The Pemberton Loop, mapped here, is one of the easiest-to-follow cross country loops in the network. This ~14-mile loop rolls through the wide-open desert terrain on smooth, fast singletrack. With only 827 feet of climbing and descending, it’s relatively flat in the grand scheme of things, but if you pay attention, it does climb gradually along the first half of the ride and then descend back to the trailhead.

The northern side of the Pemberton Loop offers a smooth, wide climb up the sloped mesa. You'll climb fairly consistently, gaining elevation on a consistent grade.

On the western side of the loop, you'll roll up and down a series of ridges as you make your way across and to the south. Here, the singletrack begins to get a bit rougher and a bit more technical.

Finally, the descent back down the mesa on the southern side of the loop is a fair bit rougher than the climbing trail, earning it an intermediate difficulty according to some sources. This fast, flowy descent flies down rocky singletrack that can feel a bit rough but is generally not too technical. Instead of big rock features, it's simply a rough onslaught of small embedded rocks in the trail tread. The occasional water bar across the trail offers air opportunities, too!

The smooth, non-technical trails in the area—of which this is one—make the trail system at McDowell Mountain Park popular with cross country and endurance racers looking to escape the mid-winter cold and snow in the northern reaches of the country. Combine a great campground with easy access to miles and miles of singletrack in one of the warmest cities in the country, and you have the perfect recipe for a mid-winter training getaway!

Source: https://www.theoutbound.com/arizona/mountain-biking/bike-the-pemberton-loop-in-mcdowell-mountain-park https://www.maricopacountyparks.net/mcdowell-mountain-regional-park-mm/