Love this place - The trailhead has ample parking and a clean restroom. I have mountain biked here a couple times - its a pretty popular destination for that. However, Ive run here many times.There are multiple marked (and unmarked) trails so you can run or hike as long and as far as youd like. The trails are clear but primitive and with a couple exceptions, its pretty easy terrain.Go and explore saguaros as far as the eye can see. You may even encounter a coyote or rattlesnake. Youll feel like youre the only human on earth. The peak gives you a beautiful 360° panoramic view of Pinnacle Peak, Scottsdale, and Cave Creek. Its wild, its free, its beautiful - just like you.Oh, dogs are OK to bring, too. Youll likely encounter some riders on horseback as well.

What a beautiful place to hike ... the only low about this trail is the amount of bikes there is on the trail, some of them will let you know they are coming and there is some who Dont even slow down.

Wonderful relaxing trail system for Mountain Biking with many options to choose. Family friendly. Great amenities.

Awesome mountain biking trails for everyone. Views are some of the best you will find.

Awesome trails for biking, hiking and running with amazing views! If youre looking for more flats and rolling hills this is perfect, though there is a chance for something steeper too. @vagabondvoice

One of the best hiking locals in the Phoenix area!

This is a beautiful area in north Scottsdale that is wonderful for hiking, biking, horse lovers and photographers! Great parking, and easy access to the trails. Maps are really helpful as are the folks that greet you at the entrance . Friendly and they can answer any questions before you venture off into the trails. Be prepared with water and a snack: too beautiful for a short trip, you will stay longer than you anticipated. Lovely!!

Brown’s ranch is an awesome hike either if you go around Cone mountain about 4.1 miles. OR a few of these pictures are taken from the Top of Brown’s Mountain. Great network of trails & I specialize in Real Estate In the Troon Area so I think it is one of the best features to this area is the Hiking & Outdoor activities! Great for Dogs & Mountain biking. They even have a Equestrian Special Area to park. Love it!!

Really great mild mountain biking. Flowy single track riding without too much effort.

Fun, easy trail around the base, moderate difficulty up to the peak. Great views!

The trails are very nice; the crowds not so much. Going early enough makes the first part of the trip quite enjoyable, without anyone else yet in Cathedral Rock, the Amphiteater or the balanced rock, but soon after there is so much traffic that its a constant stop and go to give way.Furthermore, people in general seem to be in a bad mood, which is uncharacteristic of settings like this.

Excellent trail system. Horse, bike (no e-bikes or motor driven cycles) and hike facility. For biking most of Browns is easy to intermediate mountain bike trails (green and blue). There are some black level trails available.After recent rains, there are some sandy sections in the washes. Most are easy enough to bike through, but inexperienced riders should use caution on some of them.The scenery is just beautiful.

Trails are well maintained and marked. A good variety of trails from novice to expert.

Nice flowy smooth trails , wife is learning how to mtb and loves these trails .

We love hiking at browns ranch. Lots of trails to choose from, beautiful views

I love Browns Ranch for mountain biking. I usually put in an 18-20 mile ride here at least once a week that includes the technical section in the park. Nice flowing trails with some loose gravel and sharp turns to get your guard up. The scenery is beautiful and the view of Four Peaks and the Superstition mountains cant be beat. Whether you are a novice rider or experienced biker, this park has something to offer.The weekends are typically busy here but once you get out toward Cathedral Rock in the northern end of the park the crowds disappear and you will typically have nice flowing single track all to yourself.Do be careful of the wildlife, pack in and pack out and please leave it how you found it.

