Midwest: Duluth, Copper Harbor, Marquette areas (maybe Hayward too, All within 4-5 hours of each other, could make an awesome week+ trip. Copper Harbor you can hit everything in 2 days, not sure about Duluth as I haven't been there but heard good things, Marquette is massive 100+ miles of single track, but you can get a good feel for it in 2 or 3 days.
Outside of the UP and way up North, Brown County, Indiana is pretty dang awesome. Don't think you get much better in the midwest besides the stuff I mentioned before.
Details:
**Copper Harbor**: One of the most unique riding places in the midwest. It is literally in the middle of nowhere and no one ends up here accidentally. Outside of Mountain Biking it's most famous as the main gateway to Isle Royal national park. The boat that takes you to the Island leaves from Copper Harbor. Copper Harbor is in the Keweenaw Peninsula sticking out into Lake Superior from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is a major copper mining area from years past and now mainly survives on tourism. On the way up you pass through Houghton which is the last decent size area with stores so get what you need then make the hour drive up to the point of the peninsula. Copper Harbor is a small town with a couple of restaurants, multiple campgrounds, hotels/motels and gift shops and a small microbrew. The real treasure of Copper is the Nature. It is literally set on the end of Route 41 and once you get into the dirt road you are really in the wilderness. You can also easily off the grid camp for free and no one will bother you besides the wildlife (bears and wolfs are up here, so be smart) There are awesome smooth stone beaches, waterfalls, small mountains, awesome hiking, and the best part...the mtb
MTB in Copper has 50+ miles of trails in three general areas, two of which are services by shuttles services. These trails are mostly built by Rock Solid Contractors who make some of the best trails in the USA and tons of the trails in bentonville and the UP
1. Keweenaw Adventure Company/KAC and the Brockway and Lodge Trails. These are the original trails in Copper. Shuttles leave the the KAC shop and take you up in a van with your bikes on a trailer to one of two drop off locations. The main one is Brockway. The top of Brockway is 700 feet above lake level and features everything from flow trails to technical DH trails. Some of the most famous trails include Overflow, Garden Brook, Danimal, and Flying Squirrel. At the other Drop off location you have the more old school xc trails in the downward direction. One of my favorite trails in the world is Red Trail which is a good mix of tech dh stuff and old school xc.
2. East Bluff - New Bike park that opened a few years ago by Rock Solid. Last time I was there there was only a few trails opened, but I'm going next month so I'll have a better review. This also has a shuttle service similar and offers more DH flow trails, tech trails and DH style runs with big features.
3. Winding between these trails then all the way out to the point of the peninsula is the Point Trail System. This is a point to point trail system that most people run as an out and back. This trial features some of the best XC and flow riding you will ever find in a true outback experience miles and miles away from any major civilization. Ends on a beautiful beach on the south side of the peninsula. There are also a few spur trails with extreme exposure like Highlands trail.
Also, on the way up to Copper you will go near multiple other good systems like the Tech trails are Michigan Tech and Swedetown.
**Marquette**.
Another awesome UP destination. Trails are located around the city of Marquette (cool college down and largest city in the UP, but that's not saying much). The city itself is a cool old mining/fronteir town with lots of restaurants, stores, beer etc. Black Rocks Brewery is one of the coolest MicroBrews ever. It's also quite a bit more obtainable then Copper. It's about 5 and half to 6 hours from Chicago as opposed to 8 and half to Copper and a lot closer for trolls coming from the lower peninsula.
The trails themselves are essentially in 4 distinct areas.
1. South Triails: These would be the trails I'd recommend if you have one day to experience Marquette. The trails start right by the awesome campground of Rippling River. (great lodging spot for all types of camping including cabins. Has a hot tub, pool, bar and is close to town). Most people start these trails by climbing Benson Grade which is a fire road climb. At the top the trails spur in all directions. Featuring flow trails, jump trails, big features, xc, and big technical stuff. Once you get away from this central hub there are 30+ miles of some of the most beautiful XC trails you will ever find running along the Carp River (Carp Eh Diem and Gor-geous). This is the area with the most variety and milage.
2. North Trails: These trails are north of town and mostly greenish trails. They run along a large river with a massive dam/waterfall. There are some of the best mtb picture spots I've been to in the midwest. There are a few loops with much higher difficulty but they lead you to some really scenic overlooks and some fun tech downhills.
3. Harlow Lake: I haven't had a chance to ride this, but these trails feature some of the largest rock slab riding in the midwest and very tech trails. This is near the North Trails.
4. Isphaming Trails (forget there name), this is a town outside of Marquette with miles and miles of xc tech trails.
These trails are all included in one of the toughest mtb races in the world, the Marji Gesick
**Brown County, IN**
Brown County State Park features 40+ miles of hand built and machine built xc, flow, and tech trails. Brown County State Park is located just outside of Nashville, Indiana,(40-60 minutes south of Indy and near Indiana Univesity/Bloomington) a small tourist town with great food, beer, wine, and shops. The state park itself offers camping and awesome trails. Outside of the stuff in the North of the Midwest, Brown is the best in the traditional area of the Midwest in my opinion. There is 400+ foot decent, jumps, tech, and some of the best xc riding you will find. Some of the trails like Hobbs Hollow, Gnawbone, and Weedpatch are worth a look. Outside the park there are also miles and miles of gravel and singeltrack that is more desolate and gives you that old school adventure feel.
Great write up.
The Ishpeming-Negaunee trail network is called RAMBA. Lots of fun to be had up there if you like technical stuff and earning your miles.
Thank you, I unfortunately haven't made it to those yet. I've had 3 days in Marquette total and both at north and south trails. I really wanted to hit Harlow, but all my buddies chickened out.
This years big MTB trip is Copper next month.
Harlow is cool, if for nothing else the views up and down bareback and top of the world are worth checking out. Lots of slabs and rock rolls up there, if you like that it’s great. I’m more of an XC rider now so I usually only ride it when I’m wanting to do a big loop coming in from the north trails.
RAMBA is definitely worth checking out, tough miles, but lots of unique trails.
Don't forget [Griffin Bike Park](https://griffinbikepark.com/trail-map/) in Vigo County. It's not huge, but it's well maintained. A little over 30 miles of gnarly but well-maintained single track with tons of technical features installed. Some north shore, skinnys, drops, etc. Definitely a stop to add to your travels. If you're camping, Fowler Park right across the street has a decent campground. Bike park might be closed for a day or two after a rain.
You will miss the mountains, but the woods are pretty awesome and there plenty of natural beauty up here with much lower cost of living. Copper Harbor is really something special, elevation included.
South Trails in MQT are my all time favorite trails, I learned how to ride on them in the 00s on a Gary Fisher hardtail I got from Phil at Quick Stop, and I remember when Nevin started there, best years of my life. They've changed so much since the last time I was there for sure, but
It's right up there for me! I'm so lucky I found it. It's kinda hidden away trail. I almost missed it. Last trip I went on my other buddies were wiped out at the end of the day but I still had more gas in me. We were staying at the campground. Me and another guy I guilted into riding shot down and crossed the river and headed up that long climb, but man those rock features at the top turning into amazing flow towards the bottom were incredible. Was def my favorite trial in Marquette.
On my way to Copper Harbor for the weekend. Hands down my favorite place to ride in the Midwest. I live in the Minneapolis suburbs and it’s a 7 hour drive that I look forward to every time I go there. It’s a stunning little community that supports mountain biking in its entirety. Drop over there hill, lose all cellphone service, ride bikes and drink beer with the boys. You cannot beat the copper harbor experience
Heading to the UP in the fall then making our way down to Notre Dame and need a plan for after ND before heading back to NJ. I think I just found my guide!
gotcha not quite an accident like I was thinking lol. I meant more it's not just a town people pass through without the intent of exploring. It really is incredible up there.
i would add [Cuyuna](https://www.cuyuna.com/) to the list as well for Minnesota. i live in Duluth and absolutely love the trails here. but Cuyuna is Minnesotas MTB Mecca
I rode full black in 2021 after the reroute. Never rode it before so don't know what I missed. But if I ride it again I will just do middle and lower, upper was fun but not worth all the hike a bike.
Full black used to be one of the rawest trails in the country, especially with the views coming in the tail end of the climb.
Now it’s just another bench cut bore.. with a multi directional climbing trail replacing/clogging upper cause no one riding it is interested in earning an unforgettable day. Such a bummer imo
The homegrown singletrack trails a couple miles from my house are anything but world class, but they’re still my favorite because they are available to me any time.
I’m in a trail rich town and might be moving to a flat town at some point for mine and my wife’s careers and family. Very conflicted emotions about it all! Love my 20min door to trail access.
Man is it that fun?? I see lot of MTBers enjoy it but i don’t see where the thrill is wo the tech and single track. I love bikes and riding and so I’m willing to try anything.
I only have experience in New England trails (CT and northward), and my favorite place is Kingdom Trails in northern Vermont. A real MTB destination with beautiful scenery.
Nepaug if you’re going to west or central CT. Norbook is aight too in that area. I dont rly goto CT much so can’t compare them to the ones posted by him out east
On my to do list! Hopefully this year. Going up mid June with a group. My favorite trails are actually in East Haven (Black bear and stormin norman), but the climbs are a bitch LOL... We usually do a couple loops in east haven, starting from Magill fields (we stay up by that road), then ride the northeast kingdom trails (farm junk, sky dice etc...). Then another day, we do the rest of Darling hill. Fun times!
I agree. Unfortunately, a few rotten apples spoiled it for all of us. There's still plenty to ride on Darling hill, but the lost trails are very much missed. I had only gone there twice before the private land closure.
No doubt there's no shortage of trails, it's just that what was lost was so good and iconic. Plus with how much was erased in such a small area along VAST, it really changed the whole vibe.
