Bike trip recommendations

Rockbottom

Active Member
There are places in NC, GA, TN, KY, VA, WC, MD that have rocks similar to NJ. But the difference is that in NJ you have Ringwood, Wildcat, Waway, Blue Mtn, Stokes, etc that are all within 1 hour of each other and mostly built specifically for mountain bike tech challenge without being overly hike-a-bikey. You could argue that they were hiking trails that morphed into fully ridable trails over time. And you have miles and miles and miles of it. You don’t get that anywhere else. You might have a few parks here and there that have its moments but pound for pound it’s not the same.

A lot of the new trail building techniques I find try to go around the rocks for some reason. So while some of these other states can totally have similar trails as NJ, and there’s more mtb trail building going on more than ever in history of the USA, they’re just not focused on building challenging rock garden’ish trails. And since they are so focused in cutting new trails, the challenging hiking trails that could become more mtb ridable don’t get any love.

The rocks out West can be challenging but it’s a different kind of challenge. Think big rocks, drops, step ups, steep as hell, exposure, sandy rocks, etc.

I’ve ridden in almost every state now. Only ones remaining are NE, IN, IL, KS, SD, IO and HI.

If you head up North, check out Daniels Rd in Saratoga Springs.
It does seem to be the case that a lot of new trails are less oriented around rock gardens and natural features. Seems trail builders tend to cater to what appeals to the mass. Guess that’s why you pass dozens of riders at six mile on a Saturday and be lucky to pass by just one rider at Sourlands.

I would love to head out west one of these days. With a newborn though, this will have to wait a bit longer. For now, I’m happy the wife is agreeing to a weekend trip up north.

Thanks for the recommendations!
 

Cassinonorth

Well-Known Member
This could be very true in a good ski season. Not this year though. But keep an eye on future snowfall in Vermont. I would highly recommend hitting Gurney Lane on your way up to the Killington,VT area. Lots of trail systems in the area. Including Sherburne Trails in Killington connecting to Base Camp trails-connecting to Gifford Woods. Slate Valley is a great trail system 30 minutes away. Green Mountain Trails just up rt.100/next town over in Pittsfield. A little further up rt.100 you also have the ever expanding Rochester/Randolph trail systems. These trails are also part of the Ridgeline Outdoor Collective which the Green Mountain Trails fall under. Have your cardio ready for the climb up Boulder Dash/Tunnel Ridge trails. Enjoy.

They just got pounded with snow so May probably will be pretty muddy.

1678995783400.png
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
Nothing has rocks similar NJ other than CT, MA and PA.
You haven't ridden the Frederick Water shed or gambrill park then. It's like Ringwood, Sterling, CR and Wayway had a baby and it looked like an angry Wildcat. It's very similar as it's close to the Appalachian trail and lots of glacier rock. @Rockbottom it's about a 3.5 hr drive from north jersey.
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
Personally my favorite rocky tech is in Massachusetts. Unfortunately none of its in an area I’d pick for a vacation. Vermont is definitely flow country, but victory hill near kingdom does have tech. Also unfortunately, Vermont in may is usually muddy.

NH has more tech than VT but I don’t have any experience. North Conway looks cool. I’ve seen some videos recently of riding the slabs in the white mountains.

Rothrock near State College PA is really cool. Every May I used to do a Raystown/Rothrock trip.
North Conway has 26" old school xc 73 HTA written all over it.
 

kidzach

Well-Known Member
Agreed. Seeing alot of the trails up north are fast and flowy. Limited tech. We rode Kindom Trails last year. Aside from some berms, no other features at all to be found. We also didn’t get a chance though to explore a lot of the trails there.
If your looking for some features you can absolutely find them at Kingdom Trails. Millstone has some cool features here and there. And some really fun terrain as you ride through abandoned rock quarries. Killington Bike Park has tons of fun features if that is really what your after.
 

soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
You haven't ridden the Frederick Water shed or gambrill park then. It's like Ringwood, Sterling, CR and Wayway had a baby and it looked like an angry Wildcat. It's very similar as it's close to the Appalachian trail and lots of glacier rock. @Rockbottom it's about a 3.5 hr drive from north jersey.
I have ridden it many times. My point is that NJ has many more than just 1 park similar to it. Many states have a park or two that might be very tech, but not many states have techy trail systems which are within 1hr proximity of each other like NJ does. And thanks for stating in the imperative something that is 100% false about something that I may or may have not done. You might want to change to "may not have" next time. Just a suggestion.

