Biking an urban path could hardly be any easier. Just steps from the blue waters of Tempe Town Lake sits a row of bright-green bikes, ready for rental for an hour, a few hours, or a day. Signing up with the Phoenix area’s Grid Bike Share program is surprisingly fast. Enter some basic contact and payment information on the keypad, and within minutes, you can unlock your cruiser. Then, with a few pedals of the user-friendly bike, you’re on the wide, concrete path that circles the lake in the City of Tempe, Phoenix's neighbor to the east. This bike tour will take you on 5 miles of the Rio Salado Pathway, which borders the lake, as well as another 6 miles of the connecting Indian Bend Wash Trail.
Take a look around, and you’re sure to notice that your bike is far from the only mode of transportation in the area. Likely joining you on the trail will be rental surrey bikes from the lakeside Tempe Town Boat Rentals of America, joggers and runners, and speedy cyclists. On the lake itself, it’s common to see sculling boats slicing through the water, alongside slower-moving kayaks, canoes and paddleboats. Look upwards, and you’ll catch the sleek light-rail trains crossing the lake on a high bridge. And in the sky: A steady stream of passenger planes, preparing to land at the nearby Sky Harbor International Airport. Add to all of that the network of nearby freeways and car-and-pedestrian bridges that cross the lake, and the Tempe Town Lake represents a true community crossroads.
Back on your bike, though, the noise of the world seems far away. From your start in Tempe Beach Park, heading west on the Rio Salado Pathway, you will first encounter the striking Tempe Center for the Arts with its rushing fountains and modern design. Keep going west for a short jaunt to the intersection of the Hohokam Expressway (Highway 143) for pretty views of the Salt River bed, before doubling back to the soaring Elmore Pedestrian Bridge in front of the Center for the Arts. Cross the bridge and turn east, taking in the desert landscaping and public art on one side, and the sparkling water of the lake on the other. The ride on the north side of the lake will take you past beach volleyball courts, a marina and lakeside apartments and condos.
Near the intersection with the Red Mountain Freeway (202 Loop), an underpass heads to the scenic Papago Park, where a separate network of trails leads to Phoenix attractions such as the Hole-in-the-Rock sandstone formation, the Desert Botanical Garden and the Phoenix Zoo. By staying on the Rio Salado Pathway to the northeast, though, you will link up with the Indian Bend Wash Trail, a north-south route that heads toward Scottsdale. The 6-mile route passes through a series of neighborhood parks—the prettiest of which is Eldorado Park, a shady oasis featuring a grove of mesquite trees bordering the trail and the little creek that runs between the park’s lakes. Farther north, the trail runs through Indian School Park and Chaparral Park as well.
Retrace your route back to the lake, and if you have the time, follow the trail on the south side of the lake east toward Mesa, and the spring-training home of the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park. After returning your bike, Tempe’s bustling Mill Avenue is just a block away, with its myriad restaurant, brewery, and wine-bar choices. Parking is available at a number of public parking garages along Ash Avenue, Fifth Street, Third Street and the Rio Salado Parkway.
)
Located in Papago Park, the zoo dates back to 1962
)
- The downtown Phoenix museum is the largest of its kind in the southwestern U.S.
)
A downtown museum known for world-class exhibitions and Native arts
)
Located in Phoenix¿s Papago Park, the garden showcases the best of desert plant life
)
Offers long-term rentals
)
Opening in June 2017, the new shop plans to offer rentals by fall
)
Offers rentals in road bikes, mountain bikes, and kids¿ bikes
)
Downtown Tempe location offering a range of rental options
)
Offering rentals bikes within a quick ride from Tempe Town Lake
)
A remodeled 1920s cottage near downtown Tempe featuring seasonal contemporary American fare
)
Located at restored pecan farm, The Farm Kitchen serves up homemade sandwiches, soups and salads
)
The famed pizzeria in downtown Phoenix, known for its wood-fired fare
)
A breakfast, brunch, and lunch spot in Tempe, located steps from the Tempe Town Lake
)
An Arizona classic dating back to 1929, known as the ¿jewel of the desert¿
)
An art-focused boutique hotel in downtown Phoenix with an industrial aesthetic
)
A lushly landscaped resort that features outdoor spaces and al fresco dining
)
Urban boutique hotel in downtown Phoenix, featuring the Lustre Rooftop Bar
Urban boutique hotel in downtown Phoenix, featuring the Lustre Rooftop Bar
)
A retro boutique hotel near the Arizona State University campus with a college-life theme
A retro boutique hotel near the Arizona State University campus with a college-life theme
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
The paved Crosscut Canal Path links Tempe and Scottsdale via a route alongside the Crosscut Canal, which dates to 1912. The trail follows the entire...
Overview The 8.2-mile Skunk Creek Trail runs through the heart of Peoria and Glendale and connects to several other nearby trails. About the...
The paved Rio Salado Pathway runs along both banks of the Salt River in Tempe. The generally dry waterway was expanded into Tempe Town Lake in 1999,...
Overview The New River Trail parallels its generally dry namesake waterway through the populous Phoenix suburbs of Peoria and Glendale. The entire...
Overview The Indian Bend Wash Path—also sometimes referred to as the Indian Bend Wash Greenbelt or the Scottsdale Greenbelt—follows the banks of...
Overview The Arizona Canal Path is one of the longest multi-use trails in Maricopa County, running between Peoria, Glendale, Phoenix, Scottsdale...
