Pine Strawberry Trail, Mountain Biking with Howlie

You start off with a climb

Directions: Take Highway 87 north from the Valley through Payson to Hardscrabble Road in Pine. Turn East on Hardscrabble Road and travel 1.8 miles to the trail. There is a sign at the trail and limited parking.

Dog Friendly: Yes but bring water. There was a spring but it was only a trickle.

The Pine Strawberry trail is a good out and back ride that takes you from Pine to Strawberry on some nice forest, single track. There are some good climbs and descents, with a few rocky patches but the whole ride is doable, depending on your fitness level. The elevation tops out at 6,028 ft and has a low point of 5,689 ft. The trail offers some great views of Pine, Strawberry and beyond.

This was also the first single track ride that Howlie did with me and it was ideal for him. Although there was plenty of evidence that the trail gets used, I only met one group of hikers. It was also about 18 degrees cooler than the Valley. Howlie is an experienced, obedient off leash trail dog, that doesn't react much to other trail users. Know your dog's temperament and fitness before taking them mountain biking or hiking.