Arizona Bike-Friendly Parks

Ajo Skatepark-- Ajo About: This 9500 square foot concrete park is made with pre-cast concrete obstacles on a concrete slab, the only one of it's kind in Arizona. It features stairs, a curved bank to ledge, various rails and grind ledges, a spine, quarterpipes, banks, and pyramids. Directions: From Hwy 85 South, take a left on Rasmussen Road. Go about 1/2 mile, then take a right on Olive Street, then left on North Street. Turn right into ES Bud Walker Park. The skatepark is close to the swimming pool.

Arivaca Skatepark-- Arivaca About: This concrete park began allowing bikes in 2008 after originally only allowing skateboards. It's small, but has amazing flow. Directions: From Tucson, head South on I-19. After you pass Green Valley, take Exit 48 and go right on Amado-Arivaca Road. Take another right, then take an immediate left onto Arivaca Road, which is between the mini market and the Cow Palace Restaurant. If it sounds like you're heading for the middle of nowhere, you are. Go 23 miles on Arivaca Road to Arivaca. Take a left on Universal Ranch Road. Go 2 blocks, pass the Fire Department building, then turn right onto Mesquite Road. The skatepark is on the other side of the basketball courts. This park is open 24/7, which is awesome! Pay attention, cities! No lights at park except for moonlight, but if you want to arrange for lights to be set up, you can call 520-398-3010 and the community center will try to accomodate you.

Bullhead City Rotary Skatepark-- Bullhead City About: This concrete park began allowing bikes in 2008 after only allowing skateboards for a few years since it opened. The construction isn't so hot, but it has a lot of weird stuff to get creative on. Giant wedge half pipe, what what? Directions: From Highway 95, head east on Riverview Drive, then south on Balboa Drive. Balboa ends at park.

Chandler Bike Park-- Chandler About: This 22,000 sq. ft. park opened on May 5th, 2007, and it's the best effin concrete park in Arizona. Ride BMX called it the second best concrete park in the whole U.S. The whole park is a big flow course, with tons of hips, a big four-way tranny jump box, 8' quarters, a vert wall, a 5.5 ft. wallride, a 6 ft. spine, a clamshell, 3 ft. sub boxes atop 6' quarters, concrete berms, doubles, and more. It's Flows McGee and that's no lie! Directions: The Bike Park is in Espee Park, located at 450 E. Knox Road. It's just east of Arizona Avenue on Knox Rd. (which is one street South of Warner Road) Photo: City of Chandler

Douglas Skatepark-- Douglas About: Features a mixture of metal ramps and concrete features. Mini-spine, rails, ledges, hips. Location: 304 15th Street, right by the Visitor's Center.

Flagstaff BMX Park-- Flagstaff About: First bike-only park in Arizona. Unbelievable big and sick concrete park, features 2 flow bowls, each with nothing under 6 ft tall, sub box, curved wallride, oververt pocket, sub rail. Also has a separate amoeba pool and a 4 ft bowl with a 28 ft jump designed to be able to launch over the bowl. This park is not for the faint of heart or wussy of mind-- it'll wear your ass for a hat if you aren't careful. Directions: From Route 66 on the east side of town, go north on Main Street, then east on 6th Avenue. Then go north again on West Street. Park is on the left.

Fountain Hills Skatepark-- Fountain Hills About: 8800 sq. ft. park. Street course only, featuring a nice hip, a pyramid with rail, ledges, a very wide 6' quarter, and another quarter with a sick-ass ledge blocking most of it! Directions: Take Shea blvd into Fountain Hills. Go North on Saguaro a few blocks. You'll see a golf course on the right, but keep going. Turn right on Desert Vista. After the frontage road, take your first left. The skatepark is on the right. Photo: Jason Ryan

Glendale X-Court-- Glendale About: This 28,000 sq. ft. park features a concrete box jump that rides like a super-solid wooden one. You've also got your flow, your hips, your deep bowls, your oververt, your sub box, and your rail/ledge street section. All non-motorized users allowed at all times. No knurled pegs allowed (Wal-Mart style pegs with the burly bumps on them.) Location: The park is located on 83rd Ave. just north of Bethany Home Rd. Photo: City of Glendale

Marana Skatepark-- Marana About: The park is basically one big bowl with hips, ledges, stairs, wedges and a small pyramid in the flatbottom. It began allowing bikes in 2007 after originally only allowing skateboards. Marana Parks & Rec Department Phone #- 520-382-1950 Directions: Exit I-10 at Cortaro Road, and head west on Cortaro to Silverbell. Turn right, and proceed to Coachline Boulevard. Turn right on Coachline, and the park is two blocks down on the right at 8900 N. Coachline Boulevard.

