Pinal Airpark

Pinal Airpark is the open desert riding area riders mean when they talk about riding near Marana on the Pinal County side of the line, northwest of Tucson. It is a large, mostly flat tract of Arizona State Trust Land beside the county airpark, and OpenStreetMap maps it as the Pinal Airpark OHV Area. RiderPlanet, the only rider source we found, describes a variety of easy trails with big whoops and scattered homemade motocross tracks. The west side has a couple of large play pits with jumps, small chutes and climbs, and hill turns, while the pits on the east side are tame enough for beginners and kids. The area is unmarked and unmaintained, and washes and pits are crossed by trails with many intersections, so it is easy to get turned around. Terrain is loose dirt with some hardpack, sand, and rocks, and there is no singletrack.

You will hear it called Pinal Air Park or Marana Air Park. This is not the Tortolita, Silverbell, or Avra Valley riding people also associate with Marana. Those are separate areas, and this file covers only the airpark tract. The airpark itself is an active airfield, and military training flights are common, so stay inside the riding area and obey all postings.

Getting there

From Tucson, take I-10 northwest to Exit 232 (Pinal Airpark Road). Head west off the ramp for about a mile and look for a gate on the right. Staging can be done almost anywhere, and RiderPlanet lists a main and an alternate staging area. The nearest fuel is a Chevron a few miles south. Picacho Peak State Park, with a campground, is farther north on I-10.

Fees, permits, and rules

There is no parking or entry fee. Because this is State Trust Land, you need an Arizona State Land Department recreational permit, listed at $15 for an individual or $20 for a family per year, plus a card processing fee online. Arizona requires an OHV decal, a spark arrestor, and a 96 dB noise limit. Riders under 18 must wear a helmet by state law. Alcohol is prohibited. There are few services and no facilities, and rule enforcement is described as periodic. Some prohibited areas are marked on RiderPlanet's map, so read posted signs.

When to ride

The area is open year-round, and fall through winter is the recommended time. It is low desert at roughly 1,800 to 1,900 feet, so summers are very hot. Avoid the washes in monsoon storms. Primitive camping is allowed throughout, with no facilities.