Any riding near Cincy or Indy?

[SSmtbr]

@SSmtbr

Thanks for the brown mountain recommendation. I'm back in Indy for a conference for the next week. I went there today. That place is great! really fun.

I'll be here for a week, is it worth checking out Grifffin, or should i just go back to Brown. I thought brown was really fun.

Great to hear you made it to BC! Brown County is always worth a second visit if even to change up the direction of the trails you hit on your first ride through.

Griffin has done a great job of fitting a lot of machine-built trails into a much smaller area acreage-wise so you'll get a lot more twists and turns that flows well (see image, very twisty haha). The area was formerly strip mined so you get a lot of very short, punchy ups and downs but no real sustained climbs and many times momentum carries you up and over the many ridges and often the trails are sidecut into the ridges so you're never straight pedaling up one. The main parking area has some neat things like a couple of pump tracks, a handful of jump lines, and some fun skinnies to play around with if you're into those things. I have a soft spot in my heart for Griffin as I poached the land when it was just a few horse trails in college and love how supportive the city is to the trail network. It's very easy to access from Indy (just get on I-70 west to Terre Haute and head 15 minutes or so south of town from the interstate exit).

I'd say if you really liked how BC rode and aren't bored of hitting the same kinds of trails for a second visit (not sure if you did the Hesitation Point climb or Schooner Trace but those two I remember vividly) and want more of a "traditional" kind of park ride, BC is my suggestion for a second day. If you're into checking out new parks and want to hammer tighter, twisty trails with some fun ups and downs (think Sidewinder at Kingdom Trails if you're ridden that) all very close to your car to quickly bail whenever you need then Griffin would be the place to go. Two very different riding parks, but both are great places in their own way; just depends on what you're feeling up for the day.

Have fun!

 

[roc]

Great to hear you made it to BC! Brown County is always worth a second visit if even to change up the direction of the trails you hit on your first ride through.

Griffin has done a great job of fitting a lot of machine-built trails into a much smaller area acreage-wise so you'll get a lot more twists and turns that flows well (see image, very twisty haha). The area was formerly strip mined so you get a lot of very short, punchy ups and downs but no real sustained climbs and many times momentum carries you up and over the many ridges and often the trails are sidecut into the ridges so you're never straight pedaling up one. The main parking area has some neat things like a couple of pump tracks, a handful of jump lines, and some fun skinnies to play around with if you're into those things. I have a soft spot in my heart for Griffin as I poached the land when it was just a few horse trails in college and love how supportive the city is to the trail network. It's very easy to access from Indy (just get on I-70 west to Terre Haute and head 15 minutes or so south of town from the interstate exit).

I'd say if you really liked how BC rode and aren't bored of hitting the same kinds of trails for a second visit (not sure if you did the Hesitation Point climb or Schooner Trace but those two I remember vividly) and want more of a "traditional" kind of park ride, BC is my suggestion for a second day. If you're into checking out new parks and want to hammer tighter, twisty trails with some fun ups and downs (think Sidewinder at Kingdom Trails if you're ridden that) all very close to your car to quickly bail whenever you need then Griffin would be the place to go. Two very different riding parks, but both are great places in their own way; just depends on what you're feeling up for the day.

Have fun!

I went back to Brown County, it was so awesome. one of the best places i've ever ridden!!! I figured why chance griffin, when i know how awesome Brown is. I'd put it up with some of the best places I've ever been. I'd rather go there, than Kingdom Trails.

I have another question for you. I leave Indy tomorrow at about 1:30 pm. Is there somewhere between Indy and Morristown that I should check out?

I would rather go thru columbus and up to rt 80, then taking the penn turnpike.

Any advice is always appreciated!

 

[Norm]

I went back to Brown County, it was so awesome. one of the best places i've ever ridden!!! I figured why chance griffin, when i know how awesome Brown is. I'd put it up with some of the best places I've ever been. I'd rather go there, than Kingdom Trails.

I have another question for you. I leave Indy tomorrow at about 1:30 pm. Is there somewhere between Indy and Morristown that I should check out?

I would rather go thru columbus and up to rt 80, then taking the penn turnpike.

Any advice is always appreciated!

Rothrock?

Tell me more about Brown County.

 

[SSmtbr]

I went back to Brown County, it was so awesome. one of the best places i've ever ridden!!! I figured why chance griffin, when i know how awesome Brown is. I'd put it up with some of the best places I've ever been. I'd rather go there, than Kingdom Trails.

I have another question for you. I leave Indy tomorrow at about 1:30 pm. Is there somewhere between Indy and Morristown that I should check out?

I would rather go thru columbus and up to rt 80, then taking the penn turnpike.

Any advice is always appreciated!

Awesome to hear you enjoyed Brown County so much! I haven't been there in a while but with your glowing review I will have to bring the bike when I see family next and give the park a full tour.

I haven't ridden there, but Mohican State Park (of the Mohican 100 NUE race series fame) is near I-71 in between Columbus and Akron as you're headed up toward I-80. Jakes Rocks in PA is also on my 2024 bucket list but I think it is a bit out of the way. As Norm mentioned Rothrock would be an awesome stop as well.

Over the years I've stopped at random parks along that route based on Trailforks data to walk my dog to stretch our legs on some trails, but nothing I would necessarily consider trip-worthy without making too big of a detour off the route but those couple of suggestions would give you a solid amount of riding on your drive back.

 

[roc]

Rothrock?

Tell me more about Brown County.

Mountain Biking Trails - Brown County State Park, Indiana

Details about mountain biking trails at Brown County State Park in Nashville, Indiana.

www.browncountystatepark.net

The trails are really well maintained, you pay an extra $5 when you go in the park that goes to trail upkeep. Very buff, swoopy. I only did the lower section trails, but they have one directional flow trails at the top of the park . The trails I rode were similar to the new trail at lewis morris that goes down the beach area, or even the new trail in ringwood off that schoolhouse climb. I am in terrible shape, but everything is rideable, i bonked after 9 miles, but you can park at the bottom of the trail system and just glide back to the car on the road. In a little over 9 miles, i had about 800ft of elevation. If you have the legs, you could put together a solid 25-30 miles here. The trails i were on were not technical at all, but I'm ok with that.

I used to only like ringwood, mooch, jungle. I hated lewis morris, and i could ride there from my house. As I've gotten older, I'm starting to like Lewis Morris a lot more and hating Jungle, so maybe I'd like KIngdom a lot more now. I love Stevens, if that gives you an idea of the trails i like. I'm also really starting to like Tourne.

 

[roc]

Awesome to hear you enjoyed Brown County so much! I haven't been there in a while but with your glowing review I will have to bring the bike when I see family next and give the park a full tour.

I haven't ridden there, but Mohican State Park (of the Mohican 100 NUE race series fame) is near I-71 in between Columbus and Akron as you're headed up toward I-80. Jakes Rocks in PA is also on my 2024 bucket list but I think it is a bit out of the way. As Norm mentioned Rothrock would be an awesome stop as well.

Over the years I've stopped at random parks along that route based on Trailforks data to walk my dog to stretch our legs on some trails, but nothing I would necessarily consider trip-worthy without making too big of a detour off the route but those couple of suggestions would give you a solid amount of riding on your drive back.

Thanks, I think I am just going to drive as many hours in daylight tonight and then find a place on my route home in the am. Or I may just hit up stevens tomorrow on my way. Mohican still leaves me with an 8 hour drive tommorow. Maybe i'll make it all the way to state college and go to rothrock.