Trails

I think one of the most enjoyable aspects of mountain biking is getting out and discovering new-to-me trails. Whether its being challenged by a trail feature I’ve never seen before or the simple pleasure of experiencing a new location, I’ve found quite a bit of enjoyment from riding new trails. I especially enjoy meeting other off-road enthusiasts—some of the friendliest and funnest people to be around.

If you take just a few minutes and look through the trails listed on this site you’ll discover literally hundreds of miles of singletrack in the greater North Texas area—well over 200 in the DFW Metro area alone. It’s doubtful that any of you have ever ridden every single trail listed on this site. So that begs the question. Do we need more singletrack in North Texas?

My answer is yes. I’m all for more and more ribbons of lovely dirt winding through trees, flowing down hills, and crossing area creeks. While North Texas may not have the ability to become a mountain biking destination the likes of Sedona, Moab, or Northwest Arkansas, that doesn’t mean we can’t and shouldn’t give it a try. The more trails we build in this area, the more riders we’ll add to the sport. More off-road cyclists means growing support for existing trail organizations and bike shops. Plus, we already have the advantage of having one of the largest groups of mountain bikers in the country.

So where might some of this new singletrack get built? Here’s the lowdown on three potential additions that I know about.

Denton Urban Singletrack Alliance

There’s a group of MTBers in Denton who have a petition on Change.org with the goal of persuading the City of Denton to allow an urban singletrack trail to be built within one of the city’s parks. As of now, there’s not a ton of details and the plans are obviously in the VERY early stages. The Denton Urban Singletrack Alliance is looking for at least 1,000 signatories on the petition, and as of this posting there are only 591.

Click the following link to add your name to the Denton Urban Singletrack Alliance petition.

South Arlington Singletrack

If you’re one of those who frequent the DORBA Facebook page on a regular basis, you probably saw a recent post about a potential new trail in South Arlington. A DORBA member who has been involved in building some of DFW’s best trails in the past will present at the Arlington Parks and Recreation Board meeting on March 11th to get approval for a trail running through Red Kane, Rush Creek, and Sublett Parks.

Mountain bikers, especially those living in Arlington, are encouraged to attend the meeting at 6:30pm at 717 W Main in Arlington to show your support.

Aubrey—Little Elm Creek Singletrack

This last one is actually my own little dream. A few years ago, Aubrey was given some park land in the floodplain along Little Elm Creek just north of Highway 380. Since learning of this I’ve had a vision to see if some singletrack could be built on Army Corps of Engineers land just west of Aubrey’s parcel along the creek. My hope is for Aubrey to allow for some parking and trailhead access, as well as sponsor the trail’s land lease with the Corp.

I’ve already met with the Corp and they are open to a trail within the Lake Lewisville floodplain. As of yet I haven’t been able to go out and survey the land due to all the rain we’ve had the last several months, but I hope to get out there soon. There doesn’t seem to be a ton of elevation, but we won’t know what shape a trail might take until we get out there.

The map above is just my pre-conceptualization of the trail to see how many miles might potentially fit within the Corp land running from the Aubrey property south toward Highway 380. It looks like six to eight miles of trail might be possible without getting too winding. If everything works out with the city and the Corp—as well as gaining permissions from a neighborhood HOA—I’d also like approach the developer for the land to the north and see if they would be open to extending the trail along the creek into the new neighborhood they’re building.

None of this may work out, but I’m excited to give it a try and bring more singletrack to North Texas.

I recently received a very nice email from a reader who wanted to know my opinions about trail runners using wet trails. Here’s the email with an edited and expanded version of my response below.

Hi, I live on the east coast and am an ultra trail runner. I have run thousands of miles on our local single track trails over the last ten years. In the last five years mountain bikers have started to enjoy the same trails, they do a ton of trail work to keep the trails in biking shape. My grief is that now I am being told that if they can’t ride the trails because it is too wet then I cant either. I always run through—not around—muddy areas, tamping down deeper ruts made by bike tires. I do not slide or widen trails. Yet some bikers insist that I am doing as much damage as bikers. Sometimes my foot leaves a wide print no water collects. Possibly less than .1% of my run is damaging. Should I really stay off the trails? I appreciate your input and perspective. ~Kate

Hi Kate,

Thanks for your email. I hope you’ve enjoyed my website, though it’s not specifically geared toward your pastime. It’s still great to hear from you and hope you find the site valuable.

