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Owls Roost (Bur-Mil Park) Mountain Bike Trail
Greensboro, North Carolina
MTB TRAIL STATS
Avg Rating:    |
30 trail reviews |
|
Status: updated 10/10/11 by RidingPastor |
Difficulty:  Intermediate |
| Length: 8 miles | Global Rank: #784 |
| Tread: Singletrack | Configuration: Loop |
| Ridden: 178 | Wishlist: 45 |
| Avg. Speed: 9.3 mph | Avg. Time: 1hr 16min |
| Elevation Gain/Loss: +855/-1,063 ft |
Directions:
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Description: Owls Roost has the best combination of technicality and brisk singletrack in Greensboro. The trail starts at the Bur-Mill Park parking lot. The first 1.5 miles is fast and smooth downhill until the trail comes to a T with a wide dirt trail. Take a right and follow the trail to the sign that points "Owls Roost" on the left. (If you go straight past the sign, you can add a bonus lap by riding past the fishpond and back into the woods for a good climb followed by more fast singletrack.) There are quite a few rooty uphills on this trail and some strategically placed logs that make Owls Roost moderately technical. But the speed of the trail makes for a great ride. About halfway through the trail there is a ten-foot gully. The drop down looks a bit rooty and dangerous, but don't fret, potential energy is on your side. You'll really have to crank it through the down and especially on the up to ride through the root at the top. Believe me, it's no fun going down the gully backwards!) The rest of the ride will take you by the edge of Lake Brandt and into pine tree filled woods. The trail ends at the greenway that connects Country Park on the left with Owls Roost Road to the right.
Description: Owls Roost has the best combination of technicality and brisk singletrack in Greensboro. The trail starts at the Bur-Mill Park parking lot. The first 1.5 miles is fast and smooth downhill until the trail comes to a T with a wide dirt trail. Take a right and follow the trail to the sign that points "Owls Roost" on the left. (If you go straight past the sign, you can add a bonus lap by riding past the fishpond and back into the woods for a good climb followed by more fast singletrack.) There are quite a few rooty uphills on this trail and some strategically placed logs that make Owls Roost moderately technical. But the speed of the trail makes for a great ride. About halfway through the trail there is a ten-foot gully. The drop down looks a bit rooty and dangerous, but don't fret, potential energy is on your side. You'll really have to crank it through the down and especially on the up to ride through the root at the top. Believe me, it's no fun going down the gully backwards!) The rest of the ride will take you by the edge of Lake Brandt and into pine tree filled woods. The trail ends at the greenway that connects Country Park on the left with Owls Roost Road to the right.
added in 2003 by 
SIMILAR TRAILS
Riders who liked this mountain bike trail also liked:Wild Turkey in Greensboro
Overmountain Victory Trail (Kerr Scott Reservoir) in Wilkesboro
USNWC in Charlotte
Tsali Mouse Branch Loop in Bryson City
TRAIL REVIEWS review this trail
reviewed by danglinfool on August 16, 2011
A lot of roots make this trail a little more difficult than it would be. Not to much climbing but with all the roots you can struggle to keep momentum in some sections. This is all broken up though by some nice fast flowy sections. A nice down and back that may grow on me the more times I ride it.
Similar Trail: Wild Turkey, Reedy Fork
reviewed by glessner on April 21, 2011
Nice balance of flow and technical stuff with a few good elevation changes going both ways. Almost a PNW-like woods atmosphere right now. Lake provides some nice scenery when you have time to look up. MTB-only.
