Description

The 36th Street -> Bittersweet Loop follows a similar route idea to the [Explorer -> 360-View Loop](https://fatmap.com/routeid/2730249/explorer-greater-360-view-loop), but it hits a number of different trails that are, on the average, less technical.

Consequently, this ride combination only gets a "Difficult" rating in comparison to Explorer's "Severe." The collection of trails located directly adjacent to the 36th Street trailhead is generally smooth and flowy, with some fun, swoopy sections through the desert.

But as you ride away from 36th Street, the singletrack on this ride regains the classic chunky and difficult ride quality with short, punchy climbs and steep, twisty descents.

Don't worry—you'll still have plenty of rocks to negotiate.

Even still, these rocks are generally more rideable, forcing far fewer awkward dismounts and hike-a-bike sections. Also adding to the challenge of this ride are the deep sandy sections, especially in the washes.

While these can all be walked if needed, they do tend to confound some riders. The Bittersweet Trail to the south offers delightful up-and-down cross-country riding that makes it one of the highlights of this loop.

While Bittersweet will still demand that you work for it, you'll find yourself covering plenty of miles as you roll through the Sonoran Desert, right on the edge of the city of Tucson. On the southern end of this loop, you can choose to tack on a few extra miles on the Camaro Loop trail if you haven't had enough yet.

And if you *really* want to crank out the miles, try the [Tucson Mountains Epic](https://fatmap.com/routeid/2730284/tucson-mountains-epic) ride on for size!