First up, not being a resident nor familiar with the trails on the east coast, I can’t speak specifically to trail conditions out that direction. Here in North Texas, we are forced to close wet trails due to the nature of our soil—it consists mostly of clay. So, I don’t have first-hand knowledge as to how well the soil in your area responds to being run or ridden upon while wet.

This seems to be something of a hot-button issue, or at least a large enough issue that my post, Why Can’t I Ride Wet Trails?, is the most popular page on this site—receiving hundreds of hits per day.

Here’s my perspective for what it’s worth, keeping the caveats above in mind. And that perspective starts with a question.

Do the trails you frequent have an open/closed status maintained by either a land manager, land owner, or trail stewards?

Where I fall on whether or not anyone should be on a trail—whether running or cycling—is based on the open/closed status of the trail. I always fall on the side of the managers/owners/stewards, so if they say a trail is closed or if they say to stay off when wet, then that’s what we should all do.

My advice is to find out who those managers/owners/stewards are and ask them what they want. Do they want you to stay off when wet? Do they announce open/closed status anywhere? Do they have posted signs for open/closed status? Do they have posted (physical or digital) rules concerning trail use that directly address wet trails?

Beyond all that, I’d encourage you to get involved in trail maintenance and care if you don’t already do so. Volunteer for trail workdays and get to know those who take care of the trails by working shoulder to shoulder with them. It may (or may not) give you a different perspective on when and why they close trails or ask runners to stay off the trail.

Here in the DFW area, pretty much every trail was built and is maintained by mountain bikers, but is open to walkers and runners. However, it’s rare to see walkers and runners show up to help during work days. Some running clubs make the effort, and in doing so have made local mountain bikers their biggest fans and defenders for access to the trails.

From your email I’m making the assumption that most of the trails you run existed before they were opened to mountain biking. In that case, I’d still find out who manages the land/trail and learn what their wishes are—the rules may have changed over time, especially to maintain sustainability due to increased use by mountain bikers.

The land managers and trail maintainers should ultimately decide when and how the trail can be used. In my mind, this means if the land manager says you can run a wet trail then you’re well within your rights to do so even if the mountain bikers don’t like it. When you’ve done your due diligence and still get called out by bikers, you can tell them you’ve checked and have the land manager’s approval to run the trail. If they don’t like it, tell them to contact the land manager and take it up with them.

Long story short, my advice is to talk to the mangers and caretakers of the trail and do as they ask—even if you ultimately don’t like their decision.

That’s my two cents. Hope it’s helpful to you.

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What do you think about my advice? Anything you would have added or said differently? Do you agree or disagree? Let me know in the comments.

If you’ve started mountain biking in North Texas, you’ve probably learned there are many fantastic options available either within the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, or within a few hour’s drive or less. There are trails available at every skill level from super-easy to extremely dangerous. Determining which one you should ride can be difficult.

Almost all trails in the greater North Texas area use the standard IMBA Trail Difficulty Rating System to let riders know what they might expect to find on any given trail. As your confidence and abilities grow you can push yourself to try out the next level of trails.

A quick explanation of IMBA’s rating system is as follows:

• Easiest (white circle)
• Easy—Beginner (green circle)
• More Difficult—Intermediate (blue square)
• Very Difficult—Advanced (black diamond)
• Extremely Difficult—Expert (double-black diamond)

Not sure where to start? Check out the NTX Trails Progression Guide to learn which trails in North Texas are best-suited to your skills and experience.

Greenways

Greenways—also possibly known as greenbelts—are a perfect first step for newbie mountain bikers, especially for newbies who can’t find a riding buddy but still want to put down some miles.

Greenways are sometimes designated by signs bearing a white circle as shown in the chart above.

A greenway can be either a paved or non-paved surface that is mostly flat and very wide—think wide enough to drive a car on or wider. Greenways are typically home to two-way traffic that consists of both walkers and cyclists.

