We spend a lot of time celebrating the work of professional mountain bike athletes and trail builders. Advocacy and volunteerism may lack the glamor of some of mountain biking’s other dynamics, but the reality is that the unsung heroes of our sport attend board meetings and fill 501c3 forms. The person who fills out the form and often answers various questions and requests. Other trail user groups.

A peek behind the scenes of a prolific mountain bike association reveals, frankly, responsibilities and obligations, especially given that it operates on a volunteer basis. Advocacy and stewardship are very hard work, but they are not without rewards. Tucson, Arizona has two independent but equally tenacious trail associations trying to give back to local mountain bike enthusiasts as much as possible.

SDMB (Sonora Desert Mountain Cyclist) and Toruca (Tucson Off-Road Cycling Activist) has taken a divide-and-conquer approach to the hundreds of miles of trails surrounding the Sonoran Desert oasis in Tucson, Arizona. The city is the state’s second-largest city after Phoenix, with a metro population of over 1,000,000 and growing. It is located 80 km north of the Mexican border and is surrounded on all sides by five small mountain ranges, including the Rincons on the east, Santa Ritas on the south, and the Tucson, Santa Catalina, and Tortolita mountains along the western border. A mountain north of town. With more than 350 miles of trails available to mountain bikers as well as the city spread across it all, both trail associations have their hands full managing their respective pies.

SDMB primarily deals with the city itself, as well as the US Forest Service, which specializes in projects in Pima County Parks and Recreation, particularly Mount Graham, two hours east of town. Their “territory” includes Tucson Mountain Park, Fantasy Island, Sweetwater His Preserve, Rincon Valley and his network of trails.

TORCA has a more singular but equally large focus. Mount Lemon. A massive uplift northeast of Tucson reaches elevations of just under 9,200 feet above sea level. Lemon’s Trail is managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and TORCA has become his 501c3 partner organization for the USFS, effectively acting as the trail’s maintenance arm.

Despite their enormous responsibilities and workloads, both TORCA and SDMB spend time throughout the year collaborating on trailwork days and initiatives. The scale of the landscape in and around Tucson is staggeringly huge, as is the effort of both excellent trail associations. There aren’t many places with the collection of cultural resources available that offer a true desert and mountain backcountry experience like Tucson. Having visited over the years since my first trip in 2018, this place has found a special place in my heart. It’s all thanks to the efforts of the amazing people behind organizations like TORCA and his SDMB that are setting new standards for how trail associations work. The Sonoran Desert is one of the most beautiful places in the country, and there’s no shortage of inspiration between deserts, mountains, and everything in between. We are excited to have so many talented and dedicated people looking after the future of mountain biking in such an amazing place.