Much like hiking, mountain biking combines the enlivening effect of being in nature with the benefits of exercise. Mountain biking has a couple of other advantages too: it allows you to cover more ground and take in more sights in a shorter period of time than hiking, and depending on how you ride, it can be a fast-paced, heart-pounding thrill.
You don’t have to be a hard core mountain biker to enjoy mountain biking trails near you. Below ReserveAmerica highlights six areas around the country with trails of varying difficulty levels, from easy to expert:
Recommended: This Season’s Best Mountain Biking Destinations
1. Harold Parker State Forest, Massachusetts
A haven of rolling hills, low lying swampy areas, rock outcrops, and several ponds, Harold Parker State Forest is a retreat just 20 miles north of Boston. There are over 3,000 acres of hardwood, hemlock, and white pine forest, and a 91-site campground. Recreational opportunities abound, including hiking, fishing, canoeing, hunting, horseback riding, and of course mountain biking its 35 miles of trails:
- 5 Mile FP Route – this 5 mile circular route takes nearly 2 hours to complete and climbs about 370 feet for the intermediate biker.
- Intermediate/Advanced HP Loop – at a distance of 9.7 miles, this loop begins intermediate, becomes hard and then gets much easier. Great for intermediate bikers who want to grow their skill set.
- HP/Ward 30 Miler – this loop covers 30.5 miles and offers nearly 2,000 feet of elevation gain. Rated as hard, the adventurer taking this route will see much of the lush forest.
2. Lake Corpus Christi State Park, Texas
An ecologically diverse park named after its famed lake, Lake Corpus Christi State Park is a mixture of brushlands, woodlands, and wetlands. The lake is over 18,000 acres and known for its largemouth and white bass, as well as catfish, crappie, and redear sunfish. Additionally, the area offers up some easy mountain biking alongside the lake:
- Longhorn Trail – this single-track easy trail is under a mile trail, taking bikers near a point by the lake shoreline.
- Catfish Point Trail – another easy single-track about one mile in length that does a loop along one of the peninsulas jutting into the lake
- Lake Corpus Christi Trail – this trail covers most of the park, including the two trails listed above and is about 4 miles in length.
Recommended: 8 Common Mountain Bike Road Trip Mistakes
3. Lake Cascade State Park, Idaho
Lake Cascade State Park is favorite for mountain bikers due to its miles of single track mountain biking trails coursing through central Idaho’s searing mountains. The park is about 75 miles north of Boise, making it easily accessible for city folk, too. Besides mountain bike riding, campers at Lake Cascade can also go hiking, boating, sailing, windsurfing, and fishing for rainbow trout, Coho salmon, perch, and smallmouth bass.
The following trails are highlights in and around the park:
- Big Flat Cutoff Trail – this one mile trail is considered easy and takes about an hour and half to complete
- Peace Creek Trail – this three mile trail is considered hard and leads to a scenic high mountain meadow. It takes nearly 4 hours to run.
- Greenfield Flats Trail – an “expert” 5.2 mile trail that takes nearly 6 hours to bike from start to end, winding through dense pines, grasses, small aspens, brush, subalpine fir, and spruce.
4. Hanging Rock State Park, North Carolina
Located under an hour’s drive from Winston-Salem, Hanging Rock State Park is an oasis of waterfalls and rock outcrops offering memorable views of the mountains. The lake is open for swimming, boating, and fishing, and there are plenty of camping options with over 90 campsites, including 10 family cabins. Campground amenities include restrooms, warm showers, and a bath house. For bikers, the multi-use trail system provides some great mountain biking opportunities:
- Land of the Lost Trail – this 1.7 mile loop is considered intermediate and climbs nearly 200 feet.
- Major Tom – a hard 1.3 mile single track takes bikers zig zagging up and down a 138 foot incline.
- Moore’s Springs Trail – a difficult trail, covering over 8 miles and climbing over 700 feet, allows bikers to see much of the park.
Recommended: Great RV Camping in the Summer
5. Ainsworth State Park, Oregon
This park rests along the Columbia River Gorge and is located just outside of Portland. The gorge is characterized by waterfalls spilling from basalt cliffs among verdant forest. With nearly 1,000 miles of trails in the surrounding area, there are some great mountain biking opportunities:
- Easy Climb Trail – a smooth, flowy single track of 2.7 miles and easy-intermediate difficulty that has short descents and very little climbing to take you through the forest and alongside the river.
- Lacamas Lake Access Trail – an intermediate trail of 1.4 miles that twists and trunks back and forth across the river and around Round Lake.
- Cold Creek Trail – this 10.4 mile difficult trail takes riders to the top of Larch Mountain for a long and lively descent over varied terrain.
6. Breaks Interstate Park, Virginia
So named for the “breaks,” or passage in this section of the Appalachian Mountains, Breaks Interstate Park rests on the south-western corner of Virginia at the Kentucky border. Plenty of fantastic singletrack mountain biking can be had here along ridgelines, down into valleys and through the lush forest. There is also plenty of camping at the park with 138n camping sites, as well as cabin and yurt options. Mountain biking trails are intermediate to difficult:
- Breaks Interstate Park Trail – this 12 mile singletrack trail is intermediate in difficulty and takes bikers through much of the park.
- Rattlesnake Trail – a 2.3 mile loop on a singletrack that offers breezy descents and moderate technical rock sections for the intermediate to advanced biker.
- Pine Mountain Scenic Trail – this singletrack is 25.6 miles long and connects Breaks Interstate with Pine Mountain State Park in KY.
Are you ready for an outdoor adventure? Plan your camping trip!
Check with your Local Government Organization
Many policies have been established to counter and control the coronavirus outbreak. State and local officials have been taking decisive action to stop the spread. The policies vary by state, sometimes to a great degree. When you book a reservation, make sure to review the park and state’s latest rules and regulations prior to your visit.
For COVID-19 updates, please visit our Impacted Park List and Reservation Guide for the latest information.