While a greenway may sound like little more than a sidewalk, they’re really much more than that in most instances. A greenway is typically purpose-built for multiple uses such as walkers and cyclists, and tends to be a long, contiguous surface that has minimal interruptions by cross streets or other motorized traffic.

A greenway is also often constructed near or through natural green spaces and preserves, whereas sidewalks are built close to neighborhoods and businesses for the purpose of aiding pedestrian traffic. In some municipalities bicycles are prohibited from using sidewalks, but rarely prohibited from utilizing greenways. If you can safely pedal a bike down the sidewalk or a street, you can pedal down a greenway.

Another reason greenways are a great first step is because it can be a new MTBer’s first exposure to riding a soft surface trail—which in the case of a greenway means hardened dirt or possibly gravel. Bicycle handling on dirt or gravel is somewhat different than riding on pavement, and if you’re using an actual mountain bike that bike’s handling will be better on a soft surface trail. Knobby tires actually don’t perform well on paved surfaces, and slick road tires don’t fare all that well on dirt or gravel.

Not sure what some of the words in this article mean? Be sure to check out our Glossary of MTB Terms and Slang.

New riders are often surprised how much stamina is needed to pedal their bike for several miles, so greenways are a smart choice to put in some saddle time and start building up endurance—both leg and rear end endurance.

Greenbelts also offer the lowest-risk type of trail riding possible. A rider on a greenway is extremely unlikely to encounter technical trail obstacles that might throw them from their bike. A greenway is almost impossible to get lost on as well. Most greenways are either mostly straight lengths of trail where the rider can bike to the end then turn around to come back, or a closed loop that begins and ends at the same place. Greenways usually have great signage as well, especially in the middle of the city.

When riding a greenway, always remember that walkers have the right of way. Be courteous and don’t go faster than you can handle, and slow down as traffic increases. It’s a good idea to get a bike bell and ring it as you approach walkers and other riders from behind. When you get close enough, announce yourself and your intention to pass by saying something like, “On your left!” This phrase is fairly universally understood, and simple enough for most English speakers to parse your meaning even when hearing it for the first time. Pass walkers and riders on their left shoulder and give them as wide a berth as possible—an abundance of caution and politeness will give you a great reputation with local users. Finally, don’t try to pass until the left side of the path is free of oncoming traffic. Remember, greenways are almost always home to two-way traffic.

Beginner Trails

Most new mountain bikers cut their teeth on beginner-level trails. Such trails are typically designated with signage bearing a green circle as shown in the chart above.

Typically, green trails are safe for beginners to try out on their own, though we still recommend that new riders do their first trail rides with a friend or in a group. Trail riding on a mountain bike is somewhat different than riding a street bike or cruiser on pavement.

Green trails, while beginner-friendly, still offer increased grades for uphills and downhills, and may have both avoidable and unavoidable obstacles. As the chart above shows, the unavoidable obstacles should be 2-inches tall or shorter, which is small enough for mountain bike tires to simply roll over. Having said that, even tiny obstacles can throw an unprepared rider from their bike, so new riders should use caution and discretion as they learn new bike-handling skills.

In addition, and this cannot be stressed enough, a trail that is rated green for beginners will not necessarily adhere to the standards laid out on the chart above. Many times, trail ratings are subjective, meaning that the person(s) who gave the trail its rating may be under- or overestimating the trail’s actual difficulty—especially for a new rider. On top of this, when you look up trails online on sites such as Trailforks or MTB Project, the rating shown may not be the official rating, but rather the editor’s personal estimation of the trail’s difficulty in relation to their own skills.

On more caveat about green trails—and really any trail—is that the rating given is the average rating for the entire trail or trail segment. This means that, in the instance of a green trail, the majority of the trail may be beginner-friendly but still contain short segments or individual features that are more difficult. Thankfully for most beginner trails, you’ll find bypasses for such technical trail features but there’s no guarantee.

Intermediate Trails

Intermediate trails offer increased difficulty for those riders whose skills have progressed beyond the beginner level. Such trails are typically designated with signage bearing a blue square as shown on the chart above.

