Can you have fun at Mountain Creek if you can't jump well?

rog2e

New Member
I was thinking of going but what is the minimum skill you would need say on the green trails to have a good time. I've been riding less than a year and mostly doing the trails around Morris County (lots of climbing and lots of sketchy descents lol). I'm not very good at jumping. To give you an idea, I went to High Bridge and thought the beginner trail was still a little too advanced for me. I didn't feel comfortable attempting to get air on any of the small jumps because I felt that there was not a lot of room for error on the landings (like I would end up going off the trail or overshooting a berm). Should I get more comfortable with drops and jumping before going to a place like MTN creek? Thanks
 
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Ian F

Well-Known Member
I would say yes, you can have a good time at Mtn Creek if you can't jump well. It's not all jumps and drops there. That said, it is also a good place to learn those skills if you want to. Starting with the progression drops near the bottom.
 

A Potted Plant

Honorary Sod
TBH you can but not for very long, the trails are a mess and will beat you up unless you bring something with longer travel to save you. Jumps will come when they come Nassau is a good place where you can learn jumps tbh I feel like the small jumps are better then creek because they're not beat to shit
 

FrankV

Active Member
I suck at jumps, but I do have to say that the blue trails have jumps that flow way better than highbridge. They will boot you in the right curve if you keep yourself loose and neutral on the the bike. The tech at creek is why I go there, if you like rock then the tech trails can keep you entertained for awhile
 

MissJR

not in the mood for your shenanigans
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Honestly, if you're new to biking and consider Morris county parks to have sketchy descents, then I don't think you'll have a good time at mountain creek... Especially this late in the season.

BUT if you do go, I HIGHLY suggest going with someone who knows the trails and can point things out to you and who will help to make sure you're not in over your head.
 

EJphotos

Well-Known Member
Yeah, you can have fun. I recently went there for my first time, I have no clue how to jump, but I had a blast. I stuck mostly on the green trails with a few blue trails mixed in. Can't wait to get there again when I have time.
The issue with the High Bridge flow trails is that they are quite skinny and have jumps that are too close together. The good thing about Creek is that the trails are much wider and have proper spacing between jumps. Plus, you can roll over all the jumps on the green trails and most the blue trails.
 

jdog

Shop: Halter's Cycles
Shop Keep
Go to highland in NH. Take a lesson and rent a big bike. My wife and 8 yr old daughter did so this summer. They can’t wait to go back.
 

graveyardman67

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I live 35 mins from Creek. I have been riding mountain bikes longer than a good percentage of people on board have been alive. I went to Mtn Creek for the first 2 weeks ago and went right back the next weekend. The easy trails are fine for anyone with reasonable skills to enjoy them without feeling like impending death is around the next turn.

That being said, I would recommend that anyone looking to improve their MTB skills visit Creek. The beauty of any DH park is that you can repeat the same trail all day long without the climbing. You can focus on turns, flat or bermed, jumps or just improving your flow The jumps on the green trails are spaced well and wide with lots of room for error.

Disclaimer... I went for the jumps, it's just not something in my skillset. In just a couple of visits, my level has jumped (no pun intended) significantly. DO IT!
 

A Potted Plant

Honorary Sod
Yeah, you can have fun. I recently went there for my first time, I have no clue how to jump, but I had a blast. I stuck mostly on the green trails with a few blue trails mixed in. Can't wait to get there again when I have time.
The issue with the High Bridge flow trails is that they are quite skinny and have jumps that are too close together. The good thing about Creek is that the trails are much wider and have proper spacing between jumps. Plus, you can roll over all the jumps on the green trails and most the blue trails.

The jump trail is nicer away from the pump track
 

goldsbar

Well-Known Member
To give you an idea, I went to High Bridge and thought the beginner trail was still a little too advanced for me. I didn't feel comfortable attempting to get air on any of the small jumps because I felt that there was not a lot of room for error on the landings (like I would end up going off the trail or overshooting a berm).

That's because most of those "jumps" on the green trail more closely resemble pumps on steroids. People that know what they're doing can treat them as doubles, but the doubles on the nearby Nassau trails are much easier.

Can't help much with Creek as it's been around 10 years since I was last there. I do remember the non-flow trails were techy fun but got pretty hardcore as soon as you moved past blue.
 

rog2e

New Member
Thanks all for the feedback! I will probably end up going and just to at least get that first experience in and I'm sure the more I go the better it will get (as long as I don't break anything lol).
 

rog2e

New Member
Yeah, you can have fun. I recently went there for my first time, I have no clue how to jump, but I had a blast. I stuck mostly on the green trails with a few blue trails mixed in. Can't wait to get there again when I have time.
The issue with the High Bridge flow trails is that they are quite skinny and have jumps that are too close together. The good thing about Creek is that the trails are much wider and have proper spacing between jumps. Plus, you can roll over all the jumps on the green trails and most the blue trails.
Yeah that's how I felt going down. I was like man if I can't handle this then what's mountain Creek like lol. Good to know it is more spaced apart.
 

Soundguy

#SenditGuy
Team MTBNJ Halter's
They do an intro to downhill package that might be good for you. Pretty sure it includes DH bike and pads and a couple hours riding with a guide. They will have you hitting stuff you wouldn’t think you could by the end of the day. I seent it.
 
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