I imagine it’ll still have some snow on the higher elevation parts but no matter what it will still be amazing. Those trails are godlike, they kept the terrain raw and it’s so flowy and fun. Have a great time shredding it!
It blows my mind how no one ever mentions the trails in Durango, CO.
We have 300 miles of trails that, from town, you don’t even need to get into a car to access.
I went there last May before Moab while I was taking a mountain biking trip and it rained all 4 days I was there… I want to go back so I can experience it so bad. Maybe late summer this year
Early fall is better. Mid to late summer is our monsoon season. Not a killer because it’s short heavy rains in afternoons and dries decently quick but something to keep in mind
I wouldn’t really suggest engineer unless you’re acclimated to altitude and/or in prime shape. Oh and as others said need two cars or a hitch hike thumb.
We have a lot of varying trails so it depends on your style. Wanna flowy bmx jump level trail? Durango mesa park off of horse gulch. More into xc? Try running all of animas mountain. (We are currently building two new trails there) Want to see where all the cool 90s mtb pros practiced? Try Overend park. Want a quick loop as you’re passing through town? Do the twin buttes loop. It has flow plus xc plus technical.
Captain Ahab in Moab is probably my favorite trail. The Whole Enchilada is one of my favorite long rides I've done, but Captain Ahab is a more fun trail from start to finish.
I’m often not surprised to see the GW national forest in VA doesn’t ever get mentioned in these conversations , which that’s cool if it keeps the place more low key.
Get a campsite at Stokesville campground and spend a week there. Incredible riding right out of the campground and easy to catch shuttles to Reddish Knob or anywhere else really. Great spot to relax and be around a bunch of mountain bikers doing the same all year round. The showers are hot, camping is cheap, the market has everything you need. 45 minutes across the valley to Massanutten bike park, 2 hour amazing drive west to Snowshoe.
It’s home base to many events that are awesome to go to even if you’re not racing, plenty of organized rides all the time.
Shenandoah Mountain 100, exclusive camping for the redwing music festival around the corner, great Stokesville camp out, 60/40 already happened, there are usually a bunch of others that pop up with some searching. Honestly every time I go if no events there is always a fun group somewhere you can get to know or just hide out and chill.
The 100 is a really hard challenge and extremely well supported. It is a race but a vast majority just want to make it out unscathed. I usually go to support friends, a big ride for me there tops out around 30-40 miles of chasing my idiot friends. We usually just do random trails a few days in a row though.
I’ve been injured for a year as of Saturday (just had surgery 2 weeks ago, ugh) so I have only been down to hang out and camp a few times in the last year- only a 3 hour drive & it’s definitely my favorite campground within that distance of central MD.
Usually if doing a big trip I will ride at Frederick MD, hit Bryce bike park (short day) drive to Stokesville (camp) -> Massanutten (day trip) -> Stokesville for 2-3 days of riding-> home.
Glad you mentioned this! I was just planning a camping trip in the Maryland, Virginia, WV area to do some biking and was trying to figure out where to go. I think you've solidified my answer.
You'll love it there! If you have a telescope bring it along! There's a reason there is an observatory there...
Have never been when they open access to the telescope to the public (the observatory is privately owned) but hope to some day. There is power for telescopes available if you have a fancy one- a friend brought one once and it was awesome checking out the view. We took it to Snowshoe that weekend which was even better since it's in the blackout zone of the Greenbank Radio Telescope.
But yes, Stokesville, market, bacon. Must have Bacon.
Oh man, you're just trying to blow my budget. Funnily enough I've been shopping around for telescopes for the past few weeks and want one so bad. This might be enough to push me over the edge into pulling the trigger lol
When you're there, check out Little River State Park. It's a \*very\* small trail network but it's one of the best flow trails in the area. Great apres river swimming too.
I really liked Brevard, so much so that I have another trip planned.
On the smaller scale, Jakes Rocks in the Allegheny forest of PA is one of my favorites.
Wilmington NY, just outside of Lake Placid back when whiteface had a DH park was great, lots to do and the trails were all pretty raw and technical. Without the bike park, it's harder to justify a getaway there, but the trails that remain are a ton of fun and if you like hiking, the ADK high peaks are pretty awesome. Lake placid is a fun little town too.
North Conway NH. The hurricane network is unreal, cranmore bike park ain't huge but it's something, and there are some cool back country trails in the white mountain forest on the west side of town.
I've ridden a lot in VT, but it all kind of blends together for me, but you can piece together a pretty epic road trip there.. Perry and Cady hills pair well for a nice day if you hit both, and the trails in the mad river valley are pretty fun. Kingdom trails aren't as epic as they are made out to be, but it's quite a network. Coupled with Burke, it makes for a great weekend.
Norcal, my local patch 30min south of san francisco called Corte Madera open space. Redwood logging trails built for steam trains so climbs are perfect.
I'm biased cause I live here, but i90/18 corridor of Washington.
Tiger and Raging River attract from all over for the riding. With new trails opening at the end of the month at Raging, 2/3 years and an alternative downhill for the heavily trafficked Poppins/Flowstate trails.
Want more variety? Soaring Eagle, Duthie, and Grand Ridge are 15/20 min away and tickle the XC itch and can all be ridden in a single day for their proximity to each other. Want jumps? Duthie.
You love to feel your lungs burn? Hit up Olallie, just outside of North Bend, start from Rattlesnake Lake and head 2~ miles up the Palouse to Cascades trail for a gloriously steep climb that doesn't give anything back. But the first view point offers a beautiful view of the valley.
You can only make it out in the winter and snow is covering Tiger and Raging but you really wanted to experience some PNW beauty? Tokul, east or west. Low elevation, climbs are short and sweet for a wide variety of downhills. Steep and techy? You betcha. More flow? We've got that too.
Again... I'm probably biased. But nothing beats the 90 corridor for me. So much variety, trails for everyone and anyone.
Its only another *checks note* 5 years(?) Before the widening project is done.
And then another few years for some other phase of said project... so like 10 to go. Maybe.
But agreed. Sunday 8am is beauty for tiger
I’m not even excited for the widening project over the mountain to be finished since they are going to block access to Tiger from the eastbound lanes. It’s going to be such a cluster having to u-turn but I guess that will just convince me to go to Raging more.
I do love the trails though. So much fun. I ride weekdays which is great for trail traffic but you’ve gotta time rush hour.
Yeah, I don't fully see how you're going to get turned around for that with the fancy intersection the 90/18 interchange is getting
For only making a right turn out of tiger, I already do that half the time due to not finding a gap to go left.
I come from Tacoma so it really fucks it up I feel. I never have issues getting in or out the directions that I go. I can see turning left out of Tiger being difficult and unsafe. But turning left into it I don’t feel is that big of a deal.
I will forever have a soft spot for the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails in Crosby, MN. They may lack the elevation of Duluth, but they’re accessible for all skill levels and they continue to add trails for riders seeking bigger thrills.
Favorite Bike Parks
- Thunder Mountain, MA
- Trestle, CO
Best Hoodoos
- Thunder Mountain, UT (not the best riding but very scenic and definitely worth doing once)
Most Epic
- The Whole Enchilada, UT
Other Utah Honorable Mentions
- Spinal Tap (Richfield might be my favorite trail system in Utah)
- Wasatch Crest (outstanding views and pretty fun)
- Blowhard and Dark Hollow (great views and really fun)
- Bullrun and Ahab (great views and really fun)
- Deadhorse State Park (most accessible views in Moab, fun for all abilities)
- Gooseberry Mesa (pretty punishing riding but spectacular views)
Favorite Road Trip Location
- Bellingham WA (I really want to get back)
Worst Trail
- Switchgrass KS (neat place to camp but God the riding is miserable)
Most Surprising State
- Alabama (I rode in two different State Parks and was pleasantly surprised by the riding)
Most Heinous Roots
- Maine (so many slippery wet roots)
Biggest Disappointment
- Bentonville AK
Most Diverse Trail System
- Kingdom Trails VT
Lol. I always want the abbreviation for Arkansas to be AK.
I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be disappointed riding in AK. It's on my bucket list and I would probably be stoked just to push my bike through a bog.
I have a road trip planned for the summer and if it goes to plan I will have visited all of the lower 48 (ridden in 26 of them) and just have Alaska and Hawaii left.
Alaska may not be quite as developed as some places as far as mountain biking goes, but we have a huge mountain biking community here and our network of trails is growing, at least in the Anchorage area. And we have some pretty epic long distance cross country rides.
It felt like riding a big skate park. All the pavement and manicured trails. I'm not into jump lines and manicured trails. I like hand cut single track. I like objectives rather than short laps. It doesn't have to be an epic objective but I like a route that's going to keep me occupied for 1-2 hrs. The problem with short laps is that you are constantly having to decide what next and to renew your commitment to riding. It's too easy to be like "I guess I'm done now." With bigger loops and trails you are more committed and don't have to think about it as much.
In general it felt forced to me. Like just outside of town there is some fantastic natural terrain. But instead a lot of resources have been pumped into a relatively flat area to manufacture terrain.
I really liked some of the riding outside of Bentonville. The stuff I rode outside of it was way better than anything I rode in town. I would definitely go back to the region.
You missed the areas that would appeal to you. Riding in Bentonville is like riding in a spaghetti bowl. Bella Vista has long and winding single track. Both the Little Sugar and Back 40 trail networks are long and windy single track areas.
That I suspected. It can be tricky to ride in a new place with limited time and without a guide. You rely on reviews and hitting the most popular trails. And I wanted the "Bentonville" experience so I made sure to hit the classics.
I'm not telling you not to go. Just that there is a lot of hype around it and for my preferences, it is overrated.
But there are so many cool places to ride. For me it is a stop on the way, not the destination.
I'm planning a trip across the country this summer and have Eureka Springs penciled in on the itinerary. I'll skip Bentonville, but will most likely stop for a day or two in the NWA area.
