what's your favorite riding spot in the US?

[althegud1srtakn]

a friend and me are about to take off a month during the summer to drive all over the us and go mountain biking and camping everywhere possible. any reccomendations of where to go? books to buy on good riding spots? nice camping spots? let me know because we'll be pretty much everywhere this summer.

edit:
if anyone anywhere wants to go riding somewhere in the us between july 27th and august 23rd let me know, i just might be in town ;)

[rockyrider]

Hood River and Bend, Oregon.

[wigger thomas]

Western North Carolina

[mimbresman]

New Mexico...
1. The Gila (http://www2.srs.fs.fed.us/r3/gila/recreation/): near Silver City (elevation 6500 ft and up). Tons of single track.
2. Gallup (http://gallupwaypoints.com/): High Desert Trail System, Zuni mtns.
3. The Jemez: between Albuquerque and Santa Fe. Cochiti Canyon is always fun.
4. Santa Fe: ask locally (http://nmbikensport.com/), but tons of riding
5. Albuquerque: ask locally (http://www.twowheeldrive.com/), but Sandia Peak and South 14 have been good.

[OTBSkinloss]

I can't believe nobody has responded with a Yo Mama, joke. I guess I'll resist the temptation as well.

Anywhere on the Colorado trail.
Anywhere between Snowmass Village, and Crusted Butt, Co.
Basalt Mountain, Co.
I guess to sum it all up, I'd have to say, Moab.

[2dumb4gears]

Moab in summer? Yikes!

There are great trails in every state in the Western US--where have you never been but always wanted to go? Whitefish, MT has some great trails, plus Glacier National Park is right there. The strip between Rainier and St Helens in WA state is super-pimp (average ride has 4000 feet of climbing), and really under utilized. Tahoe is beatiful with great trails. I second Bend; lots of exploration to be done there. I lived in the Gunnison/Crested Butte area for a long time, and CB has some of the sweetest high alpine singletrack ever. Vancouver/Whistler is unbelievable, if a little over-done and expensive. Targee is also the shiznit, as is all of northeastern Wyoming (check out Lander sometime--unlimited potential for great trails).

I've done all of the "classic" canned vacation rides (Moab, Fruita, Durango, etc.), but the best trips I've ever had have been exploring great singletrack in the more off-the-grid types of places. Have fun.

[davkatreb]

The first ten feet out of my driveway.:D

[Tman]

2 places for me

Chequamegon area in Wisconsin

Black Hills of South Dakota



Places I want to check out.........NC,VA,ME

[HoodRN]

Check out the mtb trail in Moraine State Park about 40mi. north of Pittsburgh (off I-79).

[50 Mission Cap]

Southern Kettle Moraine state forest in Wisconsin.

[lizzard21]

Holiday Valley NY Ellicotville proper,Erie Pa it's a freakin Mecca

[hairygrump]

Copper Harbor, MI. It's one of the most remote places in the country, but it's worth the trip. Great camping and the Keweenaw Adventure Company will tell you everything you need to know.

Also, Zik's Bar is walking distance from the camp site.

[cMc]

I love the San Juan Trail in South Orange County, California. It's an IMBA Epic, all singletrack, and just beautiful. It's a challenging trail, but so long as you show it the appropriate respect, you won't have to offer a blood sacrifice. Sycamore in Malibu Creek State Park is also pretty awesome, and when coupled with a post ride swim in the ocean and a burrito chaser on a tree-shaded dining patio down the street, that makes for a helluva good day.

[Marticus]

DuPont Forest, Asheville, NC
Anywhere you turn, Sedona, AZ

Closer to home:
Blue Marsh Lake, Reading PA
Wissahickon Valley, Philadelphia

It may seem an odd choice for a stop on a nationwide tour of great trails to anyone whose been there and thinks of it as just our local ride, but that last one is definitely worth it if you're in the east. The trail is anything from a 12-17 mile loop, with lots of technical features and a few short climbs that are steep enough to get your attention (plus one that's a little bit longer that hits just about 45 degrees at it's steepest.) It's a rare find for an urban park, and afterward there are plenty of places to grub up and drink down in the surrounding region. It would probably be a lot different than any other place you hit on your trip. Lots of people ride there, and a good pace gets you done with the whole thing in about two hours. As an added bonus, there are quite a few pretty cool shops in the surrounding area, too.

[danheckler]

Check out the mtb trail in Moraine State Park about 40mi. north of Pittsburgh (off I-79).

It is a good one if you're in the area. Certainly not to be missed. But not my favorite...

I'm with OTB on this one... THE COLORADO TRAIL! Just about 500 miles of singletrack, with numerous spurs and connecting trails, the pedaling is (almost) endless.

[50 Mission Cap]

Copper Harbor, MI. It's one of the most remote places in the country, but it's worth the trip. Great camping and the Keweenaw Adventure Company will tell you everything you need to know.

