Pro riders and industry legends share their favorite places to ride beyond the usual Whistler and Moab bucket-list stops
By Ron Koch
As mountain bikers, we’re always looking for great new places to ride. One of the easiest ways to find such locations is to ask our friends. Most serious mountain bikers have ridden dozens—maybe even hundreds—of different trails. You might ride some places that you’ll remember for the rest of your life. On the other hand, you might ride some other locations that you never want to visit again.
We reached out to some of our friends, including some of the most famous riders in the world, and asked them if they could tell us about some of their favorite mountain biking locations. We asked them to name some places that weren’t as well known as Whistler and Moab. By the way, if you’ve never been to Whistler or Moab, put them on your list of places to go. There’s a reason they’re as popular as they are.
Wherever you want to go, don’t forget that most of the time the best trails for you are the ones that are located close to where you live, but when you get a chance to travel, that’s worth doing, too. One of the best things about mountain biking is that there is great riding all over the world. As the saying goes, “Seek and ye shall find.”
SAULT STE. MARIE, CANADA
“I really enjoyed my time in Sault Ste. Marie [pronounced “Sue Sainte Marie”]. It may only be known for the early hockey days of Wayne Gretzky or being in the exact middle of Canada, but it offers more than that. I was really impressed with the recent uptick in building, as the community had just received some trail-building grants. It has been two and a half years since my visit, and I’m sure much has progressed once again. However, I found there to be a great network of in-town trails that offered fun for all skill levels and some grey-area trails that definitely catered to a more advanced skill set. I would be extremely curious to revisit the region, as I truly enjoyed myself. Great leaders of the community are really pushing to create a solid cycling community.” —Geoff Gulevich
SOCKRIDER PEAK, COLORADO
“This singletrack trail above Rico, Colorado, takes you above 12,000 feet to Sockrider Peak and has the most amazing views ever. It’s not an easy destination to reach, which keeps the masses away, but thankfully I was on an ebike that I’m sure cut 45–60 minutes off my uphill struggle. There are some very narrow sections with big exposure and extremely rocky parts, so be prepared. I’d suggest bringing plenty of food and water along with the right tools and tire repair kits. There is a high potential for mechanicals and/or flats out here. This remote and raw [trail] is one of the reasons it’s so special. On top of the great views, you’ll also be treated to a very fun downhill back to the van. This trail is also moto-legal, so keep an ear/eye out. Other than that, the only negative part about this ride is that you will have little air to breathe up there.” —Brian Lopes
Photo courtesy of Cam Zink
RICHFIELD, UTAH
“Richfield, Utah, has some of the most amazing trail systems when it comes to shuttling and looped trails. It’s a combination of southern Utah, northern Utah, and Moab all placed in one spot. It’s definitely more for the intermediate and professional groups when it’s time to lay off the brakes. Obviously, beginners and novices are welcome. Not a lot of people have heard of this place. It’s kind of out in the middle of nowhere, but it’s definitely worth the trip.” —Logan Binggeli
“Richfield, Utah, is the gorgeous woman in sweatpants that lives down the street from a well-dressed model. That model is none other than Virgin, Utah, nestled next to Zion National Park. The other girl, [Richfield, Utah], is just not as dolled up or well known. We have been filming in Richfield for over 10 years, enjoying the perfect blend of natural, untouched terrain and buildable features. It is completely unique and offers terrain we haven’t found anywhere else on earth, mainly the ability to jump massive gaps and cliffs without putting shovels in the dirt. This has been a prime testing zone for Zink Bikes. It has remained a bit of a secret until recent years when the city took it upon themselves to put in miles of legal trails. Do yourself a favor and check it out, no matter what your skill level may be.” —Cam Zink
ZOOM BIKE PARK, BRAZIL
“One of my favorite riding destinations is Zoom Bike Park (https://zoombikepark.com.br/) in Brazil. It is in the town of Campos Do Jordao, which is a 2 1/2-hour drive from the airport in Sao Paulo. I usually stay at one of the small cabins in the park. The cabins are perched on a hillside with spectacular views. The park has a variety of trails for all skill levels—flow trails with man-made features, jump lines and plenty of natural singletrack riding. There is no chair-lift at the park, but they have built several trails with gradual climbs, so it’s pretty easy to ride to the top. They have bike rentals in the park, including ebikes. If you go, make sure you get a chance to ride the Ned Trail. Specialized Brazil helped develop it, and they are a major supporter of the park.” —Ned Overend
MENDOCINO, CALIFORNIA
“A few hours north of San Francisco lies the picturesque seaside village of Mendocino. Just a few miles east, you’ll find a sublime network of fresh, loamy singletrack deep in the coastal redwood forest. I founded Ibis here in 1981 when there were only a few trails to ride. Now, thanks to the dedicated Steam Donkey trail crew and other local trail builders, there are dozens of miles of beautifully built and maintained singletrack. Thanks to the moisture from summer fog and winter rain, the trails are never dusty, providing year-round hero dirt—a rarity in California’s Mediterranean climate. Don’t bring your sunglasses; it’s dark in the woods!” —Scot Nicol
