What are some places to ride not to far into PA

Som3guy

Member
Jim Thorpe's best single track, American Standard and all, were on State Game Lands. Those trails were labeled as Hiking Only about a decade or so ago after too many complaints from the local hunters about the out-of-town mountain bikers.

I'm a big fan of PA's Weiser State Forest, aka: Rattling Creek Trails.

thanks Slingblade, I'll give Weiser a try. Too bad about Jim Thorpe. Are the trails still rideable, despite the sign? The town is fun and it would be a good day trip if the hunters and riders could've not pissed each other off. Doesn't seem that hard to avoid wherever I ride. Think it's important to not be an asshole, whether on a bike or off. Also, they do have guns.
 
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slingblade_uhhuh

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
JORBA.ORG
thanks Slingblade, I'll give Weiser a try. Too bad about Jim Thorpe. Are the trails still rideable, despite the sign? The town is fun and it would be a good day trip if the hunters and riders could've not pissed each other off. Doesn't seem that hard to avoid wherever I ride. Think it's important to not be an asshole, whether on a bike or off. Also, they do have guns.

I last rode JT's American Standard in 2010. PA Fish and Game labeled them Hiking Only a couple years prior. We would ride out of town on the RR line and then take an unnamed trail up Broad Mountain, so I don't know if they had signage at the parking areas then. The bike shops in town that used to sell route sheets and maps, no longer sold them. Instead telling riders that the state made most of the trails hiking only now. I checked MTBR Trail Forum today for any kind of update and read that they recently are finding rider traps around Broad Mountain. SMH. https://forums.mtbr.com/pennsylvania/traps-around-jim-thorpe-1135727.html

For a Weiser get-away, I would stay in Harrisburg, ride Weiser one day, maybe Michaux the next. You can walk out of Harrisburg over to the island and catch a Senators game if they're playing. There is a small amusement park on the island too. Gettysburg is a short drive away. Same with Hershey.


Jim Thorpe American Standard Trail in 1999. (I wish I still had that pudding bowl helmet!)
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icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
Where are they? I've tried the map from the local bike shop and all it had was a boring climb and some gravel riding. Zero single track
Hey there. I have a place out in PA too and ride many of the places on your list. Fully agree Moosic/Eales is killer. Love that place. I’d also throw in Merli Sarnoski for some good tight tech trails. As for Jim Thorpe the trails are out there. American standard has already been mentioned. That’s on the west side of Rt 93. On the east side are Deer path, Uranium Road and a few others. There once was a trail called Bear Crap but that was cut just before the Game Commision banned riding so it quickly grew over. However, if you’re looking for the American Standard vibe on legal land, look no further than Mountain Top. Closest town is Glen Summit. Here’s an 18 mile loop we did last weekend that is about 80pct singletrack with some fire roads in between. Even the straight-ish line at the top is swoopy singletrack. Simply amazing stuff. Hit me up if you would like a socially distanced tour of the trails. I’m out in PA more than in NJ these days

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rottin'

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
On your way to spend time at Rattling, stop off and hit up Swatara...its on the way and is a super fun network to ride, albeit pretty short. Definitely not a destination, but worth the stop if you're driving by anyway (about 10min off I-81) above the I-81 and I-78 intersection.
 

goldsbar

Well-Known Member
Anyone know anything about Roaring Creek? 73 miles of trails according to Trailforks and just a bit over 2 hours from my house in ideal traffic conditions. This thread is making me think of taking a day off of work and trying this or one of the places mentioned. Thing is, many places in PA look surprisingly small until you get out to State College. Would want to ride 3-4+ hours if I'm driving 1.5 each way.
 

teabagger11

Well-Known Member
Anyone know anything about Roaring Creek? 73 miles of trails according to Trailforks and just a bit over 2 hours from my house in ideal traffic conditions. This thread is making me think of taking a day off of work and trying this or one of the places mentioned. Thing is, many places in PA look surprisingly small until you get out to State College. Would want to ride 3-4+ hours if I'm driving 1.5 each way.
Roaring creek is awesome one of the best places to ride in PA New trails being built all the time
 

teabagger11

Well-Known Member
On your way to spend time at Rattling, stop off and hit up Swatara...its on the way and is a super fun network to ride, albeit pretty short. Definitely not a destination, but worth the stop if you're driving by anyway (about 10min off I-81) above the I-81 and I-78 intersection.
Best way to ride swatara is to go in do all rights when you get bsck to where you started turn around and do all lefts gives you about 17 miles
 

icebiker

JORBA: Morris Trails
JORBA.ORG
@icebiker - is Mountain Top off the grid? I see nothing on TF in that area.
Yes indeed. I haven’t found any apps or paper maps with the trails there. You can see several of the trails on Strava heat map, but that’s very one-dimensional since it’s not great at showing any reference points (lakes, streams, landmarks, etc). I can see trailS marked on my Strava once I finish recording but not during (perhaps it’s the version of Strava I have?). I can send you my Strava track if you want to check it out.
 