Similar Trail: Wild Turkey, Country Park
reviewed by xvan on April 20, 2011
Fun ride lots of roots. Needs more technical options on the trail.
reviewed by bikerjoe170 on March 3, 2011
Lotttttts of roots but fun the faster u go the less bumpy good work out rode both directions almost 9 miles that way
Similar Trail: hobby park but a touch easier
reviewed by RidingPastor on February 27, 2011
I have ridden this one a couple times but only to the fire road. to get off of it. I am not impressed with it. It is tough, rooty, and does not flow at all like Wild Turkey. the trail does run alongside the lake and it does provide for some pretty views. I will stick to Wild Turkey and Big Loop at Burr-Mill. I might try it one last time opposite of how I has started it the past two times. Just to see.
reviewed by hampton1100 on February 6, 2011
I'm not trying to say everyone else is wrong, but for me there was nothing exciting about this trail. not enough elevation change, too much straight, no technicality, just a boring design. I rode it a few times before I made my decision.
Similar Trail: your backyard
reviewed by baddad549 on January 16, 2011
AKA Owl's Root. This one was tough on me as a beginner but now we combine it with Wild Turkey to make a great combo ride. Very fast and challenging. Depends on your speed.
* Review edited 1/16/2011
reviewed by jcaiii on November 18, 2010
A bit rooty in one direction (away from Bur-Mill park), but very fun and fast.
reviewed by kstoddart@mac.com on November 19, 2009
I spent a weekend in Greebsboro on October. We rode several of the great trails in the area. Owl's Roost is the most technical. It's long and windy, great climbs, and a guaranteed great workout for anyone that rides it.
Similar Trail: Blankets Creek
reviewed by CTylerForrest on September 5, 2009
I rode this trail recently, only my second off-road trail on my new Trek MTB, and in my first week in years back in the sattle. It was a fun ride, traffic goes both ways which could be a bad thing but still a nice little trail. There are only a couple downhill steeps but that also means very few uphill climbs, good beginner trail.
reviewed by ncsurfer128 on April 29, 2009
I rode this trail today and loved it. Im relatively a new rider and the sign says it is for advanced riders but it wasnt too hard for me. A very fast and fun trail! I will defiantely ride this trail again.
reviewed by kyleht287 on April 23, 2009
This trail is a fun ride. It borders Lake Brandt nearly the whole duration of the trail, which is very nice, and it has several good climbs, is very rooty, and has lots of log pyramids and technical challenge. Not quite as fun as Hobby, but certainly easier on the lungs!
Similar Trail: Hobby Park
reviewed by pedrotyler on January 20, 2009
this trail is awesome if you ride it you will see a lot of wild life there are also plenty of technical challenges along the trail i will defiantly ride it again
Similar Trail: tsali
reviewed by lmxloco on August 1, 2008
This is, in my opinion, one of the best trails in the triad area. Fast. Flowing. Technical. It might not be the most technical track around, but some parts might be intimidating to beginners, including the 25 foot gully near the middle. Fortunately for beginners though, there are usually a way around the log crossings and pyramids that dot the trail. The whoop-de-doos, short climbs, quick descents, and well kept trail make it a blast to ride. It's close proximity to other trails also means you could spend hours on your bike without ever having to leave the area or even revisit the same scenery. Simply a blast to ride!
Similar Trail: Country Park, Wild Turkey
reviewed by jhckelman on July 25, 2008
Definitely the best trail in Greensboro, and one of my faves in the Piedmont (though I'm also nostalgic since it's close to the house I grew up in and I've been riding it for about a decade now). Good flow for the most part, with some technical challenges (log piles, etc.) thrown in as well. All this trail needs is a few (legal) northshore styly features!
Similar Trail: Hobby Park is another good trail in the Triad.
reviewed by barrem on July 15, 2008
This is the most enjoyable trail I've ridden in Greensboro so far. You can ride it pretty fast and its a decent length. It begins and ends on the same greenway so you can either ride out and back on the trail or take the greenway back if you don't have enough time/energy to ride the full length twice. I've been riding for a little over a month and didn't find the trail too difficult. The only climbs I ran into trouble on were the ones I didn't see coming because I wasn't paying attention. As long as you keep your momentum up there really isn't a whole lot to hung up on. Also, most of the obstacles have alternate routes around them if you don't feel like testing your skills.
