As the weather started to calm down (well, just a little bit), everyone including me couldn't resist the outdoors any longer. It's been on pause for a few months already and we're really itching by now. Running was there for me, but I couldn't count it as outdoors per se. So, to kick off the season, I tried something different this time which is biking in Mushrif Park!
Mushrif Park in Dubai, UAE
A so-called adventure park, Mushrif Park is not your typical park in Dubai. While it certainly has picnic spots, there are also sports facilities and it continues to improve year by year. The most famous among its facilities are its biking trails, hiking trails (not sure I agree with this though), swimming pools (I heard), and its obstacle course managed by Aventura Parks.
How to get there and how to get out?
Nestled between the quiet neighborhoods of Mirdif, Al Warqaa, and Al Khawaneej, Mushrif Park is luckily far away from the chaos and traffic of downtown.
Fortunately, the park is easily reachable by your private car and even by public transportation.
Public Transportation:
If you're taking the public transportation, you have the following options:
- Dubai Metro (nearest stops are Centrepoint in Red Line & Etisalat by e& in Green Line)
- RTA Bus (nearest stop is MUPK1 and you can take Bus 11 & 16 from Rashidiya Bus Stations to reach the stop mentioned)
- Hala Taxi
Do take note though that taking the Dubai Metro will not take you all the way to the park so you have to take a taxi afterwards. Also, Dubai Metro is not open 24/7 and on Sundays, the Dubai Metro starts operating at 8 AM. If you want to start early, I suggest taking the bus or a Hala taxi for convenience.
Biking Trails:
Since my visit to the park was because of biking, let me focus on that in this post. In case I have additional information in the future, I will gladly update this or write a separate post.
Divided by three major trails, the biking trails available in Mushrif Park are Green, Blue, and Red. They are rated as easy (Green), moderate (Blue), and difficult (Red) for so many reasons.
A trail map is available at the start of the trail where you can find guidelines to follow as well as the information about distances of each trail. For beginners, the Green Trail is the perfect choice with options for a short ride (5 KM) and a longer ride (13.8 km).
The Blue Trail is between the easy and the difficult but it has varying lengths. The short ones can be easily done but a good fitness level will help during the few uphill. The Red Trail has so many technical parts which should be done with caution or with enough practice.
Bike Rental Options:
Luckily, there are bike rental options around the park too for those who don't own a bike (like me). They are located in different parts/sides of the park so make sure you park close to them. As of October 2024, these are the bike rental providers in the park:
- Edge Cycling
- Be Cyclist
- Al Motamaiez Bicycles
I haven't tried renting from the other two but have tried renting from Edge Cycling and an hour's rental cost is AED 60. Not only do they have bikes for rent, but they are also a bicycle store with servicing.
While they have enough bikes even on a weekend, I've seen a lot of comments around the Internet to call ahead and book your bike in advance. I would also suggest you do the same, especially during the peak of the winter season.
Biking Experience:
As a total beginner, I tried the Green Trail (5 km) and the shortest of the Blue Trail (2.4 km) which nearly overlaps with the Green Trail. It was my first time biking outdoors and I was a little nervous about how different it was from biking on a paved road (during childhood and Bike Ride 2021).
Some shallow downhill and slight curves made my heart skip a beat already. Some parts along the Blue Trail made me scream and nervous to the point that I had to get off my bike. My friend was kind enough to guide me on how to navigate those sections but you can definitely tell I'm a beginner.
Too fast to be captured by our cameras, we even saw lots of squirrels and an Arabian Gazelle. And it made our experience more fun and memorable. I mean, how lucky could we be? Manifesting an Arabian Oryx in Qudra soon, please!
All in all (well math ain't adding up though), the bike ride for today was 8.8 km and it was more than enough for me for the first time. With the right amount of challenge, thrill, and shade (that's quite important in Dubai lol), biking in Mushrif Park was definitely the way to start the weekend!
Personal Thoughts:
Although not as lush as a forest, Mushrif Park's biking trails were such a treat for outdoor enthusiasts like me. The park itself is accessible compared to Hatta and having multiple options for different fitness levels made it quite motivating.
While I'm no biker in nature, I'm happy to be able to experience a short ride outdoors without needing to buy my own bike. It was also a nice form of cross-training (as if I'm serious about that) to improve my current fitness level.
Until the first hike this season, I think I'll see myself in the park in the next few weekends to come. So, shall we meet there? ๐