Browns ranch is a trailhead entry to the Mcdowell Sonoran Preserve in North Scottsdale. It is one of several trailheads each with its own character. Browns ranch was a working cattle ranch and at the trailhead are pictures and stories of its history. Get there by driving east on Dynamite Rd and then turn left (north) on Alma School and it dead ends into the trailhead.The variety of trails both in length and difficulty is terrific. Whether you want a nice walk with only slight elevation changes or to climb to the top of Brown Mountain there is something for every mood. Be aware this is a very active mountain bike area so you will need to be a bit alert but many of the bikes will call out to you if they approach from behind. The best will call out passing right, 2 more behind or something indicating all you need to know to share. And most will explicitly thank you for giving the room. Its all very cordial, well mostly so be alert for the few not so helpful introverts.The hike to Browns Mountain summit is particularly interesting. All told its about 3 miles in and out total but the climbing part is about 8/10s of a mile and 500 feet but the last 2/10s is a scramble. I think most can do it, Im 68 and not all that fit and made it fine, but its pretty steep. Be aware of where you reach the summit, look back to see what the trail looks like from the top. I didnt pay attention and when I turned to leave realized it was not all that easy to find the trail among the rocks. I did find it by looking for little white paint marks but no telling if they will still be there.The app All Trails has a lot of routes in the preserve marked out with distance, difficulty and elevation change. It has a feature using GPS to guide you on your way. Very helpful and the trails are very well marked with signs at most crossings. Cone Mountain Loop is another of my favorites, especially since I submitted it and it is now one of the standard routes.

Like visiting a national park. Miles of non-motorized trails on which to commune with the desert.

Absolutely gorgeous views and well maintained trails. Tons of trails for all skill levels. Plenty of parking and great restroom facilities.

Rode my bike 20 miles got to the trailheadstation filled up water and it looked like someone called the cops on me I dont know why maybe I looked suspicious? people are scared up there of their own shadow cuz I was there five minutes and a cop showed up and started asking questions like what are you doing? I was enjoying my day and resting. But we started talking we got along great because blue lives matter. but I was like whats going on I felt betrayed

We love this place to ride our Mtn Bikes. Great Trail network.

Favorite ride in all of Phoenix. Great (and many) groomed trails. You cant go wrong with Browns. Advice to get the trailforks app for your phone and youll always know where you are and where youre going. Enjoy!

Wonderful, pristine mountain biking trail.lots of hikers too. Plenty of paths to choose from. Great parking and rest room facilities. Easy to find with the GPS. Avreal treasure. Scottsdale has done a great job of preserving this area for recreation and nature enthusists

Beautiful day, beautiful hike.

Variety of trails from easy to more challenging.

Gets a little crowded on the weekends at the main trail but thats to be expected. Its a wonderful place to hike and go mountain biking. Take enough water! They do have volunteers (Stewards) who are there to help you with navigation the trails, answering any questions, etc. Definitely keep your dog on leash and very very early in the day as it warms up fast.

The best part of the trail is that it is part of the Sonoran preserve. The preserve has a website and a lot voluteers which allows them to organize hiking groups and list them on the site. The area allows you the opportunity to bike or walk on varied difficulty level hikes. As always, like most of Arizona, the best time to plan a hike is in the cooler months.

This is a great place for both hiking or mountain bike trail riding. Plenty of trails to choose from, just be mindful of horseback riders and hikers if youre coming in hot on your bike around a corner My first time here, I blew my front tire, and ended up walking the bike back 2-miles to the trailhead, but still enjoyed every part of the adventure! Next time, Ill come more prepared with a puncture repair kit

Love the trails just some bicycle riders need some educating

Endless trails in an undulating desert landscape. Various levels of difficulty. Keep an eye out for snakes though.

My favorite mountain biking places. This place is huge with trails for all levels. Most trails are swishy and well maintained. What makes this place different is that it is not a rock garden like so many others in the valley.

Chill bike riding but still fun and flowy. Also nice look out from the top. Hiking biking and horseback riding all share the trails.

Beautiful place! As many trails as anyone could want

Hiked here on a drizzly Wednesday. The terrain is really neat, and the trails were well marked. We walked five miles and didnt even realize wed gone that far. It wasnt crowded at all so we basically had the place to ourselves. There are modern restroom facilities as well.

Another great hike. Browns Mountain provides amazing long-distance views for a moderately hard climb.

Go at day break. Great hikes or bikes but it gets very busy and too hot for hiking after 8am. Love this area.

Trailhead is good, only one in the area that has water. Nice restrooms and shade too. Great way to get out on the the smooth, flowy trails in this area.