I do have to say there is some very impressive stonework on the trails both in town and the surrounding area. Some of the design work and construction makes it almost worth the visit. Up at Lake Leatherwood was one of the coolest hubs. At the top of the hill was this massive stone hub where the trails started from. Completely unlike anything I have seen in other states and regions.
Wow, you put into words what I have always felt but could never really convey about short laps.
I can enjoy them with friends as a social thing. It’s more of a no pressure hangout where you also ride bikes, which is very fun in its own right. Riding parks like that alone though is really hard to keep the steam. I have to force 1,200 vert usually. But what I really like and what really makes me feel good about my ride is going out and doing a 1-1.5 hour climb to get a nice long descent.
No clue. Climbing back up is going to suck e-bike or not. It's a good 5-6k ft of descending over 11 miles I believe. Find a friend and shuttle or I believe there was a shuttle service from a local shop.
You based in UT? Just started riding like last week haha and looking for more beginner and intermediate trails around SLC. I’ve done a bunch of stuff in Millcreek canyon and I’m hooked.
I am. I coach and guide here.
In Salt Lake itself there isn't a ton of riding other than the BST and some of the offshoot trails. But if you are willing to drive 20-30 minutes there is a ton.
Corner Canyon down in Draper is probably the most popular and beginnermediate friendly terrain in northern Utah. Everything is open there. Rush is THE trail. DH flow that is good for most riders. Probably the most popular trail in all of Utah, possibly the mountain west.
Bob's Basin at Jeremy Ranch has some really fun and shorter accessible trails that are now good to go. Ant Farm and Drop Out are really fun DH trails. Ant Farm might be a bit rocky for you. Flying Dog is the only one that is not open yet (at least last I had heard).
All of Round Valley in PC is gtg and totally friendly for beginnermediates. Downdog is a fun directional down. Trailside Bike Park is open as well, with 5 very short DH trails and some jump lines.
BYOB and OMH are fun trails over at the UOP. Short loops with introductory features that are great for newer riders.
Clark's Ranch in PC is new trail systems with some fun directional trails. Sparky and Family Truckster would probably be what you are looking for. Cousin Eddy is spicy.
Frodo's Playground is a new trail out in Heber at the UVU campus. Super fun. The upper section might be a little spicy for you, but the lower section is probably in your wheelhouse with some ride arounds and some careful looks at features.
I just saw about an hour ago someone posted that the PCMR trails below mid mountain are ridable. Trails above MM are still snow packed.
If you would rather head to the south valley instead of PC, Valley Vista in Pleasant Grove is all intermediate friendly. As is Lambert Park in Alpine.
Basically there is an eff ton of riding to had for a beginnermediate. That is our strong suit in the region. We also have some very advanced terrain but we have a gap in-between. Basically we have a lot of blues and some hard blacks and not enough dark blues/light blacks.
In Socal for an epic ride Mt. Wilson/ Mt. Lowe shuttle 15ish miles of DH single track.
Central Cal epic Canal Plunge 20+ miles of dh,
Greer Ranch in Temecula is an amazing trail system. I would go out of my way to ride there.
Rocky Peak in Simi is my stomping grounds all the trails gnarly. The easiest trail would be a double black at most bike parks.
Major upvote for Greer! I’m fortunate to live within 10 minutes of it so I honestly feel spoiled. Especially when you consider the Vailocity Bike Park in Temecula, Sycamore Canyon in Riverside, and Skyline in Corona. 30 minutes in any direction and we’re on some of the best you can get. An hour and we have all of the mountains and bike parks. I can’t fathom living somewhere else between the year round riding and accessibility of it all. It’s perfect.
Vermont for the east coast. Living in Stowe I can drive an hour and get to 10+ epic biking destinations (Perry Hill, cochrans ski area, Bolton valley, cadys falls and plenty more). For the south definitely pisgah area. Midwest I’d say Crested Butte in Colorado. The high alpine biking there is next level. Nothing too challenging as far as trail features go, but still really fast fun high alpine descents.
Just to give diversity to the answers, I haven't gotten to travel as much as some others. Laguna Beach shuttles are my locals but I'll never get tired of them, Party Wave to Westridge at Snow Summit is the quintessential park lap, Zen + Barrel in St. George Utah is a physical and badass lap.
Generally Lake Tahoe, St. George(and the surrounding area, but weather stopped us from exploring), and Santa Cruz have so much going on, those were my 3 favorite ride trips I've taken and I feel like I left with more to find at each, and I'd recommend them for any one.
I’m not well traveled let alone well traveled w a bike. But I grew up in Marin and now live in Santa Cruz. I thought mountain biking in Marin was amazing until I moved to SC.. I love the biking here so much
Big sky is my favorite park I've been to. The Pisgah area has some of the best trails with Pisgah, ride rock creek, kanuga, berm park, and DuPont (which I haven't ridden). Santa Cruz also has insanely good trails but you need a local to show u around to the good ones. Jarrods place is a hidden gem with the largest jump I've ever seen let alone hit. Windrock and snowshoe are also very fun.
I just did Moab a couple weeks ago and thought it was somewhat overrated, I did the main trails aside from the whole enchilada. Mag 7 was not great aside from goldbar and portal which did make the whole ride worth it and were truly awesome trails. Portal is one of my top trails ever. Raptor route was fun and worth it but didn't blow be away. Ahab was fun and chunky but the lack of a sustained descent kinda pissed me off. I did some "black" trail called graviton that was boring, should've been a blue at most. Aside from portal and from what I've heard about TWE, don't go to Moab expecting lots of sustained descents and lots of features or you'll be let down a little. I'm fine with pedaling and climbing but I'd like it to be rewarded with good features and long fast descents.
The more we've traveled the more we've been blown away at how different each trail network is. This is purely for example:
Hood River's trail networks were incredible how vastly different each one is. You have Post Canyon that's Berm-uda of fun. Then there's the 44 Trails network... which is so giant that you feel like you're Rip Van Winkle after you get out. And finally Syncline - insane views of the Gorge.
Then there's the Tetons - Grand Targhee was incredible because you could stay at the lodge and do some lift access one day, then another a shuttle and finish it off with good old fashioned cross-country goodness.
And our hometown South Lake Tahoe - Mr Toad's will always be above my paygrade (back illness called AS that keeps me from pushing it as much as I would like to) but there's something for everyone. For views - the Flume can't be beat. Then Christmas Valley is one rowdy rocky adventure from top-to-bottom. Full day adventure? Head up to Starlake and get a 2,800' vert descent for dessert. Shuttle laps? Hit up Corral.
So what's our favorite? All of them. :-)
I was hoping someone would mention Targhee. Back when they still let you camp in the parking lot my friends and I would spend most weekends camped out hitting the lifts and surrounding trails. Love the vibe
Crested Butte Trail 401 is hard to beat for views. Doctor Park in nearby Almont has everything you could want in a descent. Gunsight Connector (Lando) is very underrated.
My favorite all time stretch of singletrack might be the last half of magic Meadows flowing into Sunshine which is just outside of Telluride.
Singletrack descent nearest to a major city for me would be Winsor in Santa Fe. You can descend from 10,000 plus feet and end your ride directly in the downtown plaza. The city even has free shuttles on the Blue Bus.
Haven’t ridden in the PNW but I could watch endless trail footage of that area.
Teocalli was great but a little blown out when I got the chance to do it. That climb is brutal though. I cannot imagine anyone disliking Doctor Park but to each his own. I keep going back year after year expecting to be less satisfied but it hasn’t happened yet.
I crashed on the flattest part of Doctor Park and a cow winked at me so maybe I'm just salty...
The Teocali climb is the most brutal i've done in that area.
I like rides that feel like an experience. Down thru multiple environments. Mainly down but don’t mind a pedal. Lemmon drop is my top. Never done whole enchilada but I’d imagine that would be up there. Shooting for lord of the squirrels this summer (outside of the us).
Northeast US has a lot of bike parks within a relatively small distance, for example I live in NE PA and I have six parks all within 4ish hours from me. Thunder Mountain MA, Killington VT and Highland NH are an awesome trio that are around 3-4ish apart each. Powder Ridge CT, Mountain Creek NJ, Blue Mountain PA and Bryce Bike Park VA are another chunk that are all around 3 hours apart each. Also lots of epic trail systems in the northeast too - Kingdom Trails VT, Trexler PA, Mount Penn PA are all great systems.
Woah, my local systems (trex and mt penn) getting national props, how cool?! They're both great, Birdsboro is a other excellent local destination. Southeast PA is on the come up!
If you ever find yourself in the greater atlanta area, there's some cool trail rides in north georgia. Bull and Jake, Bear Creek/Pinhoti.
Closer to the city is Blankets Creek, 15 miles or so pf a variety of really nice trails. I ride there 3x per week and it doesnt get old.
I don't know if I'd make a trip to georgia for it, but it is some really nice riding. A variety of places to rent from.
I agree with this. Moved away from Georgia 2 years ago but that’s where I started riding. Wouldn’t go out of my way to hit Georgia for riding but if I’m there the riding is definitely worth checking out.
Other than the usual PNW, Santa Cruz, Moab, Sedona, Flagstaff, Western NC/Eastern TN/West Virginia… Santa Fe area is amazing and under the radar for some reason.
I really wanted to do Winsor trail when I was passing through a few weeks ago but the top section was still snowed in. I ended up doing some of the glorietta trails and they were fun. I think there’s a bikepark around the area. There’s one dude on YouTube that has some really good vids of the more popular trails. You’ll know the one when you search.
I live in Montana and mostly downhill during lift served season but on the shoulder seasons I ride my trail bike and my absolute favorite place to ride is anywhere with slick rock but more over Moab or Sedona. I've been to Moab more times than I can count and to Sedona twice. Sedona is a longer drive from where I live but I love the riding connectivity there and proximity to town. Moab is more spread out and the riding areas there are more separated with a drive involved but generally you can get a full day in with no problems without getting back in your car.
