Trails Accross The Nation
The data retrieved from this project can be found at MTBProject.com
Riding a mountain bike is a healthy way to enjoy the outdoors in a fun and adventurous way. Across America, there are thousands of mountain bike trails that you can access. The trails range from easy to expert only and can be as short as .2 miles and up to 80+ miles. Mountain biking can provide social and health benefits for its enthusiasts. It’s no wonder that millions of Americans ride trails near them.
According to the data, the top 5 states for trail riding are as follows; California has the number one spot wih 3,317 trails, Colorado comes in second with 2,991, Pennsylvania earns the bronze with 1,193, Idaho is fourth with 1,123, and Washington scrapes by with 961 trails to earn a spot in the top 5. (Looks like Cali is the place to be!)
Compare Regions
The trails in Texas range from easy, easy/intermediate, intermediate, intermediate/hard, hard and expert. Let's see if you can handle a trail in your area. Compare the trails in the seven regions across Texas and discover where the pros go.
Texas Regions
Across Texas, there are 7 regions that make up the state. They consist of the Panhandle, Gulf Coast, Central Texas, North, South, East, and West Texas. Each of these regions host a variety of trails with different expertise levels, lengths, temperatures, and environments.
The Panhandle
Although the Panhandle is the largest region in Texas, it only has 46 mountain bike trails. The Panhandle consists of a wide variety of riding conditions from hard and weathered trails with rock formations throughout Palo Duro State Park, to rolling prairies at Lake Arrowhead State Park.
North Texas
The North Texas Region is known for having a long list of trails, which totals at 181 trails to choose from, many of them being an intermediate difficulty. North Texas is also known for their prairies and lakes, which ensures a scenic ride.
East Texas
East Texas, also known as the Piney Woods, is filled with lots of trees! On these trails, you’re sure to journey through dense pines and several other types of trees. The best time to experience East Texas is during the fall as the color changing trees are great for a photo op.
Gulf Coast
Something you can get in the Gulf Coast region but nowhere else in Texas is the sandy beach trails. There’s a variety of trails from Padre Island National Seashore to the floodplains in Brazos Bend State Park. Even though the Gulf Coast only consist of 57 trails, they are all definitely still a unique experience.
The South
In South Texas, most of the trails are known for being similar to each other. The trails in the South region of Texas are predominately located in San Antonio, such as McAllister Park and O.P Schnabel which allow for fast single track trails. Another popular area is the Government Canyon State Natural area, which offers challenging climbs with rocks.
Central Texas
Some of the greatest trails in the state are located in Central Texas, also known as the beautiful Hill Country. Many of these trails have steep climbs, which is why Central Texas is home to some expert trails. With San Marcos, TX being located on the Balcones fault line, the trails make for an exhilarating and technical ride.
West Texas
West Texas is famously known for Big Bend, which consists of the most intense trails in one place. This region of Texas has 7 expert only trails, which can be extremely difficult to endure with Texas’ hot temperatures and 60 mile long rides. If you’re ever out in the wild west, Devils River State Natural Area is definitely a great trail to check out.
A Word From The Pros
This is a quick interview with a couple of mountain bike enthusiasts in San Marcos. The consensus is that Purgatory Park contains the best trails in the city of San Marcos. The Texas terrain makes for an exhilirating and technical trail riding experience. Even the pros consider the trailheads at Purgatory to be a challenge.
Find A Trail In Your City
There are 763 trails in Texas! Pick your city to find out which trail you can handle.
| City | Trail Name | Distance | Difficulty |
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Hi, my name is Jake Fest. I created this project about mountain bike trails because of my love for the exhilirating effects hitting the trails brings me. I plan to ride all of the trails accross Texas and eventually the globe. I encourage any and all mountain bike enthusiasts to reach out to me to schedule a ride! My contact information is jakebfest@gmail.com