Beautiful afternoon hike. Well marked trail. Trail maps available and easy to read.

Great Trails. Well marked trails. U can get away from it all, Generous parking. Clean bathroom facilities.

Very well maintained trail system. Friendly volunteers at the trailhead were helpful in answering questions and helping you pick trails. The main trail, Browns Ranch Road is heavily used by bikers, so if hiking is your main objective, choose other trails. We enjoyed the Chuckwagon Trail.

Love to mountain bike and/or hike? Then this is the place to go! Plenty of parking, even for horse trailers. Bathroom facilities are available and the area is very well maintained. I hiked the Cholla Mountain Perimeter Loop (7.1 miles circumfrence per GPS) which is a great walk and not too strenuous. If you are in to mountain biking or wanting to give it a try, then you will want to go here! The trails are easy to navigate, some tight corners, lots of ups and downs but overall, a good place to ride. One thing to mention, at times signage on the trail isnt always available so bring GPS if you are looking for a specific trail to ride/hike. Overall, awesome place! :-)

Nice scenic hike, a little challenging at the summit, then large flat lookout area! Ramada, ranger station and restrooms at the bottom.

Nice, easy hiking trails. Bring plenty of water and sun screen and you should be fine. Tons of cactus to be wary of and during the weekends it can get a little busy with bikers on the trails. Maps are available for those not familiar with the area. Some spots can get you nice views of surrounding areas. Fairly heavily used at times but some of the better short trails without going far from home.

Love this place, beautiful and well maintained trails.

Nice easy trails! Great for the kids!

I had a great time here, very clear marked trails. They have a little something for everyone including pets, biking, and horseback riding. I will come back, you can spend an hour or all day here.

Incredible experience! A must see for hikers, bikers or just for a beautiful walk.

Beautiful place to hike and bike. Short trails, great for just gettin the kids out of the house and walking the dog. 360 degress of Beautiful desert, cacti, boulders and mountain views....

Amazing place to ride. Worth the drive!

Very nice trail and alot of extras at trailhead nice restrooms also.

Phenomenal trail system, facilities and park. All easy trails for hiking and mountain biking.Great place to learn to mountain bike and ride at all levels. Fast, flowy and technical spots make it a must for any mountain biker. Lots of single track, cacti and great views.

These trails are for beginners and sissys. Very smooth and flat with fine gravel making some turns a bit slippery. Most of the slow pokes on Hawes should come here.

Best all around hiking & mountain biking trails

Very scenic trails

Beautiful trails and clean restrooms. I highly recommend this place. We drove from Gilbert to check it out and it didnt disappoint!

Beautiful area. A lot of trail options. Perfect hiking and biking area

Easy riding well built trails

Nice trail. I ran and got some hiking in, really fun.

Fun Mt biking once you get away from trailhead crowds.

Beautiful and well maintained trails. There are trails for everybody.. Kids, family, hikers who want to explore and bikers too.

This is awesome mountain biking. Something for everyone!!! We had a blast

Rustic restrooms, clean, solidly built at the trailhead. Maps available. The Jane Rau loop trail (0.5 mi) is an easy hike for all ages; you could spend 20 to 90 minutes here, depending on your interest in the interpretive plaques along the trail, your desire to soak in the beauty of the preserve, and the amount of sunlight left (park gates close automatically at sunset!). I have hiked many parts of the preserve; but I always enjoy a return here for a quick taste after of busy day in the real world.

These are very nice, well-maintained trails and the people working at the trailhead went above and beyond to give advice on the routes we should take to accommodate some new mountain bike riders in our group.It seemed like there was an impressive view every time we stopped to look around too.

Super fun trails for beginner to intermediate level bike riders. Gets crowded on weekends late morning.

Oh my goodness, this was so much fun! This was the first mountain bike ride of the season, and we have never been to the Scottsdale McDowell Sonoran Preserve before. Absolutely gorgeous! Very clearly marked trails, good facilities at the trailhead, such a large area of trails that even though there were lots of cars and mountain bikers in the parking lot, we only saw a few people once we got out on the trails. Very friendly docents at the trailhead highlighted trails for us on a map after we told them what kind of ride we were wanting. They may only be there on the weekends. You can also download the MTB Project app which color-codes trails by difficulty. Its 45 minutes away from our house, but well worth the trip. We will be back!