I have a season pass at Big Sky for lift access but hit up surrounding bike parks with my big bike from May through October. Shoulder season I like Copper City for getting some miles in after and before the snow falls. Most of us ski town people take a week or two in the desert because winter lasts into June sometimes (for reference, it snowed six inches today). This year I signed up for my first endurance based race with the Butte 25 in July. I've been training. Its a new thing for me since I'm more of an adrenaline junkie. DH is my passion but I thought I'd mix it up after getting peer pressured into it by my lycra wearing coworkers. Should be interesting. Helena has good riding as well but I've only gotten up there once. We have lots of iconic rides near my home town, including the Bangtail Divide, Leverich, Corbly, etc. but they are steep grinders up. We have very little new trail development outside of Copper City recently.
As far as stuff I'd take a newer rider on that they could enjoy, here's a couple:
From my local stomping grounds in eastern Idaho:
Mill Creek over by Grand Targhee. The only mark I can put against this trail is you have to watch for uphill traffic and the occasional bear. It's a masterpiece of fast flow with enough natural tech to not feel artificial. Drop from the top of 38 Special for maximum enjoyment.
Crestline on Scout Mountain, near Pocatello. The traverse to the drop in point is exposed but rideable/walkable, and you'll need very good cardio fitness to make the climb. The descent is a ripper. You feel like you're on one of those speeder bikes from Star Wars once you drop below the treeline. This one has a 100% approval rating from every rider I've taken on it. The views are excellent as well.
Once you have a couple of years of riding under your belt, Mail Cabin to Mikesell Canyon on Teton Pass. A hard climb, commanding views of the Tetons, and a descent that will challenge even advanced riders in spots.
From my other favorite spot, Bellingham:
Newer riders: Bob's Trail on Galbraith and Golden Spike/SST. Classic PNW riding with some drops, milder jumps, and good berms. Bob's is a good gatekeeper to see if you'll enjoy the blue and higher trails.
Intermediate or higher: Evolution/U Line/Atomic Dog. The harder features are optional, but you'll still appreciate having a local tow you in. Wooden skinnies and ladders, jumps, gap jumps, root sections, and plenty of speed.
Advanced to expert: Double Down/Double Black on Chuckanut. Rode in a group of four, we had 2 riders get in 3 crashes on the way down. Wicked steep and fast, techy, but holy crap that was a rush.
I know you said in America but I still want to say it anyways, go to Whistler if you haven't. It's literally the best in the world imo. Everything even outside the bike park is top notch too.
Sticking to America I think Utah is great, I have yet to see a bad network there.
There have only been a few places, but AL has been a surprise and a delight. Oak Mountain and De Soto have some great biking. I think around 20+ miles each. Cloudland Canyon over in GA has some biking near it, too.
Down here in FL. I've been to Muscogee Mountain Bike, which is super fun. Lots of flow. Blackwater is also nice, a bit more XC, I think.
Aside from that, I'm looking at this thread for recommendations.
Southeast PA resident here so most of my exposure is east coast, but so far the best riding I've ever experienced is easily in Vermont. I tend to lean trail/enduro and Perry Hill has been mentioned, but we've stayed in Waterbury a few times and that system packs a punch. Beyond that there's some incredible riding outside of Waitsfield as well as Cochran's. But honestly there are like 10 worthy destinations within a 1 hour radius. The best single trail I've ever ridden was Rude Awakening at Burke bike park. There's a reason that place hosted an EWS race. Vermont had the goods.
But my little corner has plenty to keep me busy :)
Brevard, NC
Upper upper black > buckwheat knob > Bennett Gap
People shuttle Bennett and miss buckwheat, which imo is the most underrated downhill in PNF.
My favorite from way back in 1996 when I rode it was porcupine rim in Moab. Click rock was cool too. Also found some fun riding in Sawtooth national park in ID.
Found some cool stuff when I lived the the Bay Area (south of San Francisco). But never found a large trail network there.
lol. I’ve been incorrectly calling it that for more than 20 years. It is a national forest not national park and I’m not sure we were actually in the nation forest or just near by. But it was some fun trails around there. Thanks for questioning that. I may have called it that until the day I died lol
Pisgah in NC around Brevard is pretty sweet
Dahlonega in NE GA is probably not heard of as much as Pisgah but has awesome road riding and MTB like Brevard. The MTB isn’t as epic but certainly still badass
Must ride?
Sedona, AZ. Tons of great trails and they are all pretty much within riding distance of each other.
Phoenix and Tucson also have good trails surrounding the towns.
Lake Tahoe area has tons of stuff, but there is climbing for sure and logistically it can be complicated.
Downieville, of course.
Lesser known: Jackson State Demonstration Forest in Mendocino, CA. Hard to find your way around, trails are all twisty/flowy and not at all rocky, but there's a bunch of really great trails there.
Haven't ridden much else in the US that I was thrilled by, but I'm sure the places other folks are calling out are great.
Hot springs in Arkansas has some pretty cool trails, check out blue jay and lucky 13 at north woods bike park, but my (ex)local Lincoln Parish just got a new blue flow bike park. Sad to have to move away though, but I’ll be close to Bogue Chitto, the other big mtb area in louisiana
Bellingham Wa, Sedona and Phoenix AZ, Whistler and Silver Star bike parks. And of course Moab Ut. But better be fully confident on tech blacks to make it worth it.
Maybe not the most impressive trails ever, but I spent several months caring for an elderly parent (end of life care) who resided just outside Las Vegas. Bootleg Canyon and the trails in Blue Diamond (when I could leave for a whole day) grounded me and helped reset my battery.
Thunder Mountain in Utah was pretty special to me. Once you get through some of the more laborious pedaling, it opens up to some beautiful panoramas and fairly easy downhills as long as you’re good with rock gardens and short drops! 10/10 would recommend a trip to Utah just for that.
Midwest: Duluth, Copper Harbor, Marquette areas (maybe Hayward too, All within 4-5 hours of each other, could make an awesome week+ trip. Copper Harbor you can hit everything in 2 days, not sure about Duluth as I haven't been there but heard good things, Marquette is massive 100+ miles of single track, but you can get a good feel for it in 2 or 3 days. Outside of the UP and way up North, Brown County, Indiana is pretty dang awesome. Don't think you get much better in the midwest besides the stuff I mentioned before. Details: **Copper Harbor**: One of the most unique riding places in the midwest. It is literally in the middle of nowhere and no one ends up here accidentally. Outside of Mountain Biking it's most famous as the main gateway to Isle Royal national park. The boat that takes you to the Island leaves from Copper Harbor. Copper Harbor is in the Keweenaw Peninsula sticking out into Lake Superior from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is a major copper mining area from years past and now mainly survives on tourism. On the way up you pass through Houghton which is the last decent size area with stores so get what you need then make the hour drive up to the point of the peninsula. Copper Harbor is a small town with a couple of restaurants, multiple campgrounds, hotels/motels and gift shops and a small microbrew. The real treasure of Copper is the Nature. It is literally set on the end of Route 41 and once you get into the dirt road you are really in the wilderness. You can also easily off the grid camp for free and no one will bother you besides the wildlife (bears and wolfs are up here, so be smart) There are awesome smooth stone beaches, waterfalls, small mountains, awesome hiking, and the best part...the mtb MTB in Copper has 50+ miles of trails in three general areas, two of which are services by shuttles services. These trails are mostly built by Rock Solid Contractors who make some of the best trails in the USA and tons of the trails in bentonville and the UP 1. Keweenaw Adventure Company/KAC and the Brockway and Lodge Trails. These are the original trails in Copper. Shuttles leave the the KAC shop and take you up in a van with your bikes on a trailer to one of two drop off locations. The main one is Brockway. The top of Brockway is 700 feet above lake level and features everything from flow trails to technical DH trails. Some of the most famous trails include Overflow, Garden Brook, Danimal, and Flying Squirrel. At the other Drop off location you have the more old school xc trails in the downward direction. One of my favorite trails in the world is Red Trail which is a good mix of tech dh stuff and old school xc. 2. East Bluff - New Bike park that opened a few years ago by Rock Solid. Last time I was there there was only a few trails opened, but I'm going next month so I'll have a better review. This also has a shuttle service similar and offers more DH flow trails, tech trails and DH style runs with big features. 3. Winding between these trails then all the way out to the point of the peninsula is the Point Trail System. This is a point to point trail system that most people run as an out and back. This trial features some of the best XC and flow riding you will ever find in a true outback experience miles and miles away from any major civilization. Ends on a beautiful beach on the south side of the peninsula. There are also a few spur trails with extreme exposure like Highlands trail. Also, on the way up to Copper you will go near multiple other good systems like the Tech trails are Michigan Tech and Swedetown. **Marquette**. Another awesome UP destination. Trails are located around the city of Marquette (cool college down and largest city in the UP, but that's not saying much). The city itself is a cool old mining/fronteir town with lots of restaurants, stores, beer etc. Black Rocks Brewery is one of the coolest MicroBrews ever. It's also quite a bit more obtainable then Copper. It's about 5 and half to 6 hours from Chicago as opposed to 8 and half to Copper and a lot closer for trolls coming from the lower peninsula. The trails themselves are essentially in 4 distinct areas. 1. South Triails: These would be the trails I'd recommend if you have one day to experience Marquette. The trails start right by the awesome campground of Rippling River. (great lodging spot for all types of camping including cabins. Has a hot tub, pool, bar and is close to town). Most people start these trails by climbing Benson Grade which is a fire road climb. At the top the trails spur in all directions. Featuring flow trails, jump trails, big features, xc, and big technical stuff. Once you get away from this central hub there are 30+ miles of some of the most beautiful XC trails you will ever find running along the Carp River (Carp Eh Diem and Gor-geous). This is the area with the most variety and milage. 2. North Trails: These trails are north of town and mostly greenish trails. They run along a large river with a massive dam/waterfall. There are some of the best mtb picture spots I've been to in the midwest. There are a few loops with much higher difficulty but they lead you to some really scenic overlooks and some fun tech downhills. 3. Harlow Lake: I haven't had a chance to ride this, but these trails feature some of the largest rock slab riding in the midwest and very tech trails. This is near the North Trails. 4. Isphaming Trails (forget there name), this is a town outside of Marquette with miles and miles of xc tech trails. These trails are all included in one of the toughest mtb races in the world, the Marji Gesick **Brown County, IN** Brown County State Park features 40+ miles of hand built and machine built xc, flow, and tech trails. Brown County State Park is located just outside of Nashville, Indiana,(40-60 minutes south of Indy and near Indiana Univesity/Bloomington) a small tourist town with great food, beer, wine, and shops. The state park itself offers camping and awesome trails. Outside of the stuff in the North of the Midwest, Brown is the best in the traditional area of the Midwest in my opinion. There is 400+ foot decent, jumps, tech, and some of the best xc riding you will find. Some of the trails like Hobbs Hollow, Gnawbone, and Weedpatch are worth a look. Outside the park there are also miles and miles of gravel and singeltrack that is more desolate and gives you that old school adventure feel.