Also, Zik's Bar is walking distance from the camp site.

The UP is sweet. Hiked Isle Royale from end to end a few years back. Never road up there, but can imagine it's sweet. One of the only areas in the nation w/ remaining primary growth forest.

[myron]

The UP is sweet. Hiked Isle Royale from end to end a few years back. Never road up there, but can imagine it's sweet. One of the only areas in the nation w/ remaining primary growth forest.
I rode Kill Creek in Desoto tonight. It's sweet, not sweet like Clinton, but still sweet. Sweet kinda like Landahl,more slasbish rocks than goatheads(not so sweet) No sweet 5,000 year old spear points either. With all those slab rocks and dead oak leafs, it would be a sweet spot for Copperheads(again,not sweet) It was getting dark, I had no helmet, so I got my sweet ass out of there.

I'm gonna try to ride it one night next week. Come on out, it's gonna be sweet.

[althegud1srtakn]

I rode Kill Creek in Desoto tonight. It's sweet, not sweet like Clinton, but still sweet. Sweet kinda like Landahl,more slasbish rocks than goatheads(not so sweet) No sweet 5,000 year old spear points either. With all those slab rocks and dead oak leafs, it would be a sweet spot for Copperheads(again,not sweet) It was getting dark, I had no helmet, so I got my sweet ass out of there.

I'm gonna try to ride it one night next week. Come on out, it's gonna be sweet.

i've never been to kansas but i'd love to hit up a few places in desoto, i'll give you a shout if/when i'm there

[S. cerevisiae]

I'd have to throw in my $0.02 for northern Michigan. Having skiied there and driven through for work it certainly seems like the area north of Midland, and the UP, would be exquisite.

Hey Grump! Care to guide someone and their 12 year-old son?

'Yeast

[tachyon]

I'll add a suggestion for Montgomery Bell State Park near Nashville, Tennessee. It's not epic, but it's fun.

If you're looking for epic, try Pisgah in North Carolina. My favorite trail there is the one at the Fish Hatchery, but they're all great fun.

Tom

[plume_mtb]

Western North Carolina

this guy's one of the smarter ones here.

:D

[Jahnov]

www.kingdomtrails.org

The Kingdom in Northern Vermont is some of the best East Coast goodies you'll ever find. If your heading west...I have to agree with Rocky - Bend and Hood River are beautiful.

[AM Radio]

Western North Carolina

Wigger, you seem to frequent these said W.N.C trails. I hear that they are quite difficult. My wife and my daughter are from NC and all of thier family is back there as well. So, maybe next summer when me and the family drive out there again you could show me the trails and be there for me to scrape up my remains.

[althegud1srtakn]

these western north carolina spots sound damn close to were my dad works now, and since i live in VA it should be no problem hitting them on the trip. any other suggestions in that area? i've heard surprizingly few people mention west virginia which i had been looking foreward to, but i'm not sure where to go.

[coryh5]

Jim Thorpe, PA is home to some of the best mountain biking the Appalachians have to offer. The town has embraced mountain biking and the trails are amazingly marked, mapped, and maintained. Definitely a place you should ride if you find yourself in eastern PA. Once in town, stop at the LBS (I think its called Blue Mountain Sports). They can give you maps of the trails, which are rated by difficulty for moutain bikers, and answer any questions you have about the hills.

Cheers!

[catskillclimber]

I have to say the Catskills and the Adirondacks in upstate New York. Both areas offer some great views and riding options with little trail traffic.

[Jay13]

Snowshoe so far is my favorite place to ride, but i don't get out there more than once a year...

In my home state of Florida my favorite place to ride was the Toe http://www.ridgeriders.net/trails.html till it closed down, but now Santos is probably the best in the state.

[PutAwayWet]

Jahnov tells the truth about Kingdom Trails. You can do 50 miles there without trying. Super smooth, fast, flowey stuff quite unlike anything else in New England. If you do come to New England, make sure to swing by southern Maine for a day. You definitely will not be disappointed. Hey Wigg, since I've never ridden NC, how does the trail I took you on out here compare with the good stuff down there? (besides the lesser elevation gain up here)

[plume_mtb]

If you're looking for epic, try Pisgah in North Carolina. My favorite trail there is the one at the Fish Hatchery, but they're all great fun.

Tom

I just rode it yesterday.

there is some serious stuff out there. I've been here for over a year and I'm still learning it all.

intense.

[ExtremeTrek]

Don't forget us down south...

In Arkansas we have two IMBA Epics - The Womble and Sylammo. Both are top trails with great views. If you happen through Alabama make sure you stop by Oak Ridge State Park (my wifes favorite trail). Also the Berryman in southern Missouri is pretty sweet.

You'll be glad you rode any of those trails.