Smooth trails and easy elevation changes, perfect place for newbie and casual mountain bikers. Popular spot for hikers too. Some great views too.

Great hiking opportunities! Beautiful desert and mountains.

Nice gentle hikes and multiple trails allowing you to choose duration. Nice view of the valley from the top. Not overly crowded and easy to do with friends.

The best mountain biking I have ever done if all levels. Hiking is awesome. 150 miles of desert trails to wonder thru with incredible views. A must go!!!

So much fun! Huge climb up browns mountain but worth it! The view is unbeatable at the top.

Hiked the Cone mountain loop. Excellent trail markers, complete with a nice map. I would rate this an easy hike but the views are wonderful. A good place to take the kids.

A Must in SD! The volunteer guides are just amazing and our hike and time spent here was 100% better because of their insight. Thank you!

Outstanding trail park, mostly packed sand, range of difficulties, lots of terrain variation, nice park trailhead area

A lot of great hiking options with different elevations and lengths.

Way too crowded and I was part of the problem.

By far my favorite place if Im not having a good day. The trails are well maintained and the volunteers are super friendly and kind.

Multiplle trails to choose from and connect to. Well marked trails

Amazing. I could explore this place daily and it never get old

Nice scenery, well marked hiking trails, various levels of difficulty, plenty of parking, nice trailhead and restrooms.

Excellent place for hiking and mountain biking. I only mountain bike here. Great range of easy to difficult trails. There are so many trails here, even when the parking lot is really full, you still hardly run into anyone on the trails. Really fun place to ride. One of my favorites in the valley.

Fantastic trails for all levels. Well maintained restrooms and friendly docents!

100% loved hiking and biking the trails.

Great mountain biking

Great place for a short hike. Seems always crowded though.

Love, love, love this trail at sunset. What a great ride.

Beautiful place, great for hikers.

Nice big open trail with different paths to take. Beautiful views at the summit. Bathroom at trailhead.

Fantastic trail system, and the trailhead building is awesome as well. Clean bathrooms, shade, water, information center, and free maps of the park. Great easier spot to mountain bike, or go out and hike all day long. This is my favorite park in the valley.

Great hiking in the desert, a good contrast to MCDOWELL trails that are more rock and stoney because of the elevation changes and erosion.

Browns Ranch trails are the bomb. They are open to hikes, bike, and horses. We went on a poetry hike where Poet Laureate Robert Frost (true story) read his poetry all along the way. The poems were amazing and having the author read them was pure bliss.The trails are well maintained by volunteers from Scottsdale (We didnt see one piece of garbage on the whole 2 hr hike), numerous, and varied. There is parking and restrooms available (hallelujah). I will definitely be going back. So nice.

Trailhead has restrooms and water. Trails are mostly blue level trails and the 14 miles I did were very flowy and fun.

Nice hike in the middle of a saguaro forest. Easy hike for most of the trail then gets to be a moderate hike as you go up to the summit.

Beautiful, huge area. Accessible trails. Very friendly staff.

Really expansive views.... beautiful desert landscape...dogs allowed!

Easy bike riding trails, have some technical (and black diamond) ones. Bring some water, and have fun!

Great place for an easy Mountain Bike ride.

Good hike, with a great view. Nice because its not that busy.

Great for every rider. Lots of greens that actually flow, blue for the intermediate rider, and a couple black diamonds for the technical trails. Highly recommend going to Hawkness Trail in the back!! use the trailforks app to find it

Great trails. Very well kept with great signage. Maps are available at the trail head along with bathrooms and other information. Can get busy on the weekends but with miles and miles of trails the dont get crowded. The trails are open to hiking biking and horseback riding. There is a great variety of trail difficulties and many scenic stops. Overall great place if you love the outdoors.

Great place, beautiful! Just know No drones