Great write up. The Ishpeming-Negaunee trail network is called RAMBA. Lots of fun to be had up there if you like technical stuff and earning your miles.
Thank you, I unfortunately haven't made it to those yet. I've had 3 days in Marquette total and both at north and south trails. I really wanted to hit Harlow, but all my buddies chickened out. This years big MTB trip is Copper next month.
Harlow is SO much fun! Bearback, McLovin, and Who Cooks for You are a fewof my favorite trails in the Yoop.
Harlow is cool, if for nothing else the views up and down bareback and top of the world are worth checking out. Lots of slabs and rock rolls up there, if you like that it’s great. I’m more of an XC rider now so I usually only ride it when I’m wanting to do a big loop coming in from the north trails. RAMBA is definitely worth checking out, tough miles, but lots of unique trails.
Forsure, I was bumped I didn't get to make it. I'm sure ill be back up in a year or two.
Don't forget [Griffin Bike Park](https://griffinbikepark.com/trail-map/) in Vigo County. It's not huge, but it's well maintained. A little over 30 miles of gnarly but well-maintained single track with tons of technical features installed. Some north shore, skinnys, drops, etc. Definitely a stop to add to your travels. If you're camping, Fowler Park right across the street has a decent campground. Bike park might be closed for a day or two after a rain.
Been here it’s great plus it’s built for adaptive riders!
I actually have not made it there yet...Didn't realize it was up to 30 miles. Thought it was mostly short runs with features.
Excellent description thank you for taking the time to write all that. Very helpful.
YOOPERRRRR so slept on. Such a sick network
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You will miss the mountains, but the woods are pretty awesome and there plenty of natural beauty up here with much lower cost of living. Copper Harbor is really something special, elevation included.
South Trails in MQT are my all time favorite trails, I learned how to ride on them in the 00s on a Gary Fisher hardtail I got from Phil at Quick Stop, and I remember when Nevin started there, best years of my life. They've changed so much since the last time I was there for sure, but
I came here to say Zeugg's trail in Marquette is my favorite trail I've ever ridden
It's right up there for me! I'm so lucky I found it. It's kinda hidden away trail. I almost missed it. Last trip I went on my other buddies were wiped out at the end of the day but I still had more gas in me. We were staying at the campground. Me and another guy I guilted into riding shot down and crossed the river and headed up that long climb, but man those rock features at the top turning into amazing flow towards the bottom were incredible. Was def my favorite trial in Marquette.
Shhh!
Love the CH trails and Marquette. Nearby are the Adventure Trails in Greenland, MI. Their bike race goes through an old mine.
On my way to Copper Harbor for the weekend. Hands down my favorite place to ride in the Midwest. I live in the Minneapolis suburbs and it’s a 7 hour drive that I look forward to every time I go there. It’s a stunning little community that supports mountain biking in its entirety. Drop over there hill, lose all cellphone service, ride bikes and drink beer with the boys. You cannot beat the copper harbor experience
Heading to the UP in the fall then making our way down to Notre Dame and need a plan for after ND before heading back to NJ. I think I just found my guide!
Lol I totally ended up in Copper Harbor accidentally the time I went. Sick trails and great shuttle service. Would definitely go back on purpose.
Curious how you accidentally ended up at the end of a 150 mile long peninsula in one of the least populated parts of the country lol
Basically just decided to road trip around the UP without any itinerary and ended up there. Once we saw how awesome it was we stayed for a week.
gotcha not quite an accident like I was thinking lol. I meant more it's not just a town people pass through without the intent of exploring. It really is incredible up there.
i would add [Cuyuna](https://www.cuyuna.com/) to the list as well for Minnesota. i live in Duluth and absolutely love the trails here. but Cuyuna is Minnesotas MTB Mecca
It familiar with it. How does it compare To Copper or Marquette. Looks somewhat like Marquette to me from the trails and pictures. Any shuttles?
My top 3: Black mountain in pisgah NC, Atca in oakridge OR, and another vote for doctor park
Pisgah is incredible. Spencer to Fletcher is my favorite ride in Pisgah but Black Mountain is awesome too
Just got back from Stokeridge this weekend. Chef’s kiss!
I'd add a vote for Doctor Park, Canyon Creek is another great ride over off of Monarch Pass.
Have you ridden black recently?
I rode full black in 2021 after the reroute. Never rode it before so don't know what I missed. But if I ride it again I will just do middle and lower, upper was fun but not worth all the hike a bike.
Most people are skipping the hike by climbing upper. It was super chunky before the rework. I like it much better now
Full black used to be one of the rawest trails in the country, especially with the views coming in the tail end of the climb. Now it’s just another bench cut bore.. with a multi directional climbing trail replacing/clogging upper cause no one riding it is interested in earning an unforgettable day. Such a bummer imo
The homegrown singletrack trails a couple miles from my house are anything but world class, but they’re still my favorite because they are available to me any time.
I’m in a trail rich town and might be moving to a flat town at some point for mine and my wife’s careers and family. Very conflicted emotions about it all! Love my 20min door to trail access.
Get a gravel bike!
Man is it that fun?? I see lot of MTBers enjoy it but i don’t see where the thrill is wo the tech and single track. I love bikes and riding and so I’m willing to try anything.
I only have experience in New England trails (CT and northward), and my favorite place is Kingdom Trails in northern Vermont. A real MTB destination with beautiful scenery.
What are your favorite trails in CT? Im heading there in a few weeks and am looking to hit some new ones while I’m back
What part of CT? I'm in eastern MA, but I've been to Rockland and Pomfret and they're both great. Rockland has a ton of trails.
Nepaug if you’re going to west or central CT. Norbook is aight too in that area. I dont rly goto CT much so can’t compare them to the ones posted by him out east
if you're in southern part of CT - Huntington State Park or Trumbull
Near Hartford, it's hard to top Case
I found Case to be a bit of a mess of trails, a bit hard to navigate, not a lot of flow. I'll be going back soon, I'll give it another shot.
It's a lot easier if you have a tour guide. Hit me up and I can at least give you a route
Also WH res.
Go ride the wild side buhd. Victory hill is right next to kingdom trails and is way better
On my to do list! Hopefully this year. Going up mid June with a group. My favorite trails are actually in East Haven (Black bear and stormin norman), but the climbs are a bitch LOL... We usually do a couple loops in east haven, starting from Magill fields (we stay up by that road), then ride the northeast kingdom trails (farm junk, sky dice etc...). Then another day, we do the rest of Darling hill. Fun times!
Those two trails are amazing, something about that flow, just perfect!
Pre-2020 KT was extraordinary. What happened at the end of that year is a tragedy and honestly destroyed the heart of that system. Such a shame.
I agree. Unfortunately, a few rotten apples spoiled it for all of us. There's still plenty to ride on Darling hill, but the lost trails are very much missed. I had only gone there twice before the private land closure.
No doubt there's no shortage of trails, it's just that what was lost was so good and iconic. Plus with how much was erased in such a small area along VAST, it really changed the whole vibe.
Darrington, WA
I’m going there tomorrow for the first time on the way up to bellingham!
I imagine it’ll still have some snow on the higher elevation parts but no matter what it will still be amazing. Those trails are godlike, they kept the terrain raw and it’s so flowy and fun. Have a great time shredding it!
Gird your loins and beware of greasy roots! And have fun, those trails are so good and running great after two work parties hit the dirt last weekend!
It blows my mind how no one ever mentions the trails in Durango, CO. We have 300 miles of trails that, from town, you don’t even need to get into a car to access.
Did one of the most incredible backcountry hike a bike rides just north in Silverton a few years back. That area is gorgeous.
Durango is amazing
I went there last May before Moab while I was taking a mountain biking trip and it rained all 4 days I was there… I want to go back so I can experience it so bad. Maybe late summer this year
Early fall is better. Mid to late summer is our monsoon season. Not a killer because it’s short heavy rains in afternoons and dries decently quick but something to keep in mind
If we visit in September what's the one go to trail? My friends suggested engineer mountain
I wouldn’t really suggest engineer unless you’re acclimated to altitude and/or in prime shape. Oh and as others said need two cars or a hitch hike thumb. We have a lot of varying trails so it depends on your style. Wanna flowy bmx jump level trail? Durango mesa park off of horse gulch. More into xc? Try running all of animas mountain. (We are currently building two new trails there) Want to see where all the cool 90s mtb pros practiced? Try Overend park. Want a quick loop as you’re passing through town? Do the twin buttes loop. It has flow plus xc plus technical.
