Sunday - January 19, 2025

Prickly Pedal

36 Mile | 15 Mile

Get in a heart-pumping, rip-roaring ride through the desert terrain of the Maricopa Trail beginning in Cave Creek, AZ and finishing at Lake Pleasant in Peoria, AZ. Not ready for the full 'Pedal'? Try out the 15 mile, Half Pedal, 'sprint' distance.

Proceeds from the race help support the Maricopa Trail & Park Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting, promoting, developing, and maintaining one of the nation’s largest county park systems. Their mission is to ensure that Maricopa County’s trails and parks remain accessible, enjoyable, and sustainable for all visitors.

Register

Volunteer

*Distances may vary slightly each year due to permitting.

Event Location

36 Mile
Downtown Cave Creek, AZ
Flat Tire Bike Shop: 6032 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek, AZ 85331
Our start line is located on Cave Creek Rd. just before the intersection of Spur Cross Rd.
15 Mile
Pioneer Living History Museum
3901 W Pioneer Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85086
Our start line is located inside the museum grounds.

Both distances finish at 10 Lane Boat Ramp at Lake Pleasant Regional Park.

Bib Pickup

Saturday Bib Pickup
36 Mile and 15 Mile
Flat Tire Bike Shop

Saturday, January 18
12:00PM-3:00PM Flat Tire Bike Shop

Race Day Bib Pickup
Sunday, January 19
36 Mile
7:00AM-8:30 AM Flat Tire Bike Shop 15 Mile
8:00AM-9:00AM Lane 10 Boat Ramp (Finish line and shuttle pick up spot)

Start Times

8:30 AM - 36 Mile
10:30 AM - 15 Mile

Volunteer

We need help to make Prickly Pedal possible. Volunteer perks include Aravaipa race credits and race swag!

Volunteer Now

Race Perks

Finish Line Photo

Copy of Chip timed race results

Well stocked aid station

Finisher award by Aravaipa Artworx

Live Tracking

Follow the 2025 Prickly Pedal with live split points throughout the race.

Aravaipa Live

Register Now

Registration closes: Mon, Jan 13 @ 11:59PM MT

Race Registration

	Until 8/30	Until 11/29	Until 1/19
Adult 36 Mile MTB and Single Speed	$75	$85	$95
Juniors 36 Mile	$50	$60	$70
15 Mile Adult	$50	$60	$70
15 Mile Juniors	$50	$50	$60

*Prices does not include 6.30% Maricopa County Tax

Course Information

Key Stats

Date | Sunday, January 19, 2025

Start Time | 8:30 AM

Time Limit | 10.5 Hours (7:00 PM Overall Cutoff)

Distance | 36 Miles

Total Elevation Gain | 1,385 feet

Max Elevation | 2,779 feet

Women's Course Record |

Men's Course Record |

Course Map

36 Mile - CalTopo Course Map

36 Mile Event Details

Featuring a 36 Mile point to point course, the Prickly Pedal starts in Cave Creek in front of the Flat Tire Bike Shop, 6032 E Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek, AZ 85331, and rides up through town to Spur Cross where you’ll join the Maricopa Trail all the way over to the finish line at Lake Pleasant Regional Park’s 10 Lane Boat Ramp. The event showcases the diversity of the Maricopa Trail and supports the Maricopa Trail and Park Foundation. Aggressive ascents and descents, grinding it out on the flats, rocks, water, sand, mud, and roller coaster runs are all part of the fun of this challenging course. The ride features numerous short, steep, rocky climbs and descents…some of which may require you to dismount and hike. This is not a race for the inexperienced – finish times for most racers are estimated at 3-4 hours. Be prepared for a long day in the saddle. This is a tough mountain bike race.

Key Stats

Date | Sunday, January 19, 2025

Start Time | 10:30 AM

Time Limit | 8.5 Hours (7:00 PM Overall Cutoff)

Distance | -15 Miles

Total Elevation Gain | 356 feet

Max Elevation | 1,752 feet

Women's Course Record |

Men's Course Record |

Course Map

15 Mile - CalTopo Course Map

15 Mile Event Details

The 15 mile "Sprint" course begins inside the Pioneer Living History Museum. After completing a loop inside the museum, racers will exit onto Pioneer Rd. then onto the Maricopa Trail. The first 6.5 miles are relatively flat and fast before encountering some terrain. After the aid station at mile 9 racers will enter a beautiful canyon that will take them to the boundary of Lake Pleasant Regional Park. The last three miles is where you will encounter the most climbing.

