Where to take a beginner????

[Danimal]

I was wondering where/what trails would be good for my 12 year old son who is just beginning the Mtn Biking phenomenon to begin on? I have had him at River Bottoms and he says it isn't challenging enough. I have been to Lebanon and I personally think he won't last the 8 mile intermediate loop. Anyone have any suggestions as to any other trails somewhere in between? Do I take him to Leb and hope he doesn't want to turn back half way through?

I haven't visited any other trails other than those two, what's "The Farm" like?
Any advice would be appreciated.

[Danimal]

Ok as I read the trails section "The Farm" is out, anyone else have a suggestion?

[gordanfreeman]

what about theo? that was probably my first "real" singletrack trail i rode and found it entertaining enough to keep my coming back.

[Danimal]

How do you get there, no directions on the trails section of the forums.

[MisterClaw]

Maps of Theo are available at http://www.mocatrails.org/

If it wasn't probably underwater at the moment and full of overgrowth, the west side of the river bottoms is fairly beginner friendly. My fiancee really liked it early this spring and it was just challenging enough. (walking over the log piles of course).

[waitabit]

The beginner loop at Leb. would be good.

[Thewavebb]

Ok as I read the trails section "The Farm" is out, anyone else have a suggestion?

When you mentioned "the farm" I laughed. that would be a very intense ride for a newer rider. Never know though, kids are hardcore and not afraid of death.

[rowland]

i'm pushin' theo, my second choice would be salem. my third choice would be theo. fourth, fith, sixth...theo,theo,theo.

[Danimal]

Ok I try Theo this weekend with him. How doees one get there from Eagan?

[stoneage]

Hiway 55 west off 94 west. About 2 miles to Theo Wirth Parkway. That is the main entrance on the NW corner by the kiosk. BUT, take a left at Theo Wirth and go to Glenwood Ave. Left and park at the beach house lot. About 1/8 mile. Ride back to the entrance from there.

[Primo Tiki]

Battle Creek has some good beginner trails.

[KleinCrazy]

Salem Hills is one of the best trails for first time riders.

It is a little disjointed right now since we are working to connect the 2 loops, but it is nice wide fairly flat, no obstacles, singletrack trhough mostly praire with a few wooded sections.

about 4 miles now, 5-6 when completed in a couple of weeks.

Directions from Eagan,

494 east to Robert (hwy3) south on Robert to upper 55th, 1st left after exit.

Left on upper 55th and down the hill past the church, parking lot will be up the hill on your right. at the base of the water tower.


You can also just come up Hwy 3 from Eagan and turn right onto upper 55th.

Trail is in very rideable shape right now, we were out working on it tonight.

one big muddy section east of the pond.

check the trail page for more info. We hope to have a good topo trail map together in a couple of weeks. the city cartographer comes out and helps us do trailwork!!!

l8er
James

[Danimal]

Cool thanks everybody!

[manual63]

Theo or Salem Hills would be the best in my opinion. Leb isn't a bad choice either. Leb has a little more climbing and a couple of log things you will want to warn them about, be besides that, the intermediate loop is just fine.

[Ogre]

What's wrong with Terrace Oaks?

That's the trail I usually like to take beginners.
Short loop, has a couple tricky but not dangerous sections.
It's seldom if ever crowded.

[homebrewbiker]

I would also say that the River bottoms section between Bloomigton Ferry Road Lot and the Ferry crossing thingy is a good place for beginners. It is flat and there are easy outs for all of the obstacles. That is assuming that all of the crossings are in place :eyeroll:

[Shickdawg]

Battle Creek has some good beginner trails.

Unless I just don't know where they are, I would disagree. I mean, yeah, the trails are wide, and there are very few obstacles. But if the sand doesn't kill you, the climbs certainly will.

Don't get me wrong: I like to ride BC, and probably consider it my "home trail" as much as anything in the Cities. But for a beginner, I'd push for Salem Hills -- haven't made it out to Theo yet.

[Danimal]

Say... that is the only entrance to river bottoms that I know, where is the other entrance and how do you get there?

[homebrewbiker]

Say... that is the only entrance to river bottoms that I know, where is the other entrance and how do you get there?

There is another entrance off of Lyndale, I think you take the exit after 98th from 35 W(106th???) and then bear East and then take a right just past the freeway and go down the hill. From the parking lot if you go West (??) you go through a sandy road into singletrack and hit the Ferry crossing, if you go East you go into the Hilly part towards Mendota I think. I haven't been on that part of the trail much ...

[bolmsted]

I'm trying to get my wife into mountain biking so I took her to Theo last night figuring it would be a good first outing for the year. (she actually rode the entire afton course last year with me once...it was her choice) Anyway, we went slowly and worked on a couple of the log climbs so she could gain a little confidence and stuff. We also were really careful to keep an eye out for approaching riders and were sure to be out of the way when they came by. It was disappointing to have her almost slammed into and run over several times (especially when someone came through off the trail on the other side of a tree and almost clipped her) but I don't think it will deterr her from going out again. I'm just mentioning this because it was kind of a drag to have that happen. If it were someone else, it may have been a deal breaker.

