Find the top rated running trails in Eloy, whether you're looking for an easy short running trail or a long running trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a running trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The trail is wide, and gently uphill. The rough surface is more suitable for mountain bikes and hybrids, not good for a road bike. Approx 1 mile is paved, presumably to keep the dust down for a nearby subdivision.
To get to the trail, turn right as you exit the Horne Rd gate. The trail begins on the other side of the road, on the left side of the canal.
You will pass an orange grove and many horse properties for the first half of the ride. Look for large carp swimming in the canal.
At the small hydro power station at E McDowell Rd, stay left to go though the underpass rather than going up a steep concrete incline.
About half way along the trail you will pass under the Red Mountain Fwy and the populated area ends abruptly.
Their are spectacular views across to the McDowell’s as you follow the Salt River (dry). It’s all desert landscape from this point to the Salt River Dam.
You may see wild horses.
It’s gently downhill as you head back along the canal to the Park of the Canals.
It’s worth wandering around the small Brinton Botanical Garden-good place to stretch your legs and rehydrate.
Has been extended and is now almost 5 miles long. Also, you do not have to cross ANY roads. Underpasses have been built on all. During our ride today we saw a coyote, roadrunner and several jackrabbits. Well maintained. In fact today a trail worker was blowing sand off the asphalt! Don't see that on our Wisconsin trails.
I would agree with the other reviewers. This is a lovely ride along the river. I started in the south just off the fwy. The trip up was head and cross winds. The weather started cool and cloudy but eventually cleared. There are many entrances to the trail. Some obvious and some not so obvious. I was not alone on this trail it is quite popular. There are a couple nice clean restrooms along the trail especially in Oro Valley Marketplace across from the Walmart. You’ll need to cross the street to get to it. Also, a couple nice pavilions along the way to rest or have a bite to eat.
On the south side of the Rillito the new overpass (It's steep with a sharp turn at the top!) is open over N El Camino de La Tierra. It's been open for more than a month now. The trailhead on the west side of the street (restrooms, hand washing facilities) has been repaved as well. CAREFUL==> As you pull back onto the trail be extra careful. It's a T intersection and cyclists maybe coming down the steep bridge going fast, and from the west cyclists may me building up speed to climb the steep overpass. Be extra careful and watch for traffic!
The paved area starts at Broadway Road and goes all the way to Pecos and Lindsey a couple of blocks south Zanjero park about 11 miles
Decided to try this trail instead of driving to the hills and I'll definitely be back. It was hot, few people on the path and the short section I followed was easy to navigate across various intersections. Best of all, one of the parks on Ocotillo had decent restrooms (and I'll remember to park there next time).
Had already done S part of path, so started at Elliot and rode N to Broadway and back.
Parked at elementary school at Elliott & Greenfield, rode wide sidewalk E to path. Nice asphalt path, fair amount of walkers/joggers/cyclists on weekend, older asphalt Southern to Broadway, then gravel so turned around.
Nice and scenic, easy road crossings, goes under the 60, will ride this path again.
The South end of this path seems to be closed. We tried to ride it this morning (3/15/17) and could not access it from the south. It's gated and locked.
It appears the hard paved part starts on the S end of the path just S of Pecos, so we got on the path at Pecos and rode N to Guadalupe then back.
We parked in a small shopping center parking lot on the NE corner of Lindsay & Pecos, which was right next to the path.
The path is asphalt on the W side of the canal the whole way, and in addition there is a very nice concrete path on the E side of the canal from Warner to Guadalupe.
There is a signalized crossing at Elliott, the other major street crossing all have room in the median to cross half of the street at a time.
There were a fair number of other cyclists on a sunny Saturday. We will ride this path again, and also try farther N.
The southern end, near the Walmart is nice, but crossing I-10 is treacherous and only for an ugly, poorly maintained trail. Turn around when the trail stops.
I was in town to ride in the 34th El Tour de Tucson, November of 2016. From the Candlewood Suites on River Road I connected to the Loop on the Rillito River Trail (from the parking lot!). I crossed to the south side of the Rillito at Camino de la Tierra (fast traffic, dump trucks, rough pavement...be careful!). On the Rillito I connected to the Santa Cruz Trail and rode north catching the CDO Trail just north of Orange Grove Road.
The trail heads NE and is generally a gentle uphill grade all the way to where I turned around at N Oracle Road. It wasn't exhausting, just constant pedaling. On a recumbent trike I wasn't going more than 6 or 7 mph, but that's what I like about the trike. I could focus on the vistas and just enjoy the ambiance of the ride especially the views of the Santa Catalina Mountains.
On the return I was now going downhill most of the way. I shifted into the big ring and cruised along at about 15 mph enjoying the self-made breeze. It was a Friday and traffic on the trail was light.
According to Strava I rode 28.6 miles at an average of 7.7 mph (max of 22 mph) climbing a total of 501 feet. The nice thing was expending the most energy on the climb and then enjoying the ease of the return trip. This trail is a fun ride.
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