by Pat J Williams
There are so many incredible places to bike in the US that when I tried to narrow it down to five, I realized that I couldn’t do it. I ended up cheating a bit and writing out 3 lists. This list is the five best places to go biking in the central US. Please use this as starting point to investigate your adventures, this list is by no means complete.
Waldo Canyon in Colorado. If you bike for the views and the spectacle of it all, this trail is an absolute must for you. The views will quite literally take your breath away. The view from the top is above the treeline and gives you sense that you are looking down from heaven at the most beautiful place on earth. After that feeling, the ride down is extremely exhilarating.
Palmer Park, Colorado Springs, CO. Colorado Springs is a personal favorite so I may be a bit biased about the trails here. Palmer Park offers many trails from beginner to expert. There is an added adventure element as well. There is no discernible way to navigate the park because the maps are incomplete, so you could get lost for a little while, but it is totally worth it. The rock formations impress every time.
Cache Creek to Game Creek Loop, Jackson, WY. Located immediately southeast of the town of Jackson, this trail will seem a little common in the beginning. However, you will not be disappointed after the first 2 miles. Rolling hills, thicket, wildlife and seemingly every kind of flowering plant you can think of line the wide track. This trail works for all fitness levels and is truly beautiful. For a more challenging ride, do the loop backwards.
Utah, Moab. The MOAB Brand Trails are 4 trails, each named for the different letters in MOAB. The M trail is the easiest and works it way up to B, which is the most difficult. You’ll find the M trail a little rocky, but mostly just fun. The B trail will through expert level obstacles at you like slick rock and tight turns. These trails are enough to keep you busy for a couple of days and can be fun for the whole family. It’s a beautiful place, designed for biking fun.
Barton Creek Greenbelt, Austin TX. Few biking enthusiasts will argue that this trail is the best Texas has to offer. Austin is a great city with its live music scene, great food and atmosphere. If you want a little more nature and a little less urban, Barton Creek is the ride for you. This ride is inconsistent to say the least, even experienced bikers may find themselves walking in places. There is a single track on either side of Barton Creek, but there are stretches where there is no track at all. Despite its inconsistencies the ride is worth it.
Above are five excellent places to begin your exploration of Central US bike trails. Admittedly these trails kind of hug the edges of the Central US. I do like to have some elevation change in my bike trails and the bread basket doesn’t really provide you with that. These trails will keep you busy though, and happy with your bike riding if you dare to try to take them on.
Tags: added adventure, beautiful place, cache creek, co colorado, colorado springs co, couple of days, expert level, fitness levels, flowering plant, game creek, j williams, palmer park, place on earth, rock formations, rolling hills, slick rock, thicket, treeline, view from the top, waldo canyon
