Best MTB routes across the US?

[jennymccoy]

Hi! I’m a freelance reporter with Bicycling Magazine and am writing a story about great MTB trails across the US. I’m looking for routes that have beautiful views, vary topographically/<wbr />geographically, and are doable for the average mountain biker (e.g. not over-the-top challenging). Any experienced MTBers have suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

[charding]

Hi jenny, I can’t help with your question but I’m replying to give it a bump back to the top in case it slipped by someone who can help. Plus, I’m also curious to see if there are any routes that cross the US that should be on my bucket list.

[rajflyboy]

Check the history of this website.   Singletracks has done many articles on the best trails across the USA.

You have come to the people who should be able to help you out.

[rmap01 ✓ supporter]

I would highly recommend the Flume Trail in Lake Tahoe.  Take a shuttle to the top.  The ride is very manageable for an average mountain biker.  The views are spectacular!

[Hap Proctor ✓ supporter]

If one is taking a southern route west to east you could look at:

1. Mount Laguna Recreation Area (Alpine, California….east of San Diego)

2. Sweetwater Preserve (Tucson, Arizona)

3. South Boundary (Taos, New Mexico)

4. Palo Duro Canyon (outside of Amarillo, Texas)

5. Oak Mountain State Park (Birmingham, Alabama)

6. Dupont State Forest (Brevard, North Carolina).

[rmap01 ✓ supporter]

4. Palo Duro Canyon (outside of Amarillo, Texas)

5. Oak Mountain State Park (Birmingham, Alabama)

6. Dupont State Forest (Brevard, North Carolina).

I echo Hap Proctors sentiments here as these are great trails.  But be prepared to climb if you go to DuPont.

On this west to east swing I would add Coldwater Mountain (in Aniston, Alabama about 90 min east of Oak Mountain).

As an addition/alternative to DuPont I would highly recommend Tsali (Bryson City, NC) to the north or Forks Area Trail System (FATS) located in Clarks Hill, SC to the south.  Both are very manageable for an average mountain biker.

[mongwolf]

Playing off of Hap’s idea of traveling across the country, but this time staying fairly near I-70 or US-50 going east to west, you have Mountwood SP in West Virginia, Mohican SP in Ohio, Berryman Trail in Missouri, several good trails in the KC metro most notably Swope, Switchgrass in Kansas, the Colorado Trail in CO (ride in segments), even the Stratton-Gold Camp-Buckhorn (or High Drive)-Jacks-Chutes loop in Colorado Springs is very beautiful and fun to ride, Kenosha to Breckenridge in CO (requires some intermediate+ training), and the Monarch Crest Shuttle in CO.

[Hap Proctor ✓ supporter]

Sounds like we’ve put together a good OAB road trip.

I could have added an Arkansas trail along my route.

[FredCook ✓ supporter]

Hap: I could have added an Arkansas trail along my route.

Yup, add Arkansas’ Ouachita trail… all 192 miles of it. 🙂  Definitely makes a nice east<->west connector.

Anyone here ever ride the whole thing?  I’ve only touched on parts of it.

[pedlr]

You could take a small chunk of the Great Divide, Colorado Trail or AZ Trail and call it a classic, easy ride. There would be, literally, dozens upon dozens of possible “classic rides” in just those three routes.

Not sure of the gist of your piece, but it seems like trying to create a sort of best-of survey of US trails would be a daunting (if not dubious) task. Good luck!

Any relation to Adventure Cycling media kingpin Mac McCoy?

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