Similar Trail: Country Park (more up and down); Northeast Park (less technical)
reviewed by aabiking on June 1, 2008
This trail has a very nice flow to it and can carry a lot of speed whic I like. As for climbing there is really nothing that I would call a climb since I am used to climbing at least a 1000 feet in 3 to 4 miles. But with the lay of the land I feel that the guys in Greensboro have built a nice trail. A lot of the log crossings need to be rebuilt when there a chance to do so. I enjoyed the trail and plan on riding it again soon.
Similar Trail: Angler's Ridge in Danville VA
reviewed by peefaff on May 1, 2008
I absolutely love this trail. Although I have yet to ride every piece of the trail, I've done the 5-6 mile ride which takes about an hour. It has it's fun downhills, and some decent climbs with roots that can get pretty sketchy. It is much better then Country Park, which is right next door. The logovers add to the thrill, there aren't very many at the beginning of the trail, it's mostly uphill and downhill with some narrow spots and bridges, as well as some whoopdedoos, up the hill and back down, which add for some fun up and down speed, then you hit the 30 foot gravity cavity which is always fun, you can do it over and over again, or you can take the bypass just before it if you aren't ready for it. After that the hills become more scarce, and it's weaving in and out of the trees with log overs every 1000 or so feet. Overall it's a very fun trail to ride. Just watch out when you pull in and drive by the golf course, or you'll get hit by a golf ball, that actually happened to me today. hah.
* Review edited 5/1/2008
Similar Trail: Country Park
reviewed by MHK on April 24, 2008
Very pleasant, generally fast and smooth with a few challenging tech sections. Not much climbing or descending, so not much of an aerobic test. The designers showed some imagination in laying this out, and I wonder if the trail could be networked outward to take advantage of a lot of additional acreage. For me, a visitor from VT, this was a great early season ride to sharpen the tech skills.
reviewed by Stamps on February 20, 2008
A great local trail that's right down the greenway from my crib. Well designed with lots of features to play around with although it lacks freeride type features at this time. A nice whoopteedo, a couple well draining smoothed out, flowy downhills (or uphills), tree pyramids (Is that the only technical trail feature the Fat Tire Society can come up with??) Overall, a nice afterwork workout. I wouldn't recommend it as a destination ride since Salem Lake and Dark Mountain are fairly close and offer much more in terms of trail variety and technical features. Incidently, there's a secret trail spot in between Lake Brant Apartments and the Guilford Green Subdivision that has a couple of jumps and a nice teeter if you're looking for something different. If you follow the trail that starts with the steep steps off the side of the greenway you'll come across this section. Its a nice little diversion to Owl's Roost from the Battleground Park parking lot.
Similar Trail: Northeast Park, Wild Turkey Trail (new), Country Day Park
reviewed by Nogard on January 14, 2008
This trail is proably the best in Greensboro, i havent rode all the other so i cant say for sure, its a fun ride, has a few log pyramids but nothing to technical. you can often see deer and other animals along the ride. not as technical as i would like but the trail all in all is in good shape and has a few pretty fun sections the review below mine sums it up perfect, and i too would be willing to help build some more technical sections ie: log bridges, teeter-totter, some trials riding, etc..
* Review edited 1/14/2008
Similar Trail: New light trails in raleigh
reviewed by plantme777 on January 9, 2008
This one just barely punched through into the category 4 rating, for me. It is much fun and allows you to carry speed in technical sections. There is some variety of terrain and scenery.(the pine forest section is a quiet, favorite part of the trails for me) Another feature worth mentioning is the rolling stepped uphill part where you can treat some of the climb almost like a pump track. (if you are up on the pedals and carrying speed) I hesitate to even mention the "big gully" because I was so disappointed with it. That would be a good spot for building an exit option that had a decent lip on it, and putting in a few tasteful but man made stunts/obstacles, just to offer something to those who like that sort of thing. (yes, I am willing to contribute design and labor if the subject is ever discussed) I ride a 6" full suspension/29er rigid/and a fully rigid bianchi trail bike with moustache bars, and have enjoyed this trail with all of them. It is well built, wears well, and definitely encourages that swooshy flowing type of riding that we all love. By the way, I think this trail would be great for a beginner, and would grow with a new rider as he/she developed.