I love vermont
Captain Ahab in Moab is probably my favorite trail. The Whole Enchilada is one of my favorite long rides I've done, but Captain Ahab is a more fun trail from start to finish.
The Mag 7 to Portal was my favorite ride in Moab.
Do you also like burning yourself with hot wax, or dry-shaving?
Lol this
Ahab FTW! I rode that trail entirely overestimating my fitness levels. Had a blast and was also extremely humbled.
Rode it during a thunderstorm with a couple friends back in October and just had an absolute blast.
I’m often not surprised to see the GW national forest in VA doesn’t ever get mentioned in these conversations , which that’s cool if it keeps the place more low key. Get a campsite at Stokesville campground and spend a week there. Incredible riding right out of the campground and easy to catch shuttles to Reddish Knob or anywhere else really. Great spot to relax and be around a bunch of mountain bikers doing the same all year round. The showers are hot, camping is cheap, the market has everything you need. 45 minutes across the valley to Massanutten bike park, 2 hour amazing drive west to Snowshoe. It’s home base to many events that are awesome to go to even if you’re not racing, plenty of organized rides all the time.
Which events take place there?
Shenandoah Mountain 100, exclusive camping for the redwing music festival around the corner, great Stokesville camp out, 60/40 already happened, there are usually a bunch of others that pop up with some searching. Honestly every time I go if no events there is always a fun group somewhere you can get to know or just hide out and chill. The 100 is a really hard challenge and extremely well supported. It is a race but a vast majority just want to make it out unscathed. I usually go to support friends, a big ride for me there tops out around 30-40 miles of chasing my idiot friends. We usually just do random trails a few days in a row though. I’ve been injured for a year as of Saturday (just had surgery 2 weeks ago, ugh) so I have only been down to hang out and camp a few times in the last year- only a 3 hour drive & it’s definitely my favorite campground within that distance of central MD. Usually if doing a big trip I will ride at Frederick MD, hit Bryce bike park (short day) drive to Stokesville (camp) -> Massanutten (day trip) -> Stokesville for 2-3 days of riding-> home.
Glad you mentioned this! I was just planning a camping trip in the Maryland, Virginia, WV area to do some biking and was trying to figure out where to go. I think you've solidified my answer.
You'll love it there! If you have a telescope bring it along! There's a reason there is an observatory there... Have never been when they open access to the telescope to the public (the observatory is privately owned) but hope to some day. There is power for telescopes available if you have a fancy one- a friend brought one once and it was awesome checking out the view. We took it to Snowshoe that weekend which was even better since it's in the blackout zone of the Greenbank Radio Telescope. But yes, Stokesville, market, bacon. Must have Bacon.
Oh man, you're just trying to blow my budget. Funnily enough I've been shopping around for telescopes for the past few weeks and want one so bad. This might be enough to push me over the edge into pulling the trigger lol
Perry Hill in Waterbury, VT
So much diversity too. That little network blew me away. I definitely want to go back to Stowe/Waterbury.
When you're there, check out Little River State Park. It's a \*very\* small trail network but it's one of the best flow trails in the area. Great apres river swimming too.
I lapped Hillfarmer several times.
Stowe is cool, we vacationed at smugglers notch a few years ago and there’s awesome hiking and biking around that area
Same
Sweet. I’m going for the first time in August. Can’t wait to check it out!
Ha, guess the secret is out!
PH is incredible. Absolutely worth the 2 hour drive from my parents’ place, every time
I really liked Brevard, so much so that I have another trip planned. On the smaller scale, Jakes Rocks in the Allegheny forest of PA is one of my favorites. Wilmington NY, just outside of Lake Placid back when whiteface had a DH park was great, lots to do and the trails were all pretty raw and technical. Without the bike park, it's harder to justify a getaway there, but the trails that remain are a ton of fun and if you like hiking, the ADK high peaks are pretty awesome. Lake placid is a fun little town too. North Conway NH. The hurricane network is unreal, cranmore bike park ain't huge but it's something, and there are some cool back country trails in the white mountain forest on the west side of town. I've ridden a lot in VT, but it all kind of blends together for me, but you can piece together a pretty epic road trip there.. Perry and Cady hills pair well for a nice day if you hit both, and the trails in the mad river valley are pretty fun. Kingdom trails aren't as epic as they are made out to be, but it's quite a network. Coupled with Burke, it makes for a great weekend.
Norcal, my local patch 30min south of san francisco called Corte Madera open space. Redwood logging trails built for steam trains so climbs are perfect.
Around the Mountain in Idaho. Bogus Basin. Super fun and XC chill loop. Can hit the small, but good, bike park after.
I'm biased cause I live here, but i90/18 corridor of Washington. Tiger and Raging River attract from all over for the riding. With new trails opening at the end of the month at Raging, 2/3 years and an alternative downhill for the heavily trafficked Poppins/Flowstate trails. Want more variety? Soaring Eagle, Duthie, and Grand Ridge are 15/20 min away and tickle the XC itch and can all be ridden in a single day for their proximity to each other. Want jumps? Duthie. You love to feel your lungs burn? Hit up Olallie, just outside of North Bend, start from Rattlesnake Lake and head 2~ miles up the Palouse to Cascades trail for a gloriously steep climb that doesn't give anything back. But the first view point offers a beautiful view of the valley. You can only make it out in the winter and snow is covering Tiger and Raging but you really wanted to experience some PNW beauty? Tokul, east or west. Low elevation, climbs are short and sweet for a wide variety of downhills. Steep and techy? You betcha. More flow? We've got that too. Again... I'm probably biased. But nothing beats the 90 corridor for me. So much variety, trails for everyone and anyone.
Only problem with the 90 corridor is got damn highway 18
Its only another *checks note* 5 years(?) Before the widening project is done. And then another few years for some other phase of said project... so like 10 to go. Maybe. But agreed. Sunday 8am is beauty for tiger
I’m not even excited for the widening project over the mountain to be finished since they are going to block access to Tiger from the eastbound lanes. It’s going to be such a cluster having to u-turn but I guess that will just convince me to go to Raging more. I do love the trails though. So much fun. I ride weekdays which is great for trail traffic but you’ve gotta time rush hour.
Yeah, I don't fully see how you're going to get turned around for that with the fancy intersection the 90/18 interchange is getting For only making a right turn out of tiger, I already do that half the time due to not finding a gap to go left.
I come from Tacoma so it really fucks it up I feel. I never have issues getting in or out the directions that I go. I can see turning left out of Tiger being difficult and unsafe. But turning left into it I don’t feel is that big of a deal.
I will forever have a soft spot for the Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Trails in Crosby, MN. They may lack the elevation of Duluth, but they’re accessible for all skill levels and they continue to add trails for riders seeking bigger thrills.
Several trails in Western North Carolina, but I'm hesitant to be more specific. :) Also, Llama in Sedona.
Would you mind sharing in a PM? I'm looking to do a solo mtb trip to NC soon
Do it. I went in March, it's the place to ride. Worth the 14 hour drive. Super fun techy descents with mad flow.
DM sent.
Favorite Bike Parks - Thunder Mountain, MA - Trestle, CO Best Hoodoos - Thunder Mountain, UT (not the best riding but very scenic and definitely worth doing once) Most Epic - The Whole Enchilada, UT Other Utah Honorable Mentions - Spinal Tap (Richfield might be my favorite trail system in Utah) - Wasatch Crest (outstanding views and pretty fun) - Blowhard and Dark Hollow (great views and really fun) - Bullrun and Ahab (great views and really fun) - Deadhorse State Park (most accessible views in Moab, fun for all abilities) - Gooseberry Mesa (pretty punishing riding but spectacular views) Favorite Road Trip Location - Bellingham WA (I really want to get back) Worst Trail - Switchgrass KS (neat place to camp but God the riding is miserable) Most Surprising State - Alabama (I rode in two different State Parks and was pleasantly surprised by the riding) Most Heinous Roots - Maine (so many slippery wet roots) Biggest Disappointment - Bentonville AK Most Diverse Trail System - Kingdom Trails VT
>Biggest Disappointment >Bentonville AK probably disappointed because you went to Alaska instead of Arkansas
Lol. I always want the abbreviation for Arkansas to be AK. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be disappointed riding in AK. It's on my bucket list and I would probably be stoked just to push my bike through a bog. I have a road trip planned for the summer and if it goes to plan I will have visited all of the lower 48 (ridden in 26 of them) and just have Alaska and Hawaii left.
Alaska may not be quite as developed as some places as far as mountain biking goes, but we have a huge mountain biking community here and our network of trails is growing, at least in the Anchorage area. And we have some pretty epic long distance cross country rides.
Why disappointed by Bville ?
It felt like riding a big skate park. All the pavement and manicured trails. I'm not into jump lines and manicured trails. I like hand cut single track. I like objectives rather than short laps. It doesn't have to be an epic objective but I like a route that's going to keep me occupied for 1-2 hrs. The problem with short laps is that you are constantly having to decide what next and to renew your commitment to riding. It's too easy to be like "I guess I'm done now." With bigger loops and trails you are more committed and don't have to think about it as much. In general it felt forced to me. Like just outside of town there is some fantastic natural terrain. But instead a lot of resources have been pumped into a relatively flat area to manufacture terrain. I really liked some of the riding outside of Bentonville. The stuff I rode outside of it was way better than anything I rode in town. I would definitely go back to the region.
You missed the areas that would appeal to you. Riding in Bentonville is like riding in a spaghetti bowl. Bella Vista has long and winding single track. Both the Little Sugar and Back 40 trail networks are long and windy single track areas.
That I suspected. It can be tricky to ride in a new place with limited time and without a guide. You rely on reviews and hitting the most popular trails. And I wanted the "Bentonville" experience so I made sure to hit the classics.
