Aerie Loop

I find the above loop description a little confusing. Since you are going to do this ride on your bike, I would recommend you start this ride at the Fay Canyon trailhead next to Boynton Pass Rd.. There is plenty of parking and you will use less fuel to get to the ride. By doing so you will add about 1/3 mile to your ride on a flat section of the Cockscomb trail. I like to think of the Cockscomb trail as a J shaped trail, and just for the record the Cockscomb formation is shaped like the cockscomb on the top of a roosters head. The Cockscomb/Dawa trail intersection is somewhat confusing. That intersection is shared by both trails for about 30 to 40 yards. The Dawa/Cockscomb signage at the southeast end of the intersection is confusing. There are two signs on the same post back to back one says Dawa the other says Cockscomb, they both point the same direction which confuses a number of tourists. In my opinion there needs to be reinforcement markers beyond the trail signs like what you will find on the Aerie trail. Note that you can lengthen this ride about 4 miles by riding the Dawa trail and connecting it to AZ Cypress and the OK trail. Also note that the Dawa trail is shaped like a slightly collapsed L, which is confusing to some riders. Mar 24, 2014

I agree with John about starting at Fay Canyon instead - that way you get the big climb out of the way at the start and get to finish with some great downhill. The downhills are very fun, flowy, and good for beginners while the uphill beside Doe Mountain has some more rocky sections but is fully rideable by intermediates and has switchbacks to make the climb more gradual. The views from the trail are wonderful making this one of my favorite quick loops in the area. May 29, 2016

Fun loop, hiked and biked it. Very fun trail with climbs, flow and some tech sections. VIews are awesome! May 9, 2018

I started at the Boynton canyon parking lot and had planned to take it to Arie loop and back up but somehow I branched off onto western civilization (did not see any sign or forks) and I ended up taking that to Girdner, than up to Rupp, and than to Cockcomb where I finally was able to make it back to the trail I started on. Completely unexcpected but fortunately my buddy and I took plenty of water and snacks and had an awesome ride. We started at 8:30am and got back to my truck at 1:30pm. It was his first and my second time mountain biking and we had both rented hard tails and they handled everything we went through. Oct 21, 2018

Did the Cockscomb to Arie loop. Super fun ride for a newb who has higher than beginner skills. This was my second trail ever, on a hardtail. A few sections I had to hike-a-bike out of psychical weakness or fear (HA!) but it was a great ride. Loved some of the techy sections and descents were fun! It's a fairly quick ride, you could connect to several other trails to make it a full day of riding! Mar 10, 2019