Additional Race Info

The race courses will be well marked with orange plastic ribbons with black polka dots and reflective medallions. Trail junctions and turns will be well marked with reflective laminated signs. In addition, blue & white checkerboard plastic flagging and RED reflective WRONG WAY signs will be hung to designate non-race or “WRONG WAY” trails. All riders are responsible for understanding the layout of the course. Please familiarize yourself with the course maps on our website prior to race day and/or print a map to bring along with you.

We will have our MedStar Solutions medical staff based at the start / finish headquarters to assist with first aid onsite. We reserve the right to pull you from the race if medical officials deem it necessary.
NOTE: Please do NOT call 911 in a medical emergency. Our medical team is highly trained and understands the terrain and driving access points. Please call the race day number and they will dispatch immediately.
MedStar Solutions Race Day Number: 480-269-4126

Parking
Lake Pleasant Regional Park charges a $7 park entry fee per vehicle for spectators. Racers parking at the finish line will have this fee waived with the appropriate parking pass. Racers being dropped off/picked up will not have parking privilege's but will also have the fee waived.
Please arrive early and have correct change (cash) available on race day for a smooth entry process. Maricopa County Parks also offers an Annual Pass for $85. Carpool to save!

Shuttles to the Start Line
Shuttles will transport racers to both start lines from the finish at Lake Pleasant Regional Park. Shuttle departure times will be communicated race week in emails as well as race brief videos. 36 mile racer's bikes can be dropped off at the expo on Saturday or can be dropped off race morning at the start line starting at 6:00AM. 15 mile racer's bike drop off is race morning at your start line, the Pioneer Living History Museum, starting at 8:00AM.

No bikes will be shuttled to the start on race day.

Saturday Expo and Bib Pick Up
Early bib pick up will be available at our expo on Saturday located at the 36 mile start line, the Flat Tire Bike Shop. Check out our sponsor's booths and race benefactor The Maricopa Trail and Park Foundation. Bike drop off for the 36 mile race will also be available.

Pets
For the safety of all racers, no pets are allowed on-course at any time. Any pets at the race must be on a leash at all times, respect park rules, and be supervised.

Camping

We have reserved two of the group camping sites just down the road from the finish line at Lane 10 Boat Ramp. Camping info is below.

No hook ups for Rv’s, however RV’s are welcome in the area. (Dump station is across the way). Tents and vehicle camping is ok.

Individual fires will not be allowed, there is a large fire pit by the ramada’s for use. (unless we are in a fire ban).

Water and 110 amp electricity is available, however is shared (these are located at the picnic ramada’s).

Flushable Restrooms and Showers are located in both areas, however will be shared with all group campers, including the 3rd group site which is not our racers.

There will be limited distance between campers, this will be based on the total number of campers. We do have a overflow area also reserved should we reach capacity.

We will assign camping spaces based on how many and what type of units make reservations. We will communicate these assignments during race week.

Camping Fee is $22.00 per night per unit. (A unit is whatever is used to sleep in, this would include a sleeping bag on the ground, tent, vehicle or RV). You can purchase a camping space on the merchandise page.

Check in is 1:00

Check out is 12:00

This is only for the Group Campground area, if you are wanting to camp in any of the other site within the park (Desert Tortoise, Roadrunner), you will need to make those reservations directly with the park.

go here.

Mountain Biking and Trash
Please respect the trails and the beauty of the desert by disposing of any trash at one of our aid stations. We do recycle and participate in the Terracycle program where we recycle used nutrition packets and gel wrappers. Please deposit them in the specified container at the feed station.

Sunday - January 19, 2025

Prickly Pedal

Event Location

Bib Pickup

Start Times

Volunteer

Race Perks

Live Tracking

Race Registration

Course Information

36 Mile

15 Mile

Course Map

36 Mile Event Details

Additional Race Info

Results & Photos