[Danimal]

Ok I know the entrance off of Lyndale and where the sandy double track is on the "ferry side" what I want to know is where is the other enterance where all the obstacles are?

[cheese4brains]

Ok I know the entrance off of Lyndale and where the sandy double track is on the "ferry side" what I want to know is where is the other enterance where all the obstacles are?

There are two main lots for the River Bottoms. The first is off of Lyndale, just east of the 35W bridge. The other is the "Ferry Bridge" lot which is just east of the 169 bridge over the river. Good directions to both can be found in the River Bottoms review: http://www.morcmtb.org/trailreviews/metro/riverbottom.shtml

The River Bottoms are split into the "East" and "West". This is in relation to the Lyndale lot - everything east of that lot is East ... and, well, you get the picture. The East can be characterized as non-technical but hilly. It's only 3 miles or so, 6 miles round-trip. Watch for signs since areas further east are off-limits to bikes (bird sanctuary). The West is definitely flat, but there are technical aspects. There's a beam, jump and many different log piles including one larger than anything at Lebanon. All/most of the technical aspects have "outs" so that new riders can opt-out without dismounting. You'll have to ride the bottoms a couple times to find the best route as there's many different spurs that diverge and merge along the main trail. A group ride with someone who's familiar would also do the trick.

For those that are unaware, "Ferry" refers to the Bloomington Ferry Bridge which is where 169 crosses the MN river. There's a paved path between Bloomington and Shakopee that starts at the Blooington Ferry lot. That bridge and path follow the old Bloomington Ferry Bridge and Bloomington Ferry Bridge Road which use to flood out every spring like clockwork. There's another lot off of 101 at the end of the paved path on the Shakopee side, so if you're south of the river you can park there, bike the paved path (1-2 miles) to the Blooington Ferry lot, and then bike both the west and east river trail. When you're done you'll have biked about 18 miles round-trip. Cool. :banana: :banana: :banana:

IMO the river trail is best in the spring and fall/winter, but especially in the fall.

Watch out for hikers, hydrate, rinse, repeat.

[homebrewbiker]

In the Fall it is a great place to go night riding. You get to see lots of wildlife. In the winter I put my bike away and ski, but I hear it is fun in the winter too.:banana:

[Danimal]

Ok, took the kids to Theo Wirth on Sunday and it was awesome, mainly did the paved trails and stopped by some lake to let the boys do some swimming to cool down it was nice. the question I have is where are the dirt trails?

I found a section where you eventually go down a steep hill & hit a jump made of dirt & rocks, and there seemed to be someone whith a lot of hound dogs down the hill. Was I in the correct area for the dirt trails? That trail only seemed to be about 1/2 mile long if that. Anyone know where the singletrack is? I'd like to go there again and let my wife and 6 year old hit the paved trails while my 12 year old & I hit the singletrack.

Can anyone help?

[noise_is_life]

Here is a pdf of the trail map:

http://www.mocatrails.org/files/Brochure.pdf

There is a big trail map in the kiosk at the corner of Hwy 55 and Theo Wirth Pkwy, there are also printed copies of the above map available there.

[jeffgude]

Danimal, considering that you're in Eagan I would take him to Terrace Oaks and you'll spend waaaaay less time in the car.

Yesterday my kids (ages 5 and 7) did two laps of the beginner loop at Lebanon. We're planning to try Terrace next. I'm sure they'll do some walking up the climbs, since their bikes aren't eactly geared for hills, but I'm optimistic since my 5 year old rode nearly everything on the beginner loop on his 16 inch-wheeled "singlespeed."

...sorry, had to brag a little.

[Danimal]

Did the Lebanon Beginner loop with them and they said it was too boring. Here's my delemma. The 12 year old likes small jumps, small obstacles, flat to slightly hilly course. The 6 year old likes flat course, small obstacles. Trying to find a happy medium. Maybe that isn't going to happen.

The maps at Theo are confusing as hell. Other than the paved trails maps the directions for the singletracks suck. Had a hard time finding them.

[noise_is_life]

It shouldn't be too hard. The trailhead is about 20 feet from the kiosk, this winds around and pops out back on the paved path that you started on (down the road a ways of course). You then take a left and ride the paved path until you see the gravel road with a gate (after crossing the bridge). Ride down the gravel road staying left when it splits and look for a cross country style carsonite sign that marks the trail entrance. From here you should be gravy, the loop is pretty self explanitory until you come out pretty much right where you started. Then you ride back out the gravel road, take a right across the bridge. Dive back in where you exited before (2 way trail), stay left when it splits and it will keep going until it pops you out near the kiosk again.

[At the Gates 2121]

[QUOTE=KleinCrazy]Salem Hills is one of the best trails for first time riders.

It is a little disjointed right now since we are working to connect the 2 loops, but it is nice wide fairly flat, no obstacles, singletrack trhough mostly praire with a few wooded sections.

about 4 miles now, 5-6 when completed in a couple of weeks.


I agree with james this is a good spot to go also a lot of battle creek is friendly
but salem needs to be riden more

[Danimal]

Well, we hit Wirth, Lebanon, Afton and he loves Lebanon. And since it's in my back yard, that be the place. Thanks everyone for your suggestions.