Which Signal Butte Park are you headed to? Since January 2020 there has been just one, on Elliot Road, with the splash pad and the big climbing structure. On Saturday, Nov. 7, Mesa officially opens a second half of the park with its own driveway on Signal Butte Road, its own parking lot and its own hours of peak use. Most visitors will come for one half or the other, and they will come at different times of day.
The new section is a bike park. Mesa says it holds the largest asphalt pump track in Arizona, and LED lighting keeps it open until 10 p.m. every day. The older section is still the place for toddlers, the splash pad and picnics. A pedestrian bridge over the desert wash is the only thing joining the two.
Two addresses, one bridge
| Phase I | Phase II | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 11132 E. Elliot Road | 3355 S. Signal Butte Road, next to Fire Station 219 |
| Opened | January 2020 | Grand opening Nov. 7, 2026 |
| Size | About 30 acres | About 43 acres of new play space |
| Main draws | Custom climbing and play structure, swings, splash pad | Tot track, intermediate pump track, advanced flow trails |
| Walking | One-mile loop | 1.25-mile loop around the tracks, 1.6 miles of paths in total |
| Shade and gathering | Four ramadas, picnic tables | One large and two small ramadas, BBQ zone |
| Parking | Lots off Elliot Road | One lot, listed at 45 spaces plus two accessible stalls, or 48 spaces |
The parking number depends on which city page you read. The project page lists 45 standard spaces plus two accessible stalls. Mesa's October Rec Report calls it a 48-space lot. Either way, the lot is small. The new half has more acreage than the original park, and its one lot holds fewer than 50 cars.
With parking that tight, the bridge does real work. A family can park on one side and use the other. For example, they could eat at a Phase I ramada and then walk over so the older kids can ride. The Rec Report also points out that the bridge extends the walking trails, so anyone who walks the Phase I loop now has a longer route.
Three tracks, sorted by skill
The July 2025 final plan labels three riding areas: a Pump Track, a Tot Track and Flow Trails. Mesa's Rec Report describes them by skill level:
- Tot track. The beginner area, for riders still building confidence.
- Intermediate pump track. The asphalt loop behind the "largest in Arizona" claim, with what the city calls "multiple transfer opportunities" between lines.
- Advanced flow trails. The section built for experienced riders.
The city's announcement put it on the record this way:
"So, for the record, Signal Butte Park will be known as the largest asphalt pump track in Arizona."
That line comes from the Rec Report Mesa published Oct. 7. The same piece says word of the park spread before opening day. Construction crews reported trespassers trying to ride before it opened, and the city held off posting about it on its official social accounts until the announcement. The writer also describes a test ride in the intermediate section among a group of BMX riders. That makes BMX the one type of rider the city clearly expects.
The lights change when this park gets used
Phase II is lit. Mesa says the LED lighting lets the bike park stay open until 10 p.m. daily, and the Rec Report suggests riding at night in cooler weather. The project page says the path lighting covers the paved sections only. The stabilized native-soil paths are not lit.
Lights matter more for a pump track than for a playground. Asphalt soaks up the Arizona sun, and riders work hard on a pump track. Being able to ride after dark turns a daytime facility into one you can use after work or school for most of the year. For anyone living nearby, the city says light spill outside the park boundaries is minimal.
Phase I follows the city's standard park hours, sunrise to 10 p.m. or as posted, and the splash pad keeps its own seasonal schedule. Both halves close at the same time. Phase I is busiest at splash-pad hours, and the bike side is set up for the evening.
How it got built
The money came from Mesa's 2018 general obligation bonds, and Valley Rain Construction was the contractor. The Arizona Republic reported that construction began in early February 2026 to build out the rest of the park north of the wash. The city's project page lists a broader schedule of Winter 2025 through Fall 2026. Construction and the ribbon-cutting both fit inside that window.
Mesa puts the price at $5 million. Parks and Recreation staff call it the department's biggest project completion since last year's Reed Park renovation.
Opening morning, Saturday, Nov. 7
The grand opening runs from 10 a.m. to noon, with speeches, a ribbon-cutting, snacks and refreshments. The city's event listing warns that parking is limited and asks people to carpool.
A few practical points, in the order they'll come up:
- Use the Signal Butte Road entrance for the event. It's at 3355 S. Signal Butte Road, just north of Fire Station 219. An Elliot Road address will take you to the wrong half of the park.
- Have a backup parking plan. The new lot holds fewer than 50 cars. Phase I has its own lots off Elliot Road, and the pedestrian bridge connects the two halves.
- Bring water and shade for the kids. The new side has ramadas and a restroom. The event runs late morning, so the sun will be up.
- Come back after dark. The ribbon-cutting is a morning event, but the lights are what make this park different. A weeknight visit later in November will show you how the park runs day to day.
Rules to check before your first ride
Mesa's announcement doesn't spell out which riding devices are allowed on the tracks or whether helmets are required. It mentions BMX riders, but it says nothing about scooters, skateboards or balance bikes. The city's general park rules apply throughout the park, but track-specific signs at the entrance are the place to confirm. If your family rides scooters, check the posted rules before you load them in the car.
Signal Butte is not Mesa's only place to ride. Desert Trails Park, at 2955 N. Recker Road, already has a pump track and a kids' skills track. To the southeast, Queen Creek's Mansel Carter Oasis Park, at 19535 E. Appleby Road, has a pump track too. The Chandler Bike Park at Espee Park, 450 E. Knox Road, is a different kind of facility. The City of Chandler describes it as for BMX riders only.
What sets Signal Butte apart from those options is having three skill levels in one place, the lights, and the playground half across the bridge. A beginner on the tot track and a teenager on the flow trails can ride at the same park at 7 p.m. on a school night.
Live near Signal Butte and Elliot roads, or thinking about southeast Mesa because of places like this? Eddie Villalobos and his team know this part of the East Valley, from Fire Station 219 out to the Queen Creek line, and can answer your questions in English or Spanish. Start Your Property Search, and we'll help you find a home within easy reach of the parks you'll actually use.
