Trail is
Avg Rating:   |
14 trail reviews |
Difficulty:  - Intermediate |
|
| Length: 12 miles | Global Rank: #180 |
| Tread: Singletrack | Configuration: Loop |
| Ridden: 39 | Wishlist: 21 |
| 1 trail check-ins |
Climb // Descend +2,500 // -3,600 feet |
| Average Speed: 5.1 mph | Average Time: 2hr 6min |
Directions
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Description
This is a great trail for beginners and advanced riders. The trail is a loop. If ridden counter clockwise the first 6 miles is on the lake Barkley side and it is fast singletrack with a couple of climbs that will get your heartrate up. The second half of the trail which is about 5.5 miles is more demanding and has a few more climbs and downhills. This side of the trail is the Kentucky lake side. Toward the end of the loop on the Kentucky lake side the North/South trail comes in. You must stay left at this point. If you go right the trail extends 30 miles to the Golden Pond visitor center. This is a good trail also but if you do not know the way it is easy to loose the trail in a few spots where the trail is connected by gravel roads or fields. The guys at Wood-N-Wave bike shop can help with these directions and they usually have trail maps there as well. I highly recommend this trail. Food for thought: a good time for the 12 miles is under an hour and a great time is under 50 minutes.
Chuck Lennon Park (100%)
Lake Manawa (67%)
Burns Park (67%)
Clear Creek (67%)
To view directions to Canal Loop mountain bike trail, please login. If you don't have an account, sign up for a free account - it only takes a minute.
Description
This is a great trail for beginners and advanced riders. The trail is a loop. If ridden counter clockwise the first 6 miles is on the lake Barkley side and it is fast singletrack with a couple of climbs that will get your heartrate up. The second half of the trail which is about 5.5 miles is more demanding and has a few more climbs and downhills. This side of the trail is the Kentucky lake side. Toward the end of the loop on the Kentucky lake side the North/South trail comes in. You must stay left at this point. If you go right the trail extends 30 miles to the Golden Pond visitor center. This is a good trail also but if you do not know the way it is easy to loose the trail in a few spots where the trail is connected by gravel roads or fields. The guys at Wood-N-Wave bike shop can help with these directions and they usually have trail maps there as well. I highly recommend this trail. Food for thought: a good time for the 12 miles is under an hour and a great time is under 50 minutes.
added by Guest on January 25, 2004
Trail Reviews [Add a review]
Review: Road the trail Sunday (7/29/12). It has a few dead falls across the trail across the trail on both sides (Barkley and KY).
Review: Awesome trails! A basic mellow course for beginners starts from the N welcome station. For theyou mellow sidetrail start acroas the road not behind the station. For a more challenging ride start directly behind the station. Several climbs and downhills but some rather rocky and loose areas. All trails have a yellow diamond cut through so you can make shorter loops if you are crunched for time.
Similar Trail: Montgomery Bell
Similar Trail: Montgomery Bell
Review: Haven't rode this trail since moving away in the late 90s and still lots of fun. It's well maintained and marked good. A lot better than it once was years ago. Was disappointed to see other area trails no longer being maintained and/or closed now. Hope to be able to come back and ride this great trail again soon.
Similar Trail: LBL North/South Trail
Similar Trail: LBL North/South Trail
Review: Great loop. The east side is easy rolling, with moderate grades. The west side is a little rougher with steeper grades, and a few optional fun lines. Overall a great XC type trail, with shorter loop options for newer riders.
Review: It's a great trail. I haven't ridden it in more than a year (I'm a new dad), but usually try to get back down that way once a year just to ride the loop. Counter clockwise is the best route. If you like mountain biking at all, you'll love this trail. Ride it.
Review: Wheeeeeeee! I started from the camp site and enjoyed 6 miles of great singletrack. Then the hills started. Nothing to hard at all but fun. Several obstacles along the way on the entire ride. If you aren't up for the challenge there is always a way around it. I'm giving it an intermediate rating only because of the obstacles and fun downhills. Actually a beginner can ride this trail easily.
Review: My wife & I rode Canal Loop in early Oct. and we really loved it! It does have a bit of everything.At the time, W. KY was still cleaning up the mess from Ike. I must commend Steve and his gang from Wood & Wave. they did a terrific job of getting Canal rideable. I hope they were able to do the same later for North-South. We did that one 2 days later and it was a total disaster!
Deadfall strewn all over, you could ride for 20-
30 yds. on avg. before you had to stop! We did
our part and cleared out some debris, didn't
wanna be ungrateful tourists. Anyway, I urge
any of you who are considering this area to not
miss Canal Loop. Bring a camera!
Similar Trail: North-South (once it's cleared)
Similar Trail: North-South (once it's cleared)
Review: Real fun trail to ride. Fast, curvy singletrack the first 6miles clockwise, then some small climbs and fast downhills for the last 6mi. Well maintained with some jumps and obstacles thrown in as well.
Review: A great trail! Counterclockwise: First 5 or 6 miles are rolling and fairly quick. A great warm up for the last 6 or so which throw a few climbs in. What goes up must come down, and when you do there are some sections with jumps and obstacle routes. Not real dense though, only a few spots where you have a choice. A few great sections and a whole lot of pretty flowy singletrack. Some great views in the winter, but no idea how thick the foliage is in the other seasons. Go ride this park. I look forward to the other sections of trail. Watch out for hikers and runners.
Review: I`ve been riding this trail for over a decade now, and I still love it! If you have ridden this trail in the past be sure to come back and check it out now. A few sweet jumps and other tomfoolery have been added in the last couple of years. My personal preference is to ride it counterclockwise (this way you can take advantage of the jumps that have been added).
Review: I rode the trail hundreds of times when I lived in the area. It was always a great time and never really got old. It is a good mix of curving, rolling singletrack with enough good climbs to separate the men from the boys but with very little dangerous or very technical sections. I've ridden many trails in KY and TN and this is without a doubt my favorite.
Review: Canal loop is a favorite of everyone I have taken there. It might take the new beginner twice as long as a "good" time but the look on there faces is worth your patience. we tipically ride it a fewtimes and it never gets old.
Similar Trail: north-south trail
Similar Trail: north-south trail
Review: This trail is awesome for a beginner. Right from the start this trail grabs on to you and wont let go. Sure their are a few tough climbs but the downhills you get from them are worth it. The scenery is beautiful. Just don't be first in your group....unless you like eating spiderwebs. A true mountain bike trail for sure. Will be going back every chance I get.
Similar Trail: Ceder Lake trail. Carbondale Illinois.
Similar Trail: Ceder Lake trail. Carbondale Illinois.
Recommendations
Curt Gowdy State Park (100%)Chuck Lennon Park (100%)
Lake Manawa (67%)
Burns Park (67%)
Clear Creek (67%)
Tags
hometown trailKentucky Outdoor Lists
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