting entirely above 7,100 feet in elevation, the new route winds through the mountain terrain beneath a canopy of trees.

The trail’s grade is intentionally forgiving, said Chris Johnson, the organization’s founder, CEO, president and volunteer crew leader.

“There are no real steep climbs or anything like that,” Johnson said. “I think on either side, going in a climbing direction, you’re looking at no more than 400 feet of climbing.”

The result is an accessible ride or hike suited for families, campers and others looking for a high-elevation outing.

“We designed it and are building it to a green status. It definitely would be the easiest mountain bike ride on the mountain,” he says. “While we are gravity riders, this trail is not a gravity-style trail, but it's what the mountain needs and what the users definitely need.”

Its elevation and tree cover make it an appealing option during the summer months, when temperatures are significantly cooler there than they are in town.

The trail can be accessed off Road 651, the main road leading into the Pinal Mountains off of Kellner Canyon Road. The loop ends near the Kellner Canyon trailhead, where parking is available.

Trail users can enjoy views overlooking Globe, the surrounding mines and Madera Peak. 

On clear days, hikers and riders can even see Mount Lemmon and the distant Mogollon Rim, Johnson said.

Planning for the project began roughly three years ago, though actual construction took only a matter of months. After receiving approval from the U.S. Forest Service, work officially began Nov. 1 of last year. Since then, the volunteer crew has worked nearly every weekend, weather permitting. Johnson, who lives in East Mesa, made the hour-plus drive each weekend to keep the project going.

“The physical construction of the trail has not cost the taxpayers a dime,” Johnson says. “I'm approved and using my personal excavator instead of renting out or paying $30,000 per mile.”

Johnson estimates the project could have cost roughly $120,000 if completed through contracted services.

“By doing it on a volunteer basis the way we are, we’re saving that kind of expenditure,” he said.

The crew is wrapping up the trail just in time, as the Forest Service required completion of the project by the start of owl breeding season.

To learn more about Tonto Gravity Riders, see our story “Beyond the Burn” at globemiamitimes.com.