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Harbins Park Mountain Bike Trail
Dacula, Georgia
MTB TRAIL STATS
Avg Rating:    |
24 trail reviews |
|
Status: updated 11/23/11 by tpalmer13 |
Difficulty:  Intermediate |
| Length: 11 miles | Global Rank: #1425 |
| Tread: Singletrack | Configuration: Network |
| Ridden: 63 | Wishlist: 26 |
| Avg. Speed: 6.34 mph | Avg. Time: 1hr 41min |
| Elevation Gain/Loss: +871/-941 ft | |
 2 trail check-ins |
Mountain Bike Trails in the Harbins Park Trail System
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Description: The trail is made up of three main loops, two smaller and one large loop. A very twisty trail but very little hill climbing or decents. Lots of roots, new trail opened 03/21/09, a part of the Gwinnett county park system.
added on March 21, 2009 by 
SIMILAR TRAILS
Riders who liked this mountain bike trail also liked:Moss Creek in Dahlonega
Pinhoti Trail in Dalton
Stanley Gap in Blue Ridge
Jones Creek Ridge Trail in Dahlonega
TRAIL REVIEWS review this trail
reviewed by Onefatbug on December 10, 2011
Nice flow, through the trees with lots of switch backs, the back trails are really fun, some good climbs. gota find the river crossing to the rim bender Well marked trail, best I have seen
* Review edited 12/11/2011
reviewed by vendola on November 19, 2011
I rode this trail for the first time today and found it rather boring. The facilities are nice and all in all, it seems like a nice park to take the family to. The majority of the trails were flat with very little elevation change, just a bunch of zig zags. I did enjoy the trail that has the section labeled "rim bender", it was very fun but short lived. The granite downhill was pretty cool too. Aside from those two spots, I did not enjoy the ride.
reviewed by screenrider on August 14, 2011
First visit to this park. Nothing too difficult but enjoyed the ride. Had the trail to myself late in the day...very relaxing ride. A good place to just hit after work during the week.
reviewed by TheActuary on July 30, 2011
This was my first trip to Harbins Park and I was pleasantly surprised. Nice facilities at trail head, twisty, flowing trails, no killer climbs. I found a few ticks after I got back, so check yourself - or find someone to check. Overall an enjoyable ride.
reviewed by BigDawgMike on June 21, 2011
I used this trail to get myself in shape with a Ten Speed that wasnt technically a mountain bike. Now that i have a Cannondale its is still my favorite trail, the new trails on bike wash side are fun. 1 is as beginner as you can get, and the other one that runs by the graveyard has lots of inclines and good down hills. I finally made up to the Rim Bender that was the nail on the coffin. Im hitting that part every time I go
reviewed by m_monahan on March 26, 2011
I love Harbins park. It is just a few miles from my house, so i am able to go there every week. When Harbins park trails first opened a few years ago, I didn't like it at all because the trails had absolutely no grip and all you were doing was sliding around just trying to stay on your bike. It took about six to eight months for it to pack in really well. This trail has a really good flow to it and something for all skill levels. I also have Tribble Mill right near my house, but I heavily favor Harbins Park over Tribble Mill. Harbins park has also opened a new section of trails on the bathroom side in the past few weeks. I have not been able to try it out, but from what i hear they added around six miles of trail. Also, Harbins has a great playground for the kids of all ages. It is all around a great park. oh yeah, make sure you check out the trails on the other side of the stream past the paved walking trail and over the rock. There is a lot of fun in that section too. Have fun riding, and Hope to see you there!!!
Similar Trail: Fort Yargo, Tribble Mill,
reviewed by Gregory757 on January 3, 2011
I love this place! Fun zig zags through the woods with easy elevation changes. Finished up last night doing laps on the beginners loop til it got dark. Harbins is definitely on my favs list!
reviewed by sbmu22 on December 4, 2010
WOW - my second ride at Harbins was an eye opener....what a blast. It is not super technical but for me that's OK. Rode with some regulars who took me all over. A couple of creek crossings just to get the feet a little wet. Can't wait to go back!!
