South Dakota: Rapid City
Rapid City is located at the eastern edge of the Black Hills and boasts nearby access to the Centennial trail, a 111-mile route that’s ranked #1 in the state by Singletracks members. There’s also Buzzard’s Roost and Lovers Leap just west of town and Custer State Park just inside the 25-mile radius. Be sure to check out the local beer scene which includes Hay Camp and Miner Brewing Companies.
Tennessee: Chattanooga
Chattanooga has rightfully earned its title as the MTB capital of Tennessee with roughly 100 miles of singletrack within 10 miles of town. And we aren’t talking neighborhood trails here: the terrain surrounding Chattanooga is rocky and steep, so you’ll find technical challenges at places like Raccoon and White Oak Mountains but also flow trails at places like Enterprise South and Five Points. The downtown scene offers something for everyone from rowdy college kids to families with even rowdier pre-schoolers. And hey, Chattanooga is where the original energy snack, the Moon Pie, was invented. Bonus: the two most popular trails in Tennessee (according to Singletacks members) are located in the Chattanooga area.
Texas: Austin
Texas is a big state with plenty to explore, but if it’s mountain biking you’re interested in, you’d be hard pressed to find a greater concentration of trails than in Austin. This Texas mountain bike capital is located right at the edge of Texas hill country, and riders will find more than 20 trails within 25 miles of town. And what a town it is: home to South by Southwest, the University of Texas, and at least 23 breweries, Austin is the place for mountain bikers in Texas. When you go, don’t miss the Walnut Creek Trails and Pace Bend.
Utah: Park City
With Moab carved out for our nation’s MTB capital, that leaves room for another excellent Utah mountain bike capital: Park City. Technically our destination algorithm ranks Park City even higher than Moab thanks to more than 400 miles of singletrack, multiple lift serviced resorts, and epic trails like the Wasatch Crest. Park City is an IMBA Gold Level Ride Center and offers great restaurants, multiple lodging options, and perhaps most importantly, popular breweries like Squatters and Wasatch.
Vermont: East Burke
Vermont is the Green Mountain state, so choosing just one town for the MTB capital is tough, but if you know anything about the Kingdom Trails, it’s really a no-brainer. In our mountain bike tourism survey last year, East Burke was the #1 destination for northeast mountain bikers, and no wonder. The Kingdom Trails offers up more than 100 miles of trails and connect to lift-serviced trails at the Q Burke Mountain Bike Park. East Burke is the mountain biking capital of Vermont–and possibly the entire Northeast!