* Review edited 1/13/2008
Similar Trail: It is maybe a bit like Salem lake, but with much less climbing. It also flows a bit better than Salem lake.
reviewed by Reserverockhopper on December 23, 2007
This is the areas best trail. The key here is to ride it all, in both directions, to get the full benefit. I also consider Big Loop & Little Loop, part of Owls Roose, since neither of these are long enough to be their own trails. When doing Owls Roost, you can park at the bottom near the science barn and hit the trail head there. Or you can park at the top entrance to Bur-Mil at the swimming pool and bomb an excellent downhill on Big Loop to get to the Owls Roost trailhead. After you complete Owls Roost in one direction, I recommend turning around and going back to opposite direction, but add a twist. Hit the fire roads that split off to the left. They are fun and give you some speed. The whoop=de-dos are also better and more fun in the return direction. If you have time, throw in Little Loop which is some of the best trail pound for pound, or should I say foot for foot.
* Review edited 12/28/2007
Similar Trail: Over Victorymountain Trail - Wilkesboro
reviewed by RICHARD.N.SNYDER on September 16, 2007
The more I ride this trail the more I love it. Hands down its my favorite trail in the Greensboro area
* Review edited 9/16/2007
Similar Trail: Fisher Farm Park
reviewed by yellowXtrek on December 10, 2005
For a detailed map of this trail a downloadable PDF is available at the following: http://www.greensborovelo.com/mt/ Click on the link for Bur Mill. Enjoy!
reviewed by lgozor57 on October 24, 2005
This first section is 1.2 miles and is actually called "Big Loop". It's not a loop though. It's a rolling fast section that takes you down to the lake greenway. It's fast but watch out for hikers. Turn right on the greenway and go about 1/4 mile (past the small pier on left) and then turn left onto the Owl's Roost trail head. This is 5 miles of sweet single track. It's a little rooty in sections but, has some fast rolling sections, tight turns, a few moderate climbs and several log pile ride overs. Has great views of the lake! The trail ends back on the greenway. Turn right go approx. 1/2 mile back across Owl's Roost Rd and turn left onto "Little Loop"trail. This is 1 mile of steady up and down singletrack. It's a great add on. You'll come back out of on the greenway, turn left proceed 1/2 mile back to "Big Loop" and finish off your ride for about 9.3 miles total.
reviewed by Blur-Girl on June 27, 2005
Really enjoyed this trail. Not much climbing, good technical mix, fun fast sections and lots of roots. A bit hard to follow the first time, but a breeze the second go round. Skipped the gulley on first lap, mistakenly took it on the next - glad I did. FUN!!!
Similar Trail: Rennaissance Park, Governor's Creek.
reviewed by yellowXtrek on April 24, 2005
Overall a great trail. Some technical sections along with some fast singletrack. A few quick downhill sections make this trail a lot of fun to ride. Very well maintained.
Similar Trail: Country Park
reviewed by MellowRob on April 5, 2005
Very fun trail. Some rooty technical sections and log crossings combine with some speedy singletrack and short downhill/uphill sections to make for a challenging but viable trail. The gully is a quick rush of speed that seems to have lost its bite, but still s***s you in for a few rollercoaster rides.
reviewed by trek7k on pre 2003
Since when did people start putting crap on the trail to make it more technical? This trail used to be awesome because of its speed mixed with moderate technicallity. People are adding log piles to the trail that make it impossible to ride in certain parts. If you ask me I think someone should go to the trail and throw all the logs off the trail.
Similar Trail: Tsali (minus the log piles), Bald Eagle Trail
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