SQUAMISH, BRITISH COLUMBIA
“Squamish, British Columbia, found just between Vancouver and Whistler, has become one of the premier mountain bike towns of the world in the past decade. Why? It’s nicely situated on the temperate Pacific Ocean, with towering mountains all around it, just far enough away from the bustle of Vancouver and not an over-priced resort town like Whistler. It’s a great community of like-minded adventure folks choosing to live here and raise families. The community has been so supportive of mountain bike trail networks and trail-work funding, and as a result, you have a very positive mountain bike trail network being supported by some of the most experienced trail builders in the world. It’s truly one of the world’s most stoking mountain bike towns.” —Sterling Lorence
VIRGIN, UTAH
“Needing little introduction to the world of mountain biking, Virgin, Utah, is where Red Bull Rampage takes place every October and is the home to countless professional and amateur riders alike. Many of the well-known features and riding locations dominate videos on social media and throughout the internet, most of which consist of gnarly technical features and massive drops and jumps, but there are also riding options for every type of rider in the beautiful red rocks of southern Utah. Areas like Gooseberry Mesa, Grafton Mesa and Hurricane Cliffs, along with nearby trail systems in St. George, like Green Valley, the Santa Clara River Reserve, and the Cliffrose Trail System, offer a massive variety of trails and terrain for any type of rider.
It’s a place where I can bring my long-travel freeride bike, all-mountain bike and short-travel bike when going on a trip, and use all of them to their fullest potential, and the incredibly welcoming and encouraging local riding community is the icing on the cake.” —Tyler Ryan
BRITANNIA BEACH, BRITISH COLUMBIA
“Britannia Beach is on the way to Squamish, and it has been an underground riding zone for a few years now, and it is awesome! The features are like Squamish—lots of granite rock slabs with great loamy singletrack in between. For the last five years or so it has gained popularity. Unfortunately, it is an expert-only area but worth checking out. The trail network was originally created by the local trials motorbike crew, and has been around for more than 30 years, I bet. If you remember the trail Disneyland, it’s in the same area, and it was a popular MTB heli-drop ride with many videos on it.” —Wade Simmons
QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND
“Located at the bottom of the South Island of New Zealand is a small town called Queenstown. This little town is absolutely booming with epic mountain biking spots, and it’s one of the best places in the world for easily accessible jumps and freeride terrain. Within just minutes of the city center there is Skyline Bike Park, which has everything from flowy jump trails to arm-pump-inducing World Cup DH tracks, like Dream Track, which is home of the biggest public freeride jumps in the world, and Gorge Road, which is a top-notch dirt-jumping facility with progressive lines. These three locations are some of the most famous, though they don’t even scratch the surface of what’s available to ride in and around Queenstown. On top of the great riding zones, the town is a great place to hang out. Good food, happy people, and an energetic nightlife make this an epic destination for just about anybody who wants to ride bikes and have a good time. And, of course, being in the southern hemisphere, it gives you the opportunity to escape winter here in the U.S. and get some nice warm weather.” —Nic Hilton
EAGLE MOUNTAIN, BRITISH COLUMBIA
“To the east of Vancouver near Coquitlam is a riding area little known to most of the thousands of riders who fly into or drive every year through Vancouver on their way to the more famous riding destinations such as Whistler, Squamish or the infamous North Shore trails in North Vancouver. I discovered the Eagle Mountain Trail Network during my recent urban adventure when I sampled some of the goods with Wade Simmons. A classic loop, especially for ebikes, is the Full Pull loop that leads you on a 15-mile ride to one of the best viewpoints overlooking Vancouver Bay. Along the way, one can add some extra bonus miles by hitting some of the many North Shore-style trails that cover the hillside. There are some beautiful wooden ladder bridges, skinnies, and rock features, as well as some jumps and drops. They even have a very nice uphill trail to get to all the trailheads. According to Trailforks, there are some 74 trails in the area. Some of the classics are Marvin, Manhandler or Physiotherapy. There are plenty of breweries and eating places below in Port Moody for some after-ride therapy.” —Hans Rey
TWIN BUTTES TRAIL SYSTEM, COLORADO
“The Twin Buttes Trail System in Durango is a favorite of mine for several reasons. The view at the top of the loop is unmatched. You’ll see alpine in the north and desert in the west, showing Durango’s diverse climate. Twin Buttes is a 6.7-mile loop located just a couple of miles from downtown Durango. My favorite part is how playful the trail is, perfect for someone who enjoys getting sendy on the downhills. There’s a good climb at the start that brings you to a rewarding, flowy downhill all the way to the parking lot. You’ll get to experience jumps (optional), berms and even some North Shore-style features. Definitely a must-ride in Durango!”—Rhyler Overend
By Ron Koch
