Traveling to New Places to Find New Trails

People who are really into mountain biking tend to go out as much as they can and hit their favorite trails on a regular basis. But if your favorite trails are not too exciting and you don’t have any other local options to spice things up then you may want to think about taking a road trip to go out and explore some new riding areas.

Yeah we know packing up the truck and getting people to commit to a long drive JUST to go riding can be a pain but almost every time you do it you will be glad you did. Once you get out in the open and start exploring some new trails the memories of the long drive and prep work will fade away. And you never know, you may just find the trails of your dreams and it will want to come back more in the future.

Of course you should do some planning before just hitting the road so you don't end up lost and disappointed. Check out trail reviews online or talk to people who have done these trails. YouTube is a great way to see how the trails look and check the difficulty level. Also try and find current trail conditions so you don't end up at a trail that hasn't been maintained and is overgrown with weeds.

McKenzie River Trail - OR

Cold Spring Trail - CA

One thing you will really want to focus on is getting a map of the trail that you can print out or go by a local bike shop and see if you can pick one up to help you navigate the terrain. If you know where the trail is located then you can use sites like Google Maps to help you find where the trail goes and where the trailhead is located. Use the satellite mode to help see the trails from an aerial view. If the trail is in a heavily wooded area then this method will not work to see the trails but you should be able to search for things like parking areas.

Snow Summit Bike Park - CA

Cannell Trail - CA

Once you get your trail location figured out then you need to plan for your trip. Always make sure to bring things like extra tubes, chain repair tools, chain lube and a toolkit so you are prepared to make repairs on the road since you won't have the comforts of your garage with you. If you don't do your own bike maintenance then you may want to consider taking your bike in for a tune up before the trip so they can check things like your brakes, derailleur and chain conditions.

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park - CA

Galbraith Mountain - WA

If you think the ride will be something you will want to go back to then consider using a mapping app on your smartphone to map the trail. Many people use apps like Strava or My Tracks to map where they have been. Strava will do additional things such as compare your performance over time as well as compare it with other riders who have done the same trails. This way you can go online and see exactly where you rode and see if you missed anything. Then you can share your maps with others who may be new to the trails.

After all is said and done, the most important reason to travel to other areas to ride is to have fun and experience new trails and scenery. You most likely will come across other types of trails that you are not used to such as super rocky or downhill trails with big jumps allowing you to see how these types of trails compare to your normal trails back home. It's good to get exposure on different types of terrain to make you a well-rounded rider that can ride anywhere you may find yourself... with your bike.

Posted by Jim Bernstein