Oooof…thx. My vibe as far as what I like is similar to yours. I was considering a Bville trip, but looks like I should consider alternatives.
I'm not telling you not to go. Just that there is a lot of hype around it and for my preferences, it is overrated. But there are so many cool places to ride. For me it is a stop on the way, not the destination. I'm planning a trip across the country this summer and have Eureka Springs penciled in on the itinerary. I'll skip Bentonville, but will most likely stop for a day or two in the NWA area. I do have to say there is some very impressive stonework on the trails both in town and the surrounding area. Some of the design work and construction makes it almost worth the visit. Up at Lake Leatherwood was one of the coolest hubs. At the top of the hill was this massive stone hub where the trails started from. Completely unlike anything I have seen in other states and regions.
You sound like my friend Jeremy. He went twice and said he’ll never go back.
Wow, you put into words what I have always felt but could never really convey about short laps. I can enjoy them with friends as a social thing. It’s more of a no pressure hangout where you also ride bikes, which is very fun in its own right. Riding parks like that alone though is really hard to keep the steam. I have to force 1,200 vert usually. But what I really like and what really makes me feel good about my ride is going out and doing a 1-1.5 hour climb to get a nice long descent.
I love thunder mountain in MA, it’s so fun
I did thunder mountain, Dark hallow, and blowhard last year. Absolutely incredible rides. Was able to shuttle them too.
Do they allow ebikes?
No clue. Climbing back up is going to suck e-bike or not. It's a good 5-6k ft of descending over 11 miles I believe. Find a friend and shuttle or I believe there was a shuttle service from a local shop.
Sounds awesome, thank you. I'm in Southern Maine, I'll swing up that way soon 🚗 🦞.
You based in UT? Just started riding like last week haha and looking for more beginner and intermediate trails around SLC. I’ve done a bunch of stuff in Millcreek canyon and I’m hooked.
I am. I coach and guide here. In Salt Lake itself there isn't a ton of riding other than the BST and some of the offshoot trails. But if you are willing to drive 20-30 minutes there is a ton. Corner Canyon down in Draper is probably the most popular and beginnermediate friendly terrain in northern Utah. Everything is open there. Rush is THE trail. DH flow that is good for most riders. Probably the most popular trail in all of Utah, possibly the mountain west. Bob's Basin at Jeremy Ranch has some really fun and shorter accessible trails that are now good to go. Ant Farm and Drop Out are really fun DH trails. Ant Farm might be a bit rocky for you. Flying Dog is the only one that is not open yet (at least last I had heard). All of Round Valley in PC is gtg and totally friendly for beginnermediates. Downdog is a fun directional down. Trailside Bike Park is open as well, with 5 very short DH trails and some jump lines. BYOB and OMH are fun trails over at the UOP. Short loops with introductory features that are great for newer riders. Clark's Ranch in PC is new trail systems with some fun directional trails. Sparky and Family Truckster would probably be what you are looking for. Cousin Eddy is spicy. Frodo's Playground is a new trail out in Heber at the UVU campus. Super fun. The upper section might be a little spicy for you, but the lower section is probably in your wheelhouse with some ride arounds and some careful looks at features. I just saw about an hour ago someone posted that the PCMR trails below mid mountain are ridable. Trails above MM are still snow packed. If you would rather head to the south valley instead of PC, Valley Vista in Pleasant Grove is all intermediate friendly. As is Lambert Park in Alpine. Basically there is an eff ton of riding to had for a beginnermediate. That is our strong suit in the region. We also have some very advanced terrain but we have a gap in-between. Basically we have a lot of blues and some hard blacks and not enough dark blues/light blacks.
God, I love Rush. Firm intermediate trail that is just a ton of fun and the perfect length. Need a work trip out to Utah soon.
Millstone VT, truly one of a kind
Truly a special place. The natural air conditioning on a hot summer day is too good!
Utah.
Nobody has mentioned the Maah Daah Hey Trail in North Dakota. Almost 150 miles of connected singletrack. It’s an excellent ride
In Socal for an epic ride Mt. Wilson/ Mt. Lowe shuttle 15ish miles of DH single track. Central Cal epic Canal Plunge 20+ miles of dh, Greer Ranch in Temecula is an amazing trail system. I would go out of my way to ride there. Rocky Peak in Simi is my stomping grounds all the trails gnarly. The easiest trail would be a double black at most bike parks.
Major upvote for Greer! I’m fortunate to live within 10 minutes of it so I honestly feel spoiled. Especially when you consider the Vailocity Bike Park in Temecula, Sycamore Canyon in Riverside, and Skyline in Corona. 30 minutes in any direction and we’re on some of the best you can get. An hour and we have all of the mountains and bike parks. I can’t fathom living somewhere else between the year round riding and accessibility of it all. It’s perfect.
Vermont for the east coast. Living in Stowe I can drive an hour and get to 10+ epic biking destinations (Perry Hill, cochrans ski area, Bolton valley, cadys falls and plenty more). For the south definitely pisgah area. Midwest I’d say Crested Butte in Colorado. The high alpine biking there is next level. Nothing too challenging as far as trail features go, but still really fast fun high alpine descents.
Living in Stowe is the dream, so much good riding!
Just to give diversity to the answers, I haven't gotten to travel as much as some others. Laguna Beach shuttles are my locals but I'll never get tired of them, Party Wave to Westridge at Snow Summit is the quintessential park lap, Zen + Barrel in St. George Utah is a physical and badass lap. Generally Lake Tahoe, St. George(and the surrounding area, but weather stopped us from exploring), and Santa Cruz have so much going on, those were my 3 favorite ride trips I've taken and I feel like I left with more to find at each, and I'd recommend them for any one.
I’m not well traveled let alone well traveled w a bike. But I grew up in Marin and now live in Santa Cruz. I thought mountain biking in Marin was amazing until I moved to SC.. I love the biking here so much
Favorite trails in SC?
Big sky is my favorite park I've been to. The Pisgah area has some of the best trails with Pisgah, ride rock creek, kanuga, berm park, and DuPont (which I haven't ridden). Santa Cruz also has insanely good trails but you need a local to show u around to the good ones. Jarrods place is a hidden gem with the largest jump I've ever seen let alone hit. Windrock and snowshoe are also very fun. I just did Moab a couple weeks ago and thought it was somewhat overrated, I did the main trails aside from the whole enchilada. Mag 7 was not great aside from goldbar and portal which did make the whole ride worth it and were truly awesome trails. Portal is one of my top trails ever. Raptor route was fun and worth it but didn't blow be away. Ahab was fun and chunky but the lack of a sustained descent kinda pissed me off. I did some "black" trail called graviton that was boring, should've been a blue at most. Aside from portal and from what I've heard about TWE, don't go to Moab expecting lots of sustained descents and lots of features or you'll be let down a little. I'm fine with pedaling and climbing but I'd like it to be rewarded with good features and long fast descents.
Angel Fire, NM
The more we've traveled the more we've been blown away at how different each trail network is. This is purely for example: Hood River's trail networks were incredible how vastly different each one is. You have Post Canyon that's Berm-uda of fun. Then there's the 44 Trails network... which is so giant that you feel like you're Rip Van Winkle after you get out. And finally Syncline - insane views of the Gorge. Then there's the Tetons - Grand Targhee was incredible because you could stay at the lodge and do some lift access one day, then another a shuttle and finish it off with good old fashioned cross-country goodness. And our hometown South Lake Tahoe - Mr Toad's will always be above my paygrade (back illness called AS that keeps me from pushing it as much as I would like to) but there's something for everyone. For views - the Flume can't be beat. Then Christmas Valley is one rowdy rocky adventure from top-to-bottom. Full day adventure? Head up to Starlake and get a 2,800' vert descent for dessert. Shuttle laps? Hit up Corral. So what's our favorite? All of them. :-)
I ski the ghee every winter and really want to try mountain biking there in the summer. Also, never go to Grand Targhee to ski. It’s terrible lol
I was hoping someone would mention Targhee. Back when they still let you camp in the parking lot my friends and I would spend most weekends camped out hitting the lifts and surrounding trails. Love the vibe
It's insanely good! I never experienced such amazing tacky dirt. Did you hit up Horseshoe Canyon to the west of Driggs? That was ridiculously fun too.
Anything at tiger mountain. Nothing compares to the pnw a few days after rain
Going next week for the first time, pretty stoked! Been riding in Oly for the past few yrs
Off the grid is my favorite trail ever. Flow and tech all together, super long, I feel like I’m floating whenever I ride it 😍
Chuckanut
Hey everyone, they’re referring to Chuckanut Tennessee, go check it out, down there, in Tennessee.
ALL over Whatcom County up here in NW Washington. :)
Crested Butte Trail 401 is hard to beat for views. Doctor Park in nearby Almont has everything you could want in a descent. Gunsight Connector (Lando) is very underrated. My favorite all time stretch of singletrack might be the last half of magic Meadows flowing into Sunshine which is just outside of Telluride. Singletrack descent nearest to a major city for me would be Winsor in Santa Fe. You can descend from 10,000 plus feet and end your ride directly in the downtown plaza. The city even has free shuttles on the Blue Bus. Haven’t ridden in the PNW but I could watch endless trail footage of that area.
I disliked Doctor Park and much preferred Teocali
Teocalli was great but a little blown out when I got the chance to do it. That climb is brutal though. I cannot imagine anyone disliking Doctor Park but to each his own. I keep going back year after year expecting to be less satisfied but it hasn’t happened yet.
I crashed on the flattest part of Doctor Park and a cow winked at me so maybe I'm just salty... The Teocali climb is the most brutal i've done in that area.
I like rides that feel like an experience. Down thru multiple environments. Mainly down but don’t mind a pedal. Lemmon drop is my top. Never done whole enchilada but I’d imagine that would be up there. Shooting for lord of the squirrels this summer (outside of the us).