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Yes indeed. I haven’t found any apps or paper maps with the trails there. You can see several of the trails on Strava heat map, but that’s very one-dimensional since it’s not great at showing any reference points (lakes, streams, landmarks, etc). I can see trailS marked on my Strava once I finish recording but not during (perhaps it’s the version of Strava I have?). I can send you my Strava track if you want to check it out.

Yeah that would be great to have for future reference. It’s a bit out there but I’d like to hit some of these parks in the future.
 

teabagger11

Well-Known Member
Yes indeed. I haven’t found any apps or paper maps with the trails there. You can see several of the trails on Strava heat map, but that’s very one-dimensional since it’s not great at showing any reference points (lakes, streams, landmarks, etc). I can see trailS marked on my Strava once I finish recording but not during (perhaps it’s the version of Strava I have?). I can send you my Strava track if you want to check it out
I'm always available for tours if any one is interested and no trails are not marked
 

Reggie

Formerly ReggieHammond
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I'd love to hit up Mt Top one of these upcoming days. @icebiker gave me an awesome tour of Moosic some time ago....that place is like no other. Been talking about going back there as well. 95% of my riding is in the same local parks, so I would love to get out and mix things up a bit.
 

teabagger11

Well-Known Member
I'd love to hit up Mt Top one of these upcoming days. @icebiker gave me an awesome tour of Moosic some time ago....that place is like no other. Been talking about going back there as well. 95% of my riding is in the same local parks, so I would love to get out and mix things up a bit.
I also have days off during the week
 

soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I agree, Goldsbar, the terrain is very different there, tho not sure why. I assume some rock mining went on there at some point, creating all those odd rock setups.

I was there this one time a few years ago, right after a lot of the Preserve had been burned, either a wild fire or controlled burn. Felt like I was riding inside a dormant volcano or the surface of the moon
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I was there!

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Create an emo hairdo!
 

soundz

The Hat
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Hey there. I have a place out in PA too and ride many of the places on your list. Fully agree Moosic/Eales is killer. Love that place. I’d also throw in Merli Sarnoski for some good tight tech trails. As for Jim Thorpe the trails are out there. American standard has already been mentioned. That’s on the west side of Rt 93. On the east side are Deer path, Uranium Road and a few others. There once was a trail called Bear Crap but that was cut just before the Game Commision banned riding so it quickly grew over. However, if you’re looking for the American Standard vibe on legal land, look no further than Mountain Top. Closest town is Glen Summit. Here’s an 18 mile loop we did last weekend that is about 80pct singletrack with some fire roads in between. Even the straight-ish line at the top is swoopy singletrack. Simply amazing stuff. Hit me up if you would like a socially distanced tour of the trails. I’m out in PA more than in NJ these days

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Hah I was recently at the D&L trail for a weekend bikepacking trip. I didn't know the MtTop trails were right there.
 

Som3guy

Member
I last rode JT's American Standard in 2010. PA Fish and Game labeled them Hiking Only a couple years prior. We would ride out of town on the RR line and then take an unnamed trail up Broad Mountain, so I don't know if they had signage at the parking areas then. The bike shops in town that used to sell route sheets and maps, no longer sold them. Instead telling riders that the state made most of the trails hiking only now. I checked MTBR Trail Forum today for any kind of update and read that they recently are finding rider traps around Broad Mountain. SMH. https://forums.mtbr.com/pennsylvania/traps-around-jim-thorpe-1135727.html

For a Weiser get-away, I would stay in Harrisburg, ride Weiser one day, maybe Michaux the next. You can walk out of Harrisburg over to the island and catch a Senators game if they're playing. There is a small amusement park on the island too. Gettysburg is a short drive away. Same with Hershey.


Jim Thorpe American Standard Trail in 1999. (I wish I still had that pudding bowl helmet!)
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Sounds like a great couple day trip, thanks! Hoping it's all not too virus shutdown. My sense is that PA is working pretty well in controlling the spread, with some mask deniers here and there
 
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