I’ll be visiting family in CT this summer. I’d like to take my kids chair lift biking – we went to Loon last summer and loved it. Looking for recommendations on where to go.
Could do day trips from CT, departing from near Hartford and Springfield.
Could do a further area, spending 2 days and 1 night.
Am driving to CT from MD so could stop in NY, NJ, PA on drive up.
Kids are 8 and 10. Need both easy and more challenging trails.
This website has been helpful but am having a hard time narrowing down to a single location: https://www.twowheeledwanderer.com/posts/mountain-bike-parks-united-states/
by MrBigThyme
5 Comments
I’m in North Virginia and the 2 systems I’ve heard cater to everyone is Bryce and Massanutten. Obviously still have snowshoe, but might not be the greatest for kids.
I haven’t been to any of these yet because I just moved up here, but might not hurt to look into!
(7hr drive to either Bryce or Massanutten, Bryce would be better)
Highland, NH. Thunder Mtn, MA. Loon is fun for an introduction. But honestly their trails are pretty terrible compared to a legit park like the 2 i mentioned.
Probably farther than you want to go but Killington and Bolton valley both have good bike parks Bolton is limited on beginner and intermediate trails but killington has a few more choices than Bolton Boltons lift takes 15 minutes to get up and killingtons takes like 8
The two that immediately spring to my mind are Highland and Thunder Mountain (Berkshire East), at 2.5h and 1.5h driving time from Hartford, respectively.
Both have plenty of variety, including green and blue flow trails that are approachable. Arguably Thunder leans more into natural technical terrain, while Highland has more freeride and jump oriented stuff (though both have plenty of each).
The town of Charlemont is really lovely and worth a BnB stay. Gorgeous area. You can bike to town from the resort, take a swim in the river, grab a pizza, all that good stuff. I don’t recall there being much right around Highland for non-bike activities, but they’re right off I-93 and Concord NH is right there.
Mountain Creek in NJ is also within a similar driving distance, and worth a look too. Lots of really rocky tech and lots of flow trails. I *think* they have a pretty good beginner stuff, but my memory is a little fuzzy there. The Creek is certainly *bigger* than the other two. Definitely worth a swing on the drive up.
Smaller place, but powder ridge is right next to Hartford if you’re staying in central/south CT.