Kansas: Lawrence
With at least 7 trails totaling more than 90 miles, Lawrence is a hotbed of mountain biking in a state generally not known for the sport. With two of the top three trails in the state according to our members’ reviews (Shawnee Mission Park and Clinton State Park), not only is there plenty of riding to be done, but the trails are great quality, too.
Kentucky: Louisville
Louisville is home to a little more than a handful of trail systems, including Fort Duffield and the new Mega Caverns bike park. However, whatever Louisville may be lacking in trail diversity it makes up for in infrastructure and general cycling culture. You’ll also have no problem finding great eats and other diversions in this city.
Louisiana: Shreveport
Shreveport is home to at least 6 different trails, including the second highest-ranked trail in the state: The Monkey Trail. While the trail selection might not be remarkable, Shreveport is large enough to support plenty of biking infrastructure, including a handful of shops.
Maine: Portland
Despite being located on the coast, Portland, Maine is home to at least 27 trails, including the two most popular in the state: Bradbury Mt. State Park and Libby Hill Forest Trails. Also, if you’re a lover of craft beer, Portland is the place to be in Maine! Back in 2014 when we published our “10 Beer Towns with a Mountain Biking Problem” article, Portland received runner up status because it “only” had 9 breweries. Now, this Wikipedia article lists at least 14.
Maryland: Germantown
Maryland is another one of those states where choosing one town as the capital will likely hit most of the best trails in that state, but nevertheless Germantown has been chosen by our database and the recommendation of our editorial team as the place to be. Within roughly 25 miles of Germantown you can hit all of the best trails in the state, including Patapsco Valley State Park, Vineyard Trail, and Schaeffer Farms right in Germantown. There are tons of other trail systems and networks in the region, as well as other amenities like pumptracks, skills parks, and bike shops. And speaking of capitals, this destination is the closest one to our nation’s capital on this list. In fact, Germantown is only 27 miles by car from downtown Washington DC.
