Thursday, September 10, 2009

Great Places to Ride Your Bike in Indiana

By Pat J Williams

If you're looking for lots of different geographical terrain and variety to try out your biking skills, check out the trails in Indiana. The northern part of the state is pretty flat and has lots of farms while the southern portion has lots of hills and thick forests. You'll find some particularly great, fun bike trails in the south.

Near Liberty you can try out a little bit of everything at Doin' It Outdoors, a network of trails with a wide variety of trails. For beginners, rent a bike (you'll need to sign a waiver of course) and try out some of the well maintained easy trails. Intermediate riders will enjoy some of the more challenging stretches. And experienced riders will love the twisted singletrack trails with steep inclines and fast descents. You'll also need to navigate low branches and fallen trees. Don't forget your helmet and plan to have lots of fun on these well-marked trails.

Located not far from Westville, beginning and intermediate bikers will love the 6 miles of trails at Bluhm County Park. These well kept trails are the ideal place to develop your skills. It's heavily forested, contains some sharp turns, and often has lots of fun mud! You can pick up some pretty good speed and learn to navigate the trails quickly, and the trails connect in various loops for a great continuous ride.

The 96th Street Trail near Fishers, Indiana is 7 miles of flowing singletrack. You'll experience roller coaster hills; an old levee over White River; a flat, dusty section; and extremely tight turns. You can build up some killer speeds on the hills so make sure your brakes work well! You will probably see bikers of all experience levels here. However, the technical aspects of the trail may be better suited for experienced riders.

If you're looking for trails devoted to mountain biking as a sport, head over toward Indianapolis to check out the Town Run Trail Park. This 6-mile loop was created specifically for biking and includes lots of great features like sections of roller coaster like hills, steep inclines, logs to circumvent, and some very fast areas where speed is the name of the game. This is a one-way only trail and you can't ride at night, but it's well marked and sees regular improvements, so it's a place you'll definitely want to investigate.

Plumbers and Steamfitters is a trail near Terra Haute that was designed by the owners of Fat Bikes. It used to be old strip mine pits, so you can expect to experience some pretty steep climbs. There are bridges, plenty of technical stuff and various off-shoots that will keep you riding all day if you want. Check with the guys at Fat Bikes for more information about the current status of the trail.

Gnawbone Came near Bloomington is a great ride for the advanced biker. This 25-mile loop has long, grueling climbs and very steep, challenging descents that will test your skills and endurance. Watch out for lots of slate rock on the trails and low-hanging branches. You can buy a map of the area at the nearby general store.

With all of Indiana's national and state parks, nature preserves, and forests, there is no shortage of great trails to enjoy in the state. You'll love all the nature that surrounds you and also appreciate the challenges and enhancements to your fitness regime as you workout outdoors.

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