Roadrunner Park Thompson Peak Pkwy Loop

Getting There

Park at Roadrunner Park, 3502 E Cactus Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85032. It's in North Phoenix at SR 51 and Cactus Ave.

The Ride

North on 36th St to the Indian Bend Wash pathway. It's just before the stop sign at Sweetwater, turn right (east) onto the pathway. Trivia, much of the Indian Bend Wash is an EPA Superfund cleanup site. More trivia, the Scottsdale Part of the Indian Bend Wash is well known. The Phoenix part is not.

Pass under 40th St then under Cactus Rd. The path turns left then enters Stone Creek Golf Club. Stay off Cactus Rd, use the sidewalk. The path begins again almost immediately, on your right… alongside the golf course.

At this point, if the pathway is wet be careful as you go down and turn. And, this is an area where golfers sometimes do not undertand that the pathway is shared.

Follow the path under Tatum, then follow this guy to Cholla.

We have been avoiding traffic going to Paradise Valley Mall. If you need repair or cycling stuff, there is an REI at PV Mall. We will make our way back to Sweetwater, our main eastbound street as we head toward North Scottsdale.

Cholla takes us east to 56th St, where we cut through Orange Tree Golf Course neighborhood to 60th St and eventually rejoin Sweetwater. Cross Cactus Road with care! It can be busy and vehicles are moving fast.

At Sweetwater turn right (east). When you get to Scottsdale Rd, cross with the light. It's a busy street!

Sweetwater ends temporarily at Hayden, we have to make a jog through a neighborhood to rejoin Sweetwater. It is important to get back to Sweetwater as we are going to use a non-motorized bridge over the 101 (Pima Freeway). Follow the cues.

North (left) at 100th St, a route that is frequented by cyclists. There is a cyclist-friendly Circle K Convenience Store/Gas Station on the southwest corner of 100th St and Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd. You can ask for the key to the bathroom.

Taliesin West is close by, if you are a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright.

After crossing Thompson Peak Blvd, watch on your right for Horizon Park. Turn in at the 3rd entrance. Follow the sidewalk/path to this bridge. Welcome to the secret entrance to Westworld!

Follow the cues to a nice clean bathroom in Westworld, then back to Bell Road (a busy street but has a bike lane) and a left (north) on Thompson Peak Parkway. Be careful maneuvering across Bell Rd to the left-turn lane. You can ride up to the intersection and use the crosswalks.

Thompson Peak Parkway is a beautiful ride along the foot of the McDowell Mountains. This area is part of the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. Stop by the Gateway Trailhead to learn more about this incredible area.

After you cross Pima Rd, Thompson Peak Parkway gets busier but there is a bike lane and this area is well traveled by cyclists. Turn left at Hayden, cross under the 101. Hayden traffic is moving very fast but you have a bike lane and, again, this is a well used bicycle route. Your next turn is a right (west) on Princess Drive. Make your way past the The Fairmont Scottsdale Princess toward Scottsdale Rd.

If you are a racing fan, the Penske Racing Museum is close.

Follow the cues to Mayo Blvd. You have a bike lane most of the way on Mayo and where you don't, the cars have a center lane. Mayo is also well traveled by cyclists.

Follow Mayo to Tatum Blvd, where you make a left (south) turn. On the southwest corner is the Musical Instrument Museum, a must visit if you are a musician! And a great visit for anyone.

Ride south on Tatum, pass Horse Lovers Park, over the CAP Canal and turn right on Union Hills Drive. There are good bike lanes on Tatum and Union Hills.

After riding west on Union Hills, we are going to ride south on a pathway that runs alongside SR 51. This pathway is seperated from the freeway and avoids busy Phoenix streets. And it has really cool non-motorized bridges over major east-west arteries.

On Union Hills at 40th St, cross over and ride on the sidewalk on the south side of the street for a few blocks. Before crossing the exit ramp from SR 51, turn left (south) on this pathway.

Immediately after you enter the path, you will see Paradise Valley Park on your left. Bathrooms, shaded picnic tables, water fountains.

Ride on the east side of SR 51 until you see this bridge at Paradise Ln. Cross over and follow the pathway left (south) on the other side of SR 51.

After you cross over Greenway Road and after you pass Venturoso Park (on your right), the pathway crosses under SR 51. A second underpass takes you under Thunderbird Rd. Follow the Indian Bend Wash pathway a few more blocks to 36th St, turn right (south). Roadrunner Park is on your right at the corner of 36th St and Cactus.