We didn't expect Ohio to make our list of the best MTB destinations in the midwest, but here we are

Baileys Trail System. Photo: Delia Palmisano

Mountain biking is booming in states that many riders wouldn’t expect. One of the unsuspecting locales now leading the charge?

Ohio.

Trail building has exploded in Ohio in recent years, and the singletrack gold rush is only gaining steam. In the past 16 months or so, we’ve published five different articles about trail development in Ohio, and when you dig into these stories, you’ll find that the scale of the builds underway is truly astonishing. For example, Cincinnati is working to build 255 miles of new singletrack by 2030, which will complete an integrated 934-mile singletrack and greenway trail network through the metro area. After years of development, the Baileys Trail System is now online as the “longest contiguous MTB-optimized trail system east of the Mississippi River” with 88 miles of singletrack. Cleveland is also working on numerous urban trail developments, and historic networks like West Branch State Park are getting modern makeovers.

Few would expect Ohio to be home to the next big wave of singletrack investment. While some parts of the state have rolling hills, other parts are pancake flat. There’s only one national forest in Ohio, and sprawling metropolises cover much of the region with urban sprawl and rustbelt detritus.

So the rise of MTB in Ohio is a testament to the passion and dedication of local mountain bike advocates to build better trails for all of us to enjoy. If you’re a local rider looking for a new trail to ride, or you find yourself in Ohio with your bike in tow, turn your knobbies towards one of the state’s five best trails.

Baileys Trail System, Athens

The Baileys Trail System near Athens is now the “longest contiguous MTB-optimized trail system east of the Mississippi River,” following the completion of its 88-mile network in 2025. The trails wind through the rolling Appalachian hills of Wayne National Forest — Ohio’s only national forest — and were built in Athens County, one of the state’s poorest regions. The project was intentionally designed as an economic driver to revitalize communities that have seen decades of decline since the coal industry went bust. According to economic studies, the system is projected to generate $53 million in cumulative economic impact over 10 years, and it’s already delivering: in the first year after the initial phase opened, the direct economic impact to Athens County reached $3.6 million.

The trail system offers flow-style machine-built singletrack featuring plenty of berms, rollers, and jumps, constructed by renowned builders including IMBA Trail Solutions, Appalachian Dirt, Linear Active, Rock Solid, and Dirt Sculpt. “We do have some rock, but definitely not as much rock as you would see in, say, West Virginia,” said Jessie Powers, Executive Director of the Outdoor Recreation Council of Appalachia.

The bulk of construction has been funded by $10.6 million in federal grant money, with about $2.7 million allocated for the main trailhead facility in the town of Chauncey, which already features a new bikeway extension, two new parking lots, new playground equipment, and plans for a visitor hub, bike washing station, and future campground.

Read more: “The Baileys Trail System in Ohio will be one of the largest MTB trail systems in the Eastern USA“

Mohican, Loudonville

The Mohican mountain bike trail system in Mohican State Park near Loudonville is widely considered the best singletrack in the state. The main loop clocks in at a bit over 24 miles, with nearly all of it classified as flowing singletrack through coniferous and mixed deciduous forest. The trail rewards riders who put in the work: the opening miles have brutal climbs, but the payoff comes in long ridgeline runs and eventually, past the 20-mile mark, a final stretch packed with rock gardens and pumptrack-like flow sections. In 2017, IMBA officially recognized Mohican as an Epic trail. The system has since expanded to around 30 miles total, with a skills park, beginner-friendly loops near the lodge, and a newer bird-of-prey-themed trail network that opened in 2022.

The volunteer backbone of Mohican is the Mohican-Malabar Bike Club (MMBC), which has been building and maintaining the trails since 2003 and hosts a packed calendar of group rides throughout the season. The trail is directional (counter-clockwise) from roughly mile eight onward, with a handful of bailout points at road crossings if you need to cut things short. Mohican also serves as the home base for the legendary Mohican 100, an ultra-endurance race that sends riders across three counties for 10,000 feet of climbing. Whether you’re looking for a casual half-day loop or a full-day sufferfest, Mohican delivers.

Photos courtesy COMBO.

Horns Hill Park, Newark

If Ohio has a gravity capital, it’s Horns Hill. “Built by locals in partnership with the City of Newark and the Central Ohio Mountain Biking Organization (COMBO), Horns Hill has transformed over the past five years from a scrappy hillside with trails into a full-blown, shuttle-served downhill destination,” said Ryan Hughes, Executive Director of COMBO.

Many of the trails now available at Horns Hill were built by Innovative Dirt Solutions. With this modern refresh, riders will now find roughly seven miles of machine-built flow, flow-tech, a skills area, and jump lines for every progression level. The signature run is Slim Shady: a must-do for expert riders. While the trails only measure about 240 vertical feet tall, with easy shuttle road access, riders can clock lap after lap. They run shuttles to the top most weekends, and if demand is high, they add a second truck.

“Horns is already an incredible place, and it’s about to get better,” said Hughes. “Construction will start this year with a $400,000 grant secured by COMBO, which will see the installation of engineered takeoffs and Trail Armor and a refresh of every trail on the hill. It’s hard to imagine how it could get better, and we couldn’t be more excited.”

John Bryan State Park, Yellow Springs

John Bryan State Park has gained a reputation as one of the best-maintained trails in Ohio. “It has 15 miles, and while not super technical with very little elevation, it is very fun for all ages and abilities,” said Monika Kaleps, President of the Miami Valley Mountain Bike Association (MVMBA), which built and maintains the trail in conjunction with the park. The high-speed flow draws riders from across the state, and even neighboring states like West Virginia, Kentucky, and Indiana.

“It is one direction by the day, so fast riders can really rip without worrying about head-on collisions,” said Kaleps. “It is great for families and couples, or friends introducing the sport to new riders.” Since the trail is located in a state park, it is a popular spot for a weekend camp-and-ride getaway. John Bryan also hosts an annual 6-hour race.

Alum Creek State Park, Delaware

If there’s one trail that keeps Columbus-area riders coming back week after week, it’s Alum Creek State Park. Located in Delaware County, less than 30 minutes north of downtown, the 26-mile Alum Creek trail system is maintained by COMBO and has been a cornerstone of central Ohio riding since Phase 1 was first built in 1992. “Alum Creek is the OG,” said Hughes. “It was the beginning of the advocacy and learning how to be good stewards of the land and this community.” Phase 1 runs about 5.5 miles of rooty, technically demanding singletrack through mature forest along the east side of Alum Creek Reservoir. Phase 2 turns things up another notch with creek crossings, punchy climbs, log overs, and a standout curving elevated ladder bridge that’s become one of the most talked-about features on any trail in the state.

In October 2025, a long-awaited four-mile corridor officially connected Phase 1 and Phase 2, built to Kootenay Adaptive Trail Standards in partnership with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and funded through a Recreational Trails Program grant. The result is a beginner- and adaptive-friendly section that has opened the sport to hundreds of new riders and transformed Alum Creek into the go-to spot in Columbus to try mountain biking for the first time. A six-mile rehabilitation project is also currently underway, modernizing legacy trails with improved drainage and updated flow features that, as Hughes describes, “reflect how riders want to move through the woods today.”

Rounding out the system is a 1.7-mile beginner loop and the Gnomewood Skills Park, making Alum Creek one of the most complete trail systems in Ohio for riders of any ability level.