Mesa Reed Wheels Court-- Mesa About: The biggest skatepark in the Valley at 44,000 sq. ft. Lots of big wedges, mellow tranny, and a couple spines. Reed didn't originally allow bikes, but changed the rule at the end of 2006. Directions: Park located on the south side of Broadway Road between Stapley and Gilbert Roads. Bonus info: This park used to be a lake, before they made it a skatepark. The lake was nicknamed "Dead Man's Lake". The neighborhood is still very shady, so watch your back here- especially at night. Photo: Derrick Riggs

Mesa Kleinman Wheels Court-- Mesa About: Almost not worth mentioning, but the little kids can learn some stuff here before they outgrow it. Three 4 ft. quarterpipes, a 4 ft. spine, a tiny box jump, a little grind box and three little flat rails all on asphalt over what used to be four tennis courts. Tons of room, very few things to ride. It would be great for flatland but the asphalt slurry the city poured is uneven and crappy. Location: Located on the west side of Extension Road, between Broadway Road and Southern Avenue.

Nogales Public Skatepark-- Nogales About: Steel ramps on concrete pad. Big burns when it's hot. HOOAAAH! Thankfully the city paints their ramps every few years. Directions: Take I-19 into town. It becomes Sonoita Avenue. Follow curve around then turn right on Crawford Street. Turn left on I-19 business route, then right on Court Street. Turn left on Morley Avenue. Turn right on Adams street and go down a bit. The park is on the left.

Payson's Rumsey Skatepark-- Payson About: Steel ramps on concrete pad. Nothing over 4 feet tall. Gets boring quick. I've talked to parks and rec and it does allow bikes, even though the website and sign don't reflect the policy change. The ramps are super slippery due to lack of proper maintenance. Can someone please convince these parks and rec people they have to paint steel ramps every few years? Sweet Jesus! I can smell the oxidation here in Tempe from 65.1 miles away! Location: 300 N. McLane Rd.

Picture Rocks BMX/Skatepark-- Picture Rocks About: Sick little concrete park. Features mini/spine configuration, ledges, rails, hips, berms, humps, elbows and quarters. Directions: Park is located at 5615 North Sanders Road. From the I-10 freeway, exit Ina Rd. and head west. Turn left on Wade, which will take you through Saguaro National Park. Then go left on Tula Road. You'll see a sign saying you're leaving Saguaro National Park. Pass Sandario (4-way stop) and take a left just before Picture Rocks Intermediate School (the school is kinda tucked back). The park is past the school on the right. Photo: Jason Ryan

Prescott Skatepark-- Prescott About: Excellent concrete park. Features amoeba bowl w/ oververt pocket, pool w/ 11 ft. deep, and big street course. Directions: When entering Prescott from Hwy 69, bear left. The road becomes Gurley Street. Take it a few blocks, then turn right onto Arizona Avenue. Park is on the left past the baseball field. Photo: Jason Ryan

Prescott Valley BMX/Skatepark-- Prescott Valley About: This park didn't originally allow bikes, but in 2007 it was remodeled and got a big addition of flowy bowls, and it began officially allowing bikes when it re-opened. It features a 5' spine, some mellow stuff, rails and ledges, deep bowls, a sort of snake run, a vert wall, and lots of flow. Directions: From Hwy 69, take Robert Road north. Go up a few blocks, then take Loos Drive east. Turn right into the park. Photo: Jason Ryan

Sacaton Bike Park-- Sacaton About: An old-school linear-style bike-only park with metal ramps on a big concrete slab. 6 ft. quarters with bowl corner, 90 degree and 20 degree hips, tall wallride, regular size box jump, small box jump, 4 ft. spine, assorted wedges, launch to jersey barrier, 4 ft. quarters, roll-in, wacky sub rail. Directions: From I-10, take Casa Blanca Road into Sacaton. Turn left on Church Street. It will run you smack into the bike park. Bonus Info: This park is the first and only Arizona bike-friendly park that is shaded-- excellent idea.

Show Low Skatepark-- Show Low About: Big bowl separated by long 5' tall spine, with a few little street features in one side. Wacky, poorly designed, very poorly built, but still amazingly fun. Directions: From White Mountain Road (Hwy 260), turn east on Hunning, then south on 11th Street. Park is a little ways down on the right.

Sierra Vista Skatepark-- Sierra Vista About: The park has berms, ledges, stairs and humps. Location: 3105 E. Fry Blvd.

Tempe BMX/skatepark-- Tempe About: One big flow bowl featuring long volcano, sub box, quarters, 5' spine, and extensions. Directions: The BMX/skatepark at Esquer Park is located on MacArthur Street between the Loop 101 and Lebanon Lane in Tempe. To get there, exit Loop 101 at University Drive, head East on University to George Drive and head South on George. You'll run right into it. Photo: Jason Ryan

Tuba City Skatepark-- Tuba City About: This park opened in 2008, and features many flat and slanted ledges, rails, a tranny flow course, and a 13 foot vert wall. Directions: Take Hwy 264 into town. The highway becomes Main Street. The park is right by the McDonald's on Main Street.