Located in the hilly space between the Salt River and the Usery Mountains in Mesa, the Hawes Trail System is about to get an upgrade. The cluster of mountain-bike-centric trails with access points along Bush Highway is part of the Tonto National Forest Sonoran Desert Trail System – a network of East Valley multi-use routes.
“More than 22 new miles of trails are proposed in our master plan, and more miles are set for rehab and adoption of social trails,” says Shawn Stenmark of the Hawes Trail Alliance, a nonprofit organization that was formed to help maintain and build the HTS. “A total of 42 miles are set to be made legit or built. It will make a big impact on the area.”
While the HTS was founded by mountain bikers, plans include making the site a prime destination for all trail users…