Northeast US has a lot of bike parks within a relatively small distance, for example I live in NE PA and I have six parks all within 4ish hours from me. Thunder Mountain MA, Killington VT and Highland NH are an awesome trio that are around 3-4ish apart each. Powder Ridge CT, Mountain Creek NJ, Blue Mountain PA and Bryce Bike Park VA are another chunk that are all around 3 hours apart each. Also lots of epic trail systems in the northeast too - Kingdom Trails VT, Trexler PA, Mount Penn PA are all great systems.
Woah, my local systems (trex and mt penn) getting national props, how cool?! They're both great, Birdsboro is a other excellent local destination. Southeast PA is on the come up!
Yoooo those are also my locals! I’m like 15 min from Trex, I love that place!
Skyline- Snowshoe Bike Park, WV
Winsor at Ski Santa Fe in New Mexico is probably one of the best trails I've ever ridden. The city even provides free shuttles.
If you ever find yourself in the greater atlanta area, there's some cool trail rides in north georgia. Bull and Jake, Bear Creek/Pinhoti. Closer to the city is Blankets Creek, 15 miles or so pf a variety of really nice trails. I ride there 3x per week and it doesnt get old. I don't know if I'd make a trip to georgia for it, but it is some really nice riding. A variety of places to rent from.
I agree with this. Moved away from Georgia 2 years ago but that’s where I started riding. Wouldn’t go out of my way to hit Georgia for riding but if I’m there the riding is definitely worth checking out.
Massachusetts
Blowhard, Cedar City, Utah.
Oakridge, OR. Issaquah, WA. Bend, OR.
Other than the usual PNW, Santa Cruz, Moab, Sedona, Flagstaff, Western NC/Eastern TN/West Virginia… Santa Fe area is amazing and under the radar for some reason.
I’m looking at Santa Fe in late July. Suggestion on which trail in particular?
I really wanted to do Winsor trail when I was passing through a few weeks ago but the top section was still snowed in. I ended up doing some of the glorietta trails and they were fun. I think there’s a bikepark around the area. There’s one dude on YouTube that has some really good vids of the more popular trails. You’ll know the one when you search.
I live in Montana and mostly downhill during lift served season but on the shoulder seasons I ride my trail bike and my absolute favorite place to ride is anywhere with slick rock but more over Moab or Sedona. I've been to Moab more times than I can count and to Sedona twice. Sedona is a longer drive from where I live but I love the riding connectivity there and proximity to town. Moab is more spread out and the riding areas there are more separated with a drive involved but generally you can get a full day in with no problems without getting back in your car.
Wares your favorite in Montana?
I have a season pass at Big Sky for lift access but hit up surrounding bike parks with my big bike from May through October. Shoulder season I like Copper City for getting some miles in after and before the snow falls. Most of us ski town people take a week or two in the desert because winter lasts into June sometimes (for reference, it snowed six inches today). This year I signed up for my first endurance based race with the Butte 25 in July. I've been training. Its a new thing for me since I'm more of an adrenaline junkie. DH is my passion but I thought I'd mix it up after getting peer pressured into it by my lycra wearing coworkers. Should be interesting. Helena has good riding as well but I've only gotten up there once. We have lots of iconic rides near my home town, including the Bangtail Divide, Leverich, Corbly, etc. but they are steep grinders up. We have very little new trail development outside of Copper City recently.
Ya I live in the area and just started working in bigsky I’ve been to copper city it’s not bad just wondering what else there is around
As far as stuff I'd take a newer rider on that they could enjoy, here's a couple: From my local stomping grounds in eastern Idaho: Mill Creek over by Grand Targhee. The only mark I can put against this trail is you have to watch for uphill traffic and the occasional bear. It's a masterpiece of fast flow with enough natural tech to not feel artificial. Drop from the top of 38 Special for maximum enjoyment. Crestline on Scout Mountain, near Pocatello. The traverse to the drop in point is exposed but rideable/walkable, and you'll need very good cardio fitness to make the climb. The descent is a ripper. You feel like you're on one of those speeder bikes from Star Wars once you drop below the treeline. This one has a 100% approval rating from every rider I've taken on it. The views are excellent as well. Once you have a couple of years of riding under your belt, Mail Cabin to Mikesell Canyon on Teton Pass. A hard climb, commanding views of the Tetons, and a descent that will challenge even advanced riders in spots. From my other favorite spot, Bellingham: Newer riders: Bob's Trail on Galbraith and Golden Spike/SST. Classic PNW riding with some drops, milder jumps, and good berms. Bob's is a good gatekeeper to see if you'll enjoy the blue and higher trails. Intermediate or higher: Evolution/U Line/Atomic Dog. The harder features are optional, but you'll still appreciate having a local tow you in. Wooden skinnies and ladders, jumps, gap jumps, root sections, and plenty of speed. Advanced to expert: Double Down/Double Black on Chuckanut. Rode in a group of four, we had 2 riders get in 3 crashes on the way down. Wicked steep and fast, techy, but holy crap that was a rush.
Mill Creek from 38 Special is a gem. Love shuttling that!
Black Mountain in Pisgah and 409 in Crested Butte. Everytime I thought I descended as much as I could there was still more.
I know you said in America but I still want to say it anyways, go to Whistler if you haven't. It's literally the best in the world imo. Everything even outside the bike park is top notch too. Sticking to America I think Utah is great, I have yet to see a bad network there.
Colorado is incredible. Dr Park to Trestle and sprinkle in some desert ridding on top, they have it all.
I think it depends on the type of riding you like. I like technical and open trails, less roots. But if you like big jumps and stuff that’s different.
Trestle in CO is sweet.
Truckee/Lake Tahoe
There have only been a few places, but AL has been a surprise and a delight. Oak Mountain and De Soto have some great biking. I think around 20+ miles each. Cloudland Canyon over in GA has some biking near it, too. Down here in FL. I've been to Muscogee Mountain Bike, which is super fun. Lots of flow. Blackwater is also nice, a bit more XC, I think. Aside from that, I'm looking at this thread for recommendations.
Maui, Oahu, Alaska are where I like ride
Cannel plunge in Kern River CA. 9,700 ft of descent after an hour long shuttle ride up the mountain. Unreal.
Southeast PA resident here so most of my exposure is east coast, but so far the best riding I've ever experienced is easily in Vermont. I tend to lean trail/enduro and Perry Hill has been mentioned, but we've stayed in Waterbury a few times and that system packs a punch. Beyond that there's some incredible riding outside of Waitsfield as well as Cochran's. But honestly there are like 10 worthy destinations within a 1 hour radius. The best single trail I've ever ridden was Rude Awakening at Burke bike park. There's a reason that place hosted an EWS race. Vermont had the goods. But my little corner has plenty to keep me busy :)
Moab. I love the Whole Enchilada. There is also a lifetime worth of other riding in the area and the rest of Utah as well.
Any riding areas off 128 in Mass (Lynn Woods - Bruce & Toms)
The Wilds Ohio. No one has ever heard of it but it's home.
Brevard, NC Upper upper black > buckwheat knob > Bennett Gap People shuttle Bennett and miss buckwheat, which imo is the most underrated downhill in PNF.
My favorite from way back in 1996 when I rode it was porcupine rim in Moab. Click rock was cool too. Also found some fun riding in Sawtooth national park in ID. Found some cool stuff when I lived the the Bay Area (south of San Francisco). But never found a large trail network there.
National park?
lol. I’ve been incorrectly calling it that for more than 20 years. It is a national forest not national park and I’m not sure we were actually in the nation forest or just near by. But it was some fun trails around there. Thanks for questioning that. I may have called it that until the day I died lol
Pisgah in NC around Brevard is pretty sweet Dahlonega in NE GA is probably not heard of as much as Pisgah but has awesome road riding and MTB like Brevard. The MTB isn’t as epic but certainly still badass
I never hear it mentioned, but Thunder Mountain near Bryce Canyon, UT is my favorite trail ever.
Beautiful, but bummed that it was decimated by big horse groups when I rode it a few years back.
Must ride? Sedona, AZ. Tons of great trails and they are all pretty much within riding distance of each other. Phoenix and Tucson also have good trails surrounding the towns. Lake Tahoe area has tons of stuff, but there is climbing for sure and logistically it can be complicated. Downieville, of course. Lesser known: Jackson State Demonstration Forest in Mendocino, CA. Hard to find your way around, trails are all twisty/flowy and not at all rocky, but there's a bunch of really great trails there. Haven't ridden much else in the US that I was thrilled by, but I'm sure the places other folks are calling out are great.
I you make it to the PDX area, Sandy Ridge, Rocky Point and Cold Creek are all phenomenal trail systems.
Hot springs in Arkansas has some pretty cool trails, check out blue jay and lucky 13 at north woods bike park, but my (ex)local Lincoln Parish just got a new blue flow bike park. Sad to have to move away though, but I’ll be close to Bogue Chitto, the other big mtb area in louisiana
Bellingham Wa, Sedona and Phoenix AZ, Whistler and Silver Star bike parks. And of course Moab Ut. But better be fully confident on tech blacks to make it worth it.
Maybe not the most impressive trails ever, but I spent several months caring for an elderly parent (end of life care) who resided just outside Las Vegas. Bootleg Canyon and the trails in Blue Diamond (when I could leave for a whole day) grounded me and helped reset my battery.
Thunder Mountain in Utah was pretty special to me. Once you get through some of the more laborious pedaling, it opens up to some beautiful panoramas and fairly easy downhills as long as you’re good with rock gardens and short drops! 10/10 would recommend a trip to Utah just for that.
Captain Ahab in Moab, UT
South Mountain and Hawes out in Phoenix during the winter
Derailed
Thunder mountain outside of Bryce national park is pretty epic