In general, blue trails are about one-third narrower than green trails at an average width of 24-inches. The trail surfaces remain mostly stable—meaning you won’t find a great deal of loose gravel, rock, or sand. Having said that, this doesn’t mean you won’t encounter some loose surfaces.

Intermediate trails will often also offer unavoidable obstacles much larger than those found on green trails—features such as roots, rocks, and drops that are up to 8-inches tall. The grade of uphills and downhills will also be greater on the average, increasing the difficulty and danger on those sections.

A trail rated blue for intermediate riders will not necessarily adhere to the standards laid out in the chart above. Many times, trail ratings are subjective, meaning that the person(s) who gave the trail its rating may be under- or overestimating the trail’s actual difficulty—especially for a new rider. On top of this, when you look up trails online on sites such as Trailforks or MTB Project, the rating shown may not be the official rating, but rather the editor’s personal estimation of the trail’s difficulty in relation to their own skills.

Another caveat is that the rating given is the average rating for the entire trail or trail segment.

This means that, in the instance of a blue trail, the majority of the trail may be intermediate-level but still contain short segments or technical trails features that are more difficult. Bypasses may be available for some of the more difficult TTFs, but there’s no guarantee.

Advanced Trails

Advanced trails offer increased difficulty for those riders whose skills have progressed beyond the intermediate level. Such trails are typically designated with signage bearing a black diamond as shown on the chart above.

In general, black trails are about half as wide as blue trails at an average width of 12-inches. The trail surfaces are variable—meaning you’ll find loose gravel, rock, and sand.

Advanced trails often feature unavoidable obstacles much larger than those found on green or blue trails—features such as roots, rocks, and drops that are up to 15-inches tall. The grade of uphills and downhills will also be much greater on the average, increasing the difficulty and danger on those sections. Advanced trails may also feature increased exposure (drop offs on either side of the trail).

A trail rated black for advanced riders will not necessarily adhere to the standards laid out in the chart above. Many times, trail ratings are subjective, meaning that the person(s) who gave the trail its rating may be under- or overestimating the trail’s actual difficulty—especially for a new rider. On top of this, when you look up trails online on sites such as Trailforks or MTB Project, the rating shown may not be the official rating, but rather the editor’s personal estimation of the trail’s difficulty in relation to their own skills.

Another caveat is that the rating given is the average rating for the entire trail or trail segment.

This means that, in the instance of a black trail, the majority of the trail may be advanced-level but still contain short segments or technical trails features that are more (or less) difficult. Bypasses may be available for some of the more difficult TTFs but there’s no guarantee, particularly on black trails.

Expert Trails

Expert trails offer increased difficulty for those riders whose skills have progressed beyond the advanced level. Such trails are typically designated with signage bearing a double black diamond as shown on the chart above.

In general, double black trails are about half as wide as black trails at an average width of 6-inches. The trail surfaces are extremely variable and unpredictable—meaning you’ll find loose gravel, rock, sand, and other technically-difficult surfaces..

Expert trails feature unavoidable obstacles much larger than those found on blue or black trails—features such as roots, rocks, and drops that are up to 20-inches tall or larger. The grade of uphills and downhills will also be much greater on the average, increasing the difficulty and danger on those sections. Expert trails may also feature increased exposure (drop offs on either side of the trail).

A trail rated double black for expert riders will not necessarily adhere to the standards laid out in the chart above. Many times, trail ratings are subjective, meaning that the person(s) who gave the trail its rating may be under- or overestimating the trail’s actual difficulty—especially for a new rider. On top of this, when you look up trails online on sites such as Trailforks or MTB Project, the rating shown may not be the official rating, but rather the editor’s personal estimation of the trail’s difficulty in relation to their own skills.

Another caveat is that the rating given is the average rating for the entire trail or trail segment.

This means that, in the instance of a double black trail, the majority of the trail may be expert-level but still contain short segments or technical trails features that are more (or less) difficult. Bypasses may be available for some of the more difficult TTFs but there’s no guarantee, particularly on black trails.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!