Similar Trail: Yellow River and Tribble Mill
reviewed by BigDawgMike on September 17, 2010
i absolutely love this trail i cant get enough of. Being a beginner its perfect for me i try to ride it at least once a week. I love the twists, turns and the little part of the paived path that takes you to the hidden trail (as i like to call it). I missed the first time there b/c of the rocks. The creek is great place to chill and relax and soak in Gods majestic beauty. Cant say much about the advanced part only b./c i havent ventured out that far (shut up im out of shape ok).
reviewed by bckpack12 on July 28, 2010
Harbins is a really nice ride but it takes some work to get a good workout. MB1, the trail by itself, is almost perfectly flat and short. Not too inspiring but is a pretty fun cool down ride. Plus, it is perfect for a trailer if you're bringing a little one along. MB2 starts slow with lots of left and right turns that limit your speed. It opens up soon enough and has nice flow. Some of the turns are really sandy and love to grab your front tire. You can pretty much pick a gear and stay in it all the way down to the creek. Crossing the creek onto MB4 is where the excitement is. There are a few different trail options and its easy to mix and match as there are signs at major intersections. Harbins is a great place to bring the family, with facilities, a few miles of paved trails and a playground; makes it easier to get permission from the other half to go for a ride. There really is something for everyone.
* Review edited 7/28/2010
reviewed by bikegaucho on July 5, 2010
definately a fun place to ride, the big loop is more fun and flows better counter clockwise in my opinion. rode there yesterday on the 4th and became part of a search and rescue on the hiking trail. a lady became dehydrated about halfway in so we lent a hand and was able to ride the trail. not sure of the "rules" on riding the hiking trail regularly but it was nice.
Similar Trail: tribble mill
reviewed by rcapilli on May 10, 2010
Any negative comments here are mainly due to the riders NOT finding the proper trails. It's not their fault either. Mainly because the trail is marked as HIKING. The BIKING trail is pretty basic and really not worth riding if you are over the age of 15. When you park your car. Behind the bathrooms you will find a PAVED walking trail. Take a left on that paved trail. about 100 -150 yards down you will see HIKING trails to your right. And you will see entry points. Take those trails. I passed a few hikers and it was totally cool. It's not single track, it's pretty wide with little berms to jump all over the place. Eventually you will come to some flat rock. It's pretty neat to ride on. Some moderate climbs, nothing to steep, but long enough climbs to get your heart rate up. Fast, fun downhills. The trial is VERY well maintained. I think I rode the trail for over an hour. So there is plenty of time to ride and have fun... Just remember to find the HIKING trail to ride. It is well worth it, trust me.
reviewed by highneed on May 2, 2010
I hate dissing any bike trail but this one was just plain unexciting and felt extremely contrived other than the 10 seconds of downhill in the "freeride" area and 2 seconds on a short gneiss slope. There is zero flow to this park, just zigzagging back and forth, I felt like a rabbit trying to avoid a bobcat, only a rabbit can get some speed going.
* Review edited 5/2/2010
Similar Trail: Yellow River, Fort Yargo
reviewed by j._r._eaton on April 14, 2010
Harbins Redux¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. It’s amazing how much difference a year can make. Mr. Steel and the dedicated members of GATR have turned a dull and boring trail into an exciting and great trail rivaling or surpassing anything in the Atlanta area, including Blankets and Chicopee. The Indian loop is killer and when you cross Cedar creek and see the doll head you’ll know your there. The original loops have also been redone. And now have great flow up hill and downhill elements. The average speed is double what it was originally and if you look hard enough you can see the older stuff well mulched and given back to nature as it should be. I was listening to Enya Orinoco Flow when I came back to ride these trails, how fitting.
Similar Trail: Yargo, Chicopee, Blankets
reviewed by GoldenGoose on February 20, 2010
This place is the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of trails. I rode all the trails over two days because of time constraints and I'm glad I gave it a second try. The secret to these trails is finding the advanced section. Day 1 was beginner and intermediate loops with day 2 being advanced loop. Boring old Dr. Jekyll: I found the beginner and intermediate loops near the parking lot to be pretty uninspiring. They seemed like little more than repetitive tight turns with a few dips and roots thrown in to keep you from falling asleep at the wheel. Never could get any real momentum up because you were continuously weaving left and right. They layout of the trails seemed forced and didn't feel like a good match for the terrain. It was almost like they purposely wanted to keep the ride at a snails pace. If so, congrats. Crazy Mr Hyde: Luckily I came back for the advanced section and was thoroughly rewarded. The entire layout and feel of the trails changes on the advanced loop with a few decent climbs, rewarding downhills, technical spots, water crossings, slick rock sections, and an optional freeride area. The free ride section is a MUST. Great job GATR!. I must have ridden this loop 4 times today just to keep hitting those high berms and jumps.