There are places in NC, GA, TN, KY, VA, WC, MD that have rocks similar to NJ. But the difference is that in NJ you have Ringwood, Wildcat, Waway, Blue Mtn, Stokes, etc that are all within 1 hour of each other and mostly built specifically for mountain bike tech challenge without being overly hike-a-bikey. You could argue that they were hiking trails that morphed into fully ridable trails over time. And you have miles and miles and miles of it. You don’t get that anywhere else. You might have a few parks here and there that have its moments but pound for pound it’s not the same.

A lot of the new trail building techniques I find try to go around the rocks for some reason. So while some of these other states can totally have similar trails as NJ, and there’s more mtb trail building going on more than ever in history of the USA, they’re just not focused on building challenging rock garden’ish trails. And since they are so focused in cutting new trails, the challenging hiking trails that could become more mtb ridable don’t get any love.

The rocks out West can be challenging but it’s a different kind of challenge. Think big rocks, drops, step ups, steep as hell, exposure, sandy rocks, etc.

I’ve ridden in almost every state now. Only ones remaining are NE, IN, IL, KS, SD, IO and HI.

If you head up North, check out Daniels Rd in Saratoga Springs.
 
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Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
W
I have ridden it many times. My point is that NJ has many more than just 1 park similar to it. Many states have a park or two that might be very tech, but not many states have techy trail systems which are within 1hr proximity of each other like NJ does. And thanks for stating in the imperative something that is 100% false about something that I may or may have not done. You might want to change to "may not have" next time. Just a suggestion.
I didn’t state anything false. I am guilty of replying to your first reply and not seeing the second. My bad. I read “Nothing has rocks similar NJ other than CT, MA and PA.” So my reply to that qas on point. Now see the trail forks screenshot and remember that Michaux is 15 miles north and it’s rocky goodness all the way up to State College and beyond.
5B2BD0ED-0854-4DE0-8F96-54AD6B4BD0E7.png
 
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soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
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JonF

Well-Known Member
You could have a fun weekend up in not-too-distant Windham NY. There is the Windham bike park which has a number of rocky tech trails, DH courses and flow trails. Then on day 2 you can hit Elm Ridge which has a fantastic network of tech trails to pedal. They all have a good balance of tech and flow.

But if you just want to punish yourself and your rims with just harsh rocks, ride the double blacks at Creek.
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
"You haven't ridden the Frederick Water shed or gambrill park then." is a 100% false statement. Did you not make that statement? Should I make up stories about you and post them on the Internet?
Wellifyou had ridden the Frederick Watershed thenyouwould know that other places DO have rockslide NJ. See what I did there? It's like a play on wards. It relates directly to your statement I quoted. Yourreally saying genuinely that the watershed is not like ringwood and waylay?
 

soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Wellifyou had ridden the Frederick Watershed thenyouwould know that other places DO have rockslide NJ. See what I did there? It's like a play on wards. It relates directly to your statement I quoted. Yourreally saying genuinely that the watershed is not like ringwood and waylay?
Let me try to explain to you so that your brain can understand:

1) You said I have not ridden Frederick.
2) I have ridden it.
3) Therefore the statement you said is false.
 

Dave Taylor

Rex kwan Do
You are correct. Technically what I said was false but technically it was a reply to your false statement that I quoted. Had I known that you rode the Frederick Watershed I would have said something along the lines of “how could you be so ignorant and not mention the frederick watershed?” Because if you had ridden there you would obviously know there are other states with rocks similar to those in NJ besides Ma, Ct, Ny. Fart…
 

soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
You are correct. Technically what I said was false but technically it was a reply to your false statement that I quoted. Had I known that you rode the Frederick Watershed I would have said something along the lines of “how could you be so ignorant and not mention the frederick watershed?” Because if you had ridden there you would obviously know there are other states with rocks similar to those in NJ besides Ma, Ct, Ny. Fart…
now go ride what i wrote on my second post
 

roc

Well-Known Member
"You haven't ridden the Frederick Water shed or gambrill park then." is a 100% false statement. Did you not make that statement? Should I make up stories about you and post them on the Internet?
You are correct. Technically what I said was false but technically it was a reply to your false statement that I quoted. Had I known that you rode the Frederick Watershed I would have said something along the lines of “how could you be so ignorant and not mention the frederick watershed?” Because if you had ridden there you would obviously know there are other states with rocks similar to those in NJ besides Ma, Ct, Ny. Fart…
These are the kind of posts we haven‘t seen in a while. Keep throwing the jabs. It’s great reading!
 
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