Author’s Note: This is the first installment of a monthly series to pay homage to some of my favorite trails. These are not trail guides, per se, but rather tributes to some of the finest running trails in the United States.] There is perhaps no more pristine park in the United States than McDowell Mountain Regional Park in Maricopa County, Arizona. Home to both the Pemberton 50kin February and the Javelina Jundred in October, McDowell Mountain Park is a trail runner’s dream. With 67 miles of smooth desert trails, the McDowells have something for everyone. I first became acquainted with the park when I moved to Phoenix in 1996. Back then, the trail system was not as developed as it is today but the heart and soul of the trail system was clear, the 15.4-mile Pemberton Trail. Forming a perfect loop through the cacti and palo verde-laden basin, “Pembie” as many of the locals call it, is one of those trails that never gets old. My preferred direction for running the loop is clockwise but either way is great. Whichever way you go, you basically climb for five miles, traverse up and down through a series of washes and arroyos for five miles, and then descend for five miles. It’s simple, elegant, and downright beautiful at any time of year.