50 Year Trail & Golder Ranch Mountain Biking Guide (Catalina State Park, Tucson, Arizona)

If you’re looking for a true Tucson mountain bike classic—chunky granite, desert slabs, and the kind of riding that makes you earn your post-ride beverage—look no further than the 50 Year Trail and Golder Ranch area.

Located on the flanks of the Santa Catalina Mountains just north of Tucson, this network blends raw high desert riding (starting around 3,000 ft) with surprisingly playful lines. It’s not wide-open flow like Honeybee Canyon. It’s not volcanic chunk like Starr Pass. It’s granite slabs, technical puzzles, and plenty of chances to test your bike handling skills.

This is where Tucson riders come to measure themselves. Intermediates push into advanced terrain. Advanced riders session natural features. And everyone leaves with a story about a line they cleaned—or didn’t.

Most exciting? The current USFS master trail plan for the Coronado National Forest includes this area, with a focus on mountain biking. Official trail building is underway for the first time ever.

Access and Logistics

Trailhead: Golder Ranch Road (recommended) or Catalina State Park (lands located to the south of the ride we feature here, adding miles and climbing)

Parking:

• Golder Ranch area: Requires Arizona State Trust Land permit ($15 individual, $20 family, valid one year)
• Catalina State Park: Vehicle day-use fee at park entrance (they also charge if you ride in for the trails, but not for riding the roads, wink wink)

Facilities: No facilities at Golder Ranch trailhead (bring water, etc.). Restrooms and water in Catalina State Park.

Distance from Tucson: 30 minutes north of downtown

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The Vibe

Terrain: Cattle-cruised flats near the trailhead give way to granite slabs, ledgy climbs, and chunky singletrack as you head higher into the Catalinas.

Style: Progressive—beginners can play on the lower trails while advanced riders head deeper and higher for exposed slabs and technical features.

Scenery: Classic Sonoran Desert with varying vegetation depending on aspect and elevation (saguaros to junipers), with Sanmaniego Ridge looming overhead. Views get bigger as you climb.

Technical level: Green to black+, depending on how deep you go and the lines you sniff out. There’s stiffness back there.

Best for: Riders who want to push themselves and come away with a sense of accomplishment. This isn’t a cruise—it’s a workout and a skills test.

Locals will tell you: This is where you come to have some fun—if you’re up for the challenge.

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The Classic 50 Year Ride: Chutes and Ladders

• Distance: 15 miles
• Elevation gain: 1,575 ft
• Difficulty: Intermediate to advanced
• Time: 2.5-3.5 hours

The Route:
Starting from Golder Ranch trailhead, this loop builds progressively—a warmup on lower trails, then a legitimate technical climb/descent that tests your skills. The route then harnesses the rollicking flow of The Chutes (including a section most riders miss), grunts up Slab City ridge for killer views, then descends through Upper 50 Year’s classic technical puzzles before returning via Middle Gate and a lowland spinout to nurse your buzz.

What makes it a Classic:
This is Chutes and Ladders—one of the 7 Tucson MTB Classics in our Tucson Ride Guide. It’s the definitive 50 Year experience: technical enough to challenge intermediate-advanced riders, varied enough to stay interesting for 15 miles, and rewarding enough that you’ll want to session sections on repeat visits. Locals switch up lines on the fly depending on mood. First-timers just want to ride it again.

Surfaces: 98% singletrack, 2% access road

Pro tip: Bring a mid-travel+ bike (120-140+ mm), fresh legs for the technical sections, and keep your eyes up on Gem, Upper 50 Year, and Middle Gate—lines reward vision and commitment.

(Full turn-by-turn directions, GPS file, elevation profile, and additional route options in the Tucson MTB Ride Guide.)

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Beyond the Classic Route: What Else Is Out Here?

The beauty of 50 Year and Golder Ranch is how many ways you can configure a ride. From mellow family-friendly loops near the trailhead to rowdy technical testpieces higher up, you can spend multiple days exploring, going deep into the mountains. Or just session the features that keep throwing you off-line…

Route options include:

• Family Cruise (6 miles, easy) – Stay low, enjoy saguaro flats
• Chutes and Ladders (15 miles, intermediate/advanced) – The route described above
• Epic Day (20+ miles) – Watch this space.

Navigation notes:
Trails aren’t marked, and there are multiple intersections where knowing which way to turn matters. B-lines exist on many technical features, but finding them requires familiarity with the network. First-timers often miss key turns or can end up on unintended trails.

The tech factor:
This network rewards repeated visits. Natural features like rock rolls, granite slabs, and ledge moves have multiple lines—some obvious, some hidden. The more you ride here, the more you’ll find.

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Tucson Offers More

This post gives you Chutes and Ladders—one of the 7 Tucson MTB Classics and the definitive 50 Year experience.

But there’s a lot more:

✓ **6 additional Classic Tucson routes** (beginner to expert, organized by difficulty)
✓ **Turn-by-turn directions** (so you don’t miss key intersections)
✓ **Downloadable GPX files** (upload to your GPS device or phone)
✓ **Points of interest** (where to session features, take photos, bail out if needed)
✓ **Seasonal considerations** (best months, crowd levels, weather tips)
✓ **How to combine networks** (50 Year + Honeybee for 25+-mile days, going deep into 50 Year for big vert/tech)
✓ **Local beta** (parking strategies, permit details, where to grab food after) If you’re planning a Tucson MTB trip and want all 7 Classics plus the complete system—not just one ride—the guide has you covered.

**[Get the Tucson MTB Ride Guide (Beta – $37) →](#)**

Planning a Tucson Trip?

Get the free Tucson Trails Cheat Sheet—your quick reference for the best rides across all Tucson networks, organized by skill level and terrain. Plus insider tips for riding The Old Pueblo and updates when the full Tucson Ride Guide launches.

More Tucson Mountain Biking

For a complete overview of Tucson’s trail networks, all 7 Classic rides, trip planning tips, and what to expect on your visit, check out The Best of Tucson Mountain Biking.

Last Modified: January 2025