What are the best places in the world to mountain bike? Realizing that can be a pretty open-ended question the International Mountain Bicycling Association has nonetheless attempting to define the best rides for more than a decade.
Each year the association releases a list of “Epic Rides.” This year’s list of six trails from Oregon to Iceland average more than 60 miles and put even the most seasoned riders through a test of fortitude. Not to be outdone is the awe-inspiring scenery along the way. Here are the IMBA’s top 6 epic rides for 2015.
Epic Mountain Rides
-
Armstrong to Strawberry, California
Mountain biking is all about single-track, and the trail from Armstrong to Strawberry near Lake Tahoe, California offers plenty of just that. This 39-mile section of trail includes 90 percent single track as it transitions from a fast descent to technical sections. Take in the view of Lake Tahoe and the southern Sierras along the way before a final hair-raising descent.
Photo credit: IMBA
-
Black Canyon Trail, Arizona
Because of the length of Black Canyon trail, 68 miles, riders often choose to tackle this trail north of Phoenix in sections. The southern section presents a long, gradually descending route. The north varies from open desert to tight canyons. And the middle section includes dramatic scenery and adventurous riding.
Photo credit: IMBA
-
High Country Pathway, Michigan
With one of the largest free range elk herds in North America, mountain biking in Michigan is sure to offer plenty of outdoor surprises. The 82 mile High Country Pathway is perfect for a two-day adventure that traverses cool cedar swamps and pine mountain plantations. It’s possibly you can spot elk, deer, bear, beaver and more along the trail that barely touches any form of civilization.
Photo credit: Flickr CC
-
Leugavegur Route, Iceland
The only epic ride named by the association outside of North America, the Laugavegur Route in Iceland is a multi-day point-to-point hut adventure. This mind-blowing ride takes riders through single-track trails that pass geysers, multi-colored mountains, hot springs, lava fields and glaciers. A great way to get there is to book a trip with Big Mountain Bike Adventures.
-
Ouachita NRT, Arkansas
The Ouachita Moutnains are not typically accessible to mountain biking, which makes this 108 mile section of the Ouachita National Recreation Trail such a gem. Traverse remote sections of the mountain with some sections that require hiking. But it’s all worth it for some epic downhills.
Photo credit: Flickr CC
-
Surveyor’s Ridge, Oregon
Out of all the epic mountain biking in the Pacific Northwest, IMBA chose Surveyor’s Ridge northeast of Mt. Hood just a few miles south of Hood River, Oregon. The elevation is high though, so you’ll have to wait for the snow to fully clear by late summer. Filled with aggressive short climbs and technical descents, this ride has all the makings of a classic.
Photo credit: IMBA