Similar Trail: Big Creek
reviewed by kstoddart on November 19, 2009
Rode out there today. Had a fun ride. Lots of long zig zag trails. Very few, if any, hard climbs that I could find. I had a really good time though. Took a pretty good spill as well.
reviewed by sntruitt on August 16, 2009
May very well be my new favorite park. I rode it by myself today and plan to take the CMC MTB Team there this week. I think all will enjoy! more to come....
Similar Trail: blankets Creek, Woodstack, Ga
reviewed by willcoop5454 on August 15, 2009
I love this park. The trails are very clean and well maintained. It is not very crowded and seems to be a secret from the masses.
Similar Trail: Yellow river, Fort Yargo, Tribble Mill
reviewed by Mike2009 on August 2, 2009
These trails are awesome! There are 4 trails currently with plans for a 5th soon (from what I hear) there is a trail for everyone based on your level of experience...I had a blast today and will definitely be back often! Lots of fun and you are never too far away if something was to happen... they also have hiking, equestrian, paved bike trails, and Great kids playgrounds so it is an awesome place to take the entire family (They will have plenty to do so you can ride!) You gotta check out this park!
Similar Trail: Ft Yargo, Chicopee
reviewed by mtbgreg1 on July 24, 2009
trek7k is right on: this trail is a sweet ride! had a great time out there today. the expert loop definitely makes this place... i'm probably heading back soon to just spend some time doing laps the downhill section with all the jumps and berms, that stuff was awesome! and this place is way better than 2.5 stars.
Similar Trail: 441 trails, Heritage park
reviewed by trek7k on July 21, 2009
I think the early reviewers either haven't seen the new trails or they're trying to keep Harbins as their "secret stash." :) Miles and miles of trails for all skill levels including an exposed granite downhill, banked turns, jumps, and short steep climbs. The park facilities are top notch, hats off to Gwinnett County and GATR!
* Review edited 7/22/2009
Similar Trail: Chicopee, FATS, Yellow River.
reviewed by SAI_Trails on June 29, 2009
There are four mountain bike sections that are currently open. They have not been officially named as of today, but they are commonly referred to as MB1-MB4. All four sections have been renovated by Steele & Associates Inc. with consultation help by SORBA GATR. The trails are on average 2-3' wide now, but by next spring they will have shrunk down to 18" or so as the new foliage comes in. There is a mix of fantastic scenic views, and some areas that are not so beautiful, but you do have about 11 miles of nice singletrack that makes a great ride. MB1 is good for beginners or just a warm up. MB2 adds a little challenge in there with some dips and small whoops along with some tight turns. MB3 is a long loop that runs downhill on one side, and up the other. It is certainly the most aerobically challenging of the sections. MB4 is the more advanced area with three different downhill lines to choose from, along with 3 1/2 miles of XC trail. It has features for many levels of skill. There is already plans in the future to add another MB5 section that may end of up being as much as 6 additional miles. This trail system is worth another look if you have only been there once. Many things have been changed since the opening!
Similar Trail: It is shaping up to be similar to Tribble Mill and even in some parts a bit like Chicopee.
reviewed by j._r._eaton on April 12, 2009
Some additional info on the trail that I obtained using a Magellan triton 400 and National Geographic TOPO software. The open trail is 4.3 miles long, elevation gain is +206 ft -207 ft the high point on the trail is 981 ft low point 855 ft. Lots of soft loam, and mud. My son said it was boring also.
* Review edited 4/25/2009
Similar Trail: Vastly superior: Blankets Creek, Chicopee Woods, Ft. Yargo State Park.
reviewed by j._r._eaton on March 28, 2009
Rode the trail opening day, sortof boring but the terrain could lend to improvement.
* Review edited 4/25/2009
Similar Trail: In the area you have FT. Yargo State Park a vastly superior trail.
