On Saturday, Signal Butte Park changes shape. The park that opened in 2020 off Elliot Road gets a second half north of the desert wash, and that half has its own address, its own parking lot and its own entrance on Signal Butte Road beside Fire Station 219. If your map app still sends you to the playground, you'll end up on the wrong side of the wash from the new pump track.
The City of Mesa sets the formal opening for Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 10 a.m. and calls the new bike area the largest asphalt pump track in Arizona. Most of what follows comes down to where you come in, because that determines which half of the park you start in.
Two addresses, one bridge
The original park and the expansion are on the same property, but the city lists them separately. The existing park's address is 11132 E. Elliot Road. Phase II is listed at 3355 S. Signal Butte Road. Even Artisan Skateparks, which shows the project in its portfolio as Signal Butte Bike Park, puts it under the Elliot Road address.
A new pedestrian bridge over the wash connects the two halves, so you can park on one side and walk to the other. If you're driving, though, the entrance you choose decides what's right in front of you when you get out of the car.
| Original park (Phase I) | Bike park (Phase II) | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 11132 E. Elliot Road | 3355 S. Signal Butte Road |
| Entrance | Elliot Road side | Next to Fire Station 219, 3361 S. Signal Butte Road |
| Opening date | January 2020 | November 7, 2026 |
| Main draws | Playground, splash pad, ramadas, paved walking path | Tot track, pump track, flow trails, walking loop |
| Evening use | General park hours run sunrise to 10 p.m. or as posted | LED lighting keeps the bike park open until 10 p.m. daily |
On the city's final park plan, the riding area sits north of the wash and south of the SRP Browning Substation. The existing park and the Signal Butte Water Treatment Plant are across the wash. The second half took a while. When Phase I opened in 2020, Your Valley's coverage of the grand opening projected Phase II for 2023. The city's project page now shows a construction schedule of Winter 2025 to Fall 2026.
What's on the Signal Butte Road side
The city's own write-up of Phase II comes from a Parks and Recreation staffer who tried the intermediate track on a borrowed BMX bike and was nervous before her first downhill run. Her account describes three riding areas set up by skill level.
- Tot track. The beginner area, nearest the new parking lot, with its own winding paved loop.
- Intermediate pump track. Paved rollers and banked turns with multiple transfer opportunities, meaning spots where a rider can jump from one line to another.
- Advanced flow trails. The city calls these one of the two main attractions, along with the pump track.
- Walking loop. A 1.25-mile loop circles the tracks, part of about 1.6 total miles of asphalt and stabilized native-soil paths. The paved sections are lit.
- Places to stop. One large ramada, two small ramadas, a restroom building and a BBQ zone.
The tot track has a different look from the main pump track. East Valley Explorer describes it from aerial photos as having bright green tunnels, a row of colorful hoops, low ramps and a curved wooden wall, with white arrows marking the direction of travel. The same report suggests going by the posted route signs instead of the painted colors when you pick a line.
Mesa puts the project at $5 million and roughly 43 acres of new play space, paid for with 2018 general obligation bonds and built by Valley Rain Construction. Parks staff call it the department's biggest completed project since last year's Reed Park renovation.
A park built for after dark
The lighting is what makes this half different. The city says LED lights will keep the bike park open until 10 p.m. daily, and it says light spill outside the park boundaries is minimal. The Phase I loop across the wash has been lit since 2020. With both lit, you can walk a full loop on either side of the bridge after sunset.
The daytime pieces keep shorter hours. The facility page lists splash pad hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November through February. A family visit that includes both the tracks and the splash pad works best in the middle of the day. A ride on its own can wait until evening. The city's announcement gives a 10 p.m. closing time for the bike park but no daily opening hour, and the 10 a.m. start on Nov. 7 is only for the ceremony.
Saturday morning, step by step
The city calendar listing for the grand opening includes a warning that's easy to miss.
- Plan for a small lot. The calendar says parking is limited and asks people to carpool. The city's opening announcement says the new lot has 48 spaces, while the project page lists 45 spaces plus two accessible stalls. The two pages differ by one space, but both describe a lot in the high 40s, which a free ribbon-cutting is likely to fill quickly.
- Use the Signal Butte Road entrance. The calendar puts it just north of Fire Station 219 at 3355 S. Signal Butte Road.
- Or park on the Elliot Road side and walk over. The pedestrian bridge connects the two halves, which may help if the new lot is full. Weekend crowds on the Phase I lot are hard to predict, so this is an option to consider, not a guarantee.
- Arrive by 10 a.m. The event runs 10 a.m. to noon, with speeches, a ribbon-cutting, snacks and refreshments. Admission is free.
- Read the posted rules before your first lap. The city's opening materials don't list track-specific fees, age guidance, helmet requirements or equipment permissions. The signs at the track are what to follow.
If you ride an e-bike or electric scooter, check before you go. Mesa's citywide park rules address e-bikes and scooters in parks, but they don't mention pump tracks or flow trails. The signs at the park and the city are the places to confirm what's allowed on the new tracks. For project questions, the city lists Engineering Public Relations at 480-644-3800 or [email protected].
The park will still have some construction work around it for a few more weeks. A separate notice on the Signal Butte Park page says the east construction area next to the water treatment plant stays closed until December 2026, and that the closure doesn't affect park amenities.
Where to go after a ride
The closest new retail is EastMarket, a 6.6-acre center at the northeast corner of East Ray Road and South Ellsworth Road. InBusiness Phoenix reported that its anchor, Sprouts Farmers Market, was set to open there September 18. Mesa's October 2026 retail review later confirmed the grand opening had taken place. Sprouts' release gives the store's address as 5131 S. Ellsworth Road.
The center's announced food tenants include First Watch, Qdoba, SoFresh and Petersen's Ice Cream. The coverage doesn't give opening dates for those restaurants, so check before you plan a post-ride breakfast or ice cream stop.
Farther west, the Gallery Park area near Power Road and Loop 202 has a new hotel and a restaurant on the way. The city's October retail review says the dual-branded Tempo by Hilton Gallery Park and Homewood Suites Phoenix/Mesa Airport held its grand opening there. The hotel's restaurant, The William New American Chophouse & Bar, was scheduled to open at the end of October. If you're thinking about a sit-down dinner after an evening ride, call ahead to confirm it's open.
The same review shows the city's longer-term plans for this part of Mesa. In September, the Mesa City Council approved key items that move Legacy Park and Gateway Crossing forward as a mixed-use destination in southeast Mesa. That project is still years away. The bike park opens Saturday.
If the new park has you thinking about life around Elliot and Signal Butte, I'm always happy to talk about what's changing in southeast Mesa, whether that means a new address for you or a better way to enjoy the one you have. Reach out to Peggy Young anytime. Let's Connect.