When I moved back to the flatlands of the southeast a couple years ago I found it odd that mountain bike trails had difficulty ratings. Some ratings were official (like the beginner and advanced trails at Little River) while others were a bit more informal and passed along via word of mouth (the river side trails are easier than the creek side at Yellow River). But I gotta say, I just don’t get it. All the trails seem the same to me!
Of course in Colorado it’s pretty easy to tell the beginner trails from the advanced ones: long climbs and technical descents easily take trails from mild to wild. When a trail is marked “black” at Palmer Park, you know it’s pretty gnarly and beginners should steer clear while sticking to the “green” paths. But what’s so advanced about the “advanced” loop out at Beaver Dam near Raleigh? It’s longer? That’s about the only difference I could see, all the trails have roots and rocks and short steep sections that beginners may need to walk.
Out at Yellow River it seems like the rumors have it backward. The supposedly easier river-side trails seemed much more eroded and rocky in spots despite being wider and a little flatter. Perhaps this is a just a local myth that’s meant to keep the masses off the creek-side trails so they don’t end up as eroded and wide as the river-side trails.
The point of all this is to say you can’t always rely on the trail recommendations of others, especially experienced riders who have been biking for years. If you’re a beginner, don’t let labels intimidate you (especially informal ones)–give the more difficult trails a try and if you don’t like ’em, turn around and go back the way you came! You’ll be surprised how much you can handle if you just give it a try.
