The holiday decorations are being put away, the leftovers have been gobbled up and it’s time to get in gear with those New Year’s resolutions. If yours involves getting outside more, don’t let winter stop you. Mountain biking is a year-round sport, and the Atlanta area has some great trails that will be less-crowded at this time of year. Whether you’re a novice who doesn’t know a berm from a bunny hop, or an advanced MTBer looking for a technical ride, there’s a trail to suit you in the metro area.
Spotlight on: Woodstock
For avid mountain bikers, or those just starting out, two diverse and well-maintained trail systems can be found in Cherokee County near I-575 in Woodstock at Blankets Creek and in Olde Rope Mill Park. The Blankets Creek trail system, on land administered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Rope Mill system inside a city park, came about through partnerships between the city, the Corps of Engineers, citizens and a local non-profit group. “It’s a win-win-win situation,” said Jay Wilkes, president of the Woodstock chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycling Association (SORBA). “We take care of the trails for the city and the Corps of Engineers with an army of volunteers, it doesn’t cost the taxpayers any money and the public has a great place to ride.”
The seven trails at Blankets Creek have become known nationally among mountain bikers, a point of pride for Wilkes and his colleagues at SORBA Woodstock. The website Singletracks.com, with 200,000 registered members, ranks Blankets Creek No. 3 on its current member-rated “Best Bike Trails” list, right behind such biking meccas as Moab in Utah and Pine, Colorado. Jeff Barber, co-founder and editor of Singletracks.com, said of Blankets Creek, “It’s one of the more popular places because of the variety of trails for all different skill levels. It has everything from beginner loops to an expert downhill wall ride.”
Wilkes said the intermediate Dwelling Loop is the most popular trail at Blankets Creek. This woodsy 4.2-mile flowing singletrack skirts Lake Allatoona, making for a long and scenic fitness trek. “Beginners should try the easier Mosquito Flats and Mosquito Bite trails first before tackling the more advanced Dwelling Loop,” advised Wilkes. The newest trail at Blankets Creek is the experts-only Quehl Holler. This intense, quarter-mile downhill jump run culminates with a ride up a steep, curved, wood-planked wall.
In Olde Rope Mill Park, the Taylor Randahl Memorial Mountain Bike Trails are named after a 16-year old cyclist who was killed in an accident involving an oncoming vehicle and a deer on a nearby road. The woods in the park were Randahl’s playground as a child. Today those woods contain two trails, each consisting of three interconnected loops for beginners and intermediates totaling nine mines. Another six miles of trails are planned.
Info
Blankets Creek trailhead — On Sixes Road in Woodstock, no street address. For turn-by-turn directions to the trailhead parking lot from I-575 visit the SORBA Woodstock website: sorbawoodstock.org.
Olde Rope Mill Park — 690 Rope Mill Road, Woodstock.
No fee; donation boxes. Trail status hotline: 678-568-1508.
Other notable metro trails:
Chicopee Woods
This Gainesville trail system was mentioned as a favorite by everyone interviewed for this article. Twenty-one miles of well-maintained trails in rolling woodlands right off I-985. For turn-by-turn directions to the trailhead parking lot visit the Gainesville SORBA website: gainesvillesorba.org. No fee; donations appreciated.
Harbins Park
A Gwinnett County Park with 14 miles of mountain biking trails and a 4.3-mile multi-use paved trail. “They have excellent trailhead facilities and a big playground,” said Jeff Barber of Singletracks.com, “so it’s great for families and group rides.” 2995 Luke Edwards Road, Dacula. No fee. Trail hotline: 770-978-5270.
Yellow River Park
Another Gwinnett County Park, the trails here are a longtime favorite for many Atlanta area riders. Twelve miles of trails with some technical sections running alongside the river. Watch out for horseback riders at the equestrian trail crossings. 3232 Juhan Road, Stone Mountain. No fee. For trail updates check the Gwinnett SORBA website: sorbagatr.org.
Georgia International Horse Park
This Conyers facility is home to the first-ever Olympic mountain biking course, used for the 1996 Atlanta games. Barber recommends the 8-mile trail here to those looking for a scenic ride coupled with the experience of pedaling over long expanses of exposed granite. 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers; 770-860-4190. No fee to ride the trails.
Red Top Mountain State Park
The 4-mile trail inside this state park on Lake Allatoona won’t challenge advanced riders, but it’s scenic at this time of year because of the lake views through the bare trees. A good option for families and novices. 50 Lodge Road SE, Cartersville; 770-975-4226. $5 park entrance fee.
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