REVIEWS DEALS BIKESHOPS TRAILS

Brown County State Park Mid March....

3037 Views 29 Replies 16 Participants Last post by JmZ, Mar 26, 2011

Paladin

Discussion Starter · Mar 2, 2011

My wife's spring vacation is the week of March 14th. Any chance that there will be good riding at the Brown County State Park trails in about two weeks? Anyone ride them lately?

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 20 of 30 Posts

gmcttr

· #2 · Mar 2, 2011

I hiked out there this evening and the trails are coming along nicely considering the weather we've had, but the forecast is for more rain this weekend.

So...while there is definitely a chance, this is still springtime in Indiana and I recommend checking again late next week.

Paladin

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 2, 2011

Mid March

gmcttr said:
I hiked out there this evening and the trails are coming along nicely considering the weather we've had, but the forecast is for more rain this weekend.

So...while there is definitely a chance, this is still springtime in Indiana and I recommend checking again late next week.

Thanks for the info. I sure hope the trails are rideable by then...looks like we are going to go, either way. Will take our trail bikes and our road bikes...and our hiking gear and hope for the best . If nothing else, we can always go for a hike, or ride on the road. I personally would always rather be on the trails, but a getaway and some new area to explore will be nice, regardless.

I have a new 2011 Spesh Stumpy FSR 29er hanging the garage...it has never seen a trail! Yet!!! I am ready and so is the bike. Trail riding season can't come soon enough for me.

ZWL776

· #4 · Mar 2, 2011

You might look at the trails in HNF and Valley Branch, too. They're nowhere near as manicured as BCSP's, but it beats riding the roads.

Paladin

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 2, 2011

Thanks, but...

ZWL776 said:
You might look at the trails in HNF and Valley Branch, too. They're nowhere near as manicured as BCSP's, but it beats riding the roads.

I don't really know what "HNF and Valley Branch" are, or where...not even what state!

ZWL776

· #6 · Mar 2, 2011

HNF is Hoosier National Forest.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier/recreation/nebo.htm

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier/recreation/hickory_ridge.htm

Valley Branch is a privately owned facility in Brown County.

http://www.valleybranchretreat.net/VBRintro4.htm

This link might be helpful, also.

http://www.browncountymountainbiking.com/

See less See more

gratefulbiker

· #7 · Mar 3, 2011

Check hmba.org for trail conditions. Those guys do a pretty good job of updating the site regularly.

Shark

· #8 · Mar 3, 2011

ZWL776 said:
HNF is Hoosier National Forest.

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier/recreation/nebo.htm

http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/hoosier/recreation/hickory_ridge.htm

Valley Branch is a privately owned facility in Brown County.

http://www.valleybranchretreat.net/VBRintro4.htm

This link might be helpful, also.

http://www.browncountymountainbiking.com/

Yah, this

Everyone has good advice, BCSP could be good, or not ready yet, best to check the HMBA page for current conditions shortly before. Valley Branch & Nebo are good choices if the park is still too wet.

Csainthenry

· #9 · Mar 6, 2011

I'll be down in Nashville, IN a few days before you...back on the 13th. I'm really hoping it'll be nice, too; I've got a serious case of cabin fever, and the trails in Door County are crap anyway!

29eritarider

· #10 · Mar 10, 2011

i will also be down there this weekend either the 11th to 12th or 12th to 13th whichever the weather is nicer....i plan on bikepacking and have a little trail mapped out through brown nebo and hickory ridge!! however as of right now it looks like it will be great all weekend and I read that the trails drain quickly due to the many hills

Adim_X

· #11 · Mar 11, 2011

http://hmba.org/

For the latest Indiana trail updates. If the indicators are red, I would think it is frowned upon to ride BCSP.

gmcttr

· #12 · Mar 11, 2011

We've had 4 inches of rain in the last week. All of the seeps are running. BCSP will need some time to dry.

Paladin

Discussion Starter · #13 · Mar 11, 2011

Thanks...

Csainthenry said:
I'll be down in Nashville, IN a few days before you...back on the 13th. I'm really hoping it'll be nice, too; I've got a serious case of cabin fever, and the trails in Door County are crap anyway!

Please post as soon as you know something. We are leaving Sunday morning, the 13th. Heading down there either way. No sense packing the bikes if we won't be riding.

Paladin

Discussion Starter · #14 · Mar 11, 2011

Feedback...

29eritarider said:
i will also be down there this weekend either the 11th to 12th or 12th to 13th whichever the weather is nicer....i plan on bikepacking and have a little trail mapped out through brown nebo and hickory ridge!! however as of right now it looks like it will be great all weekend and I read that the trails drain quickly due to the many hills

Please post as soon as you know something. We are leaving Sunday morning, the 13th. Heading down there either way. No sense packing the bikes if we won't be riding.

JmZ

· #15 · Mar 11, 2011

If you are a facebooker - Brown Co has a page on there too. Just search for Brown County Mountain Biking. If you have it on your phone, it'd be the most mobile way to check.

If not... disregard.

JmZ

Paladin

Discussion Starter · #16 · Mar 11, 2011

Facebook...

JmZ said:
If you are a facebooker - Brown Co has a page on there too. Just search for Brown County Mountain Biking. If you have it on your phone, it'd be the most mobile way to check.

If not... disregard.

JmZ

Sorry, no Facebook in my life. I am 57...no Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, whatever.

29eritarider

· #17 · Mar 12, 2011

I decided to wait until tomorrow or monday to go down, I figured that will give it more time to dry and the weather will get a bit warmer, right now were i'm at on the indiana/michigan stateline we have had a lot more snow and even our trails are pretty rideable ...that and the forecasted sunshine will help soak things up, add on to that the steeper hills of brown county and better drainage along with warmer temps and less total snow...i'm confident...and if not i'll ride along the roads.

Reignman

· #18 · Mar 13, 2011

BCSP is still not rideable. Even though you had more snow, we have flood level rains. Stay in SB and ride or stay off all trails in BCSP.

ZWL776

· #19 · Mar 13, 2011

BCSP condition is yellow (sloppy, slick in spots, but rideable) on HMBA messageboard.

indytrekracer

· #20 · Mar 14, 2011

Spring ride or Spring Trail Work?

While everyone is chopping at the bits to get that first BCSP ride in this spring, please keep in mind that in addition to the trails still having some wet spots, that also are in need of spring trail work. The hard part for trail workers, is that we would like to ride too, but when folks are out riding when 90% of the the trail is dry, that means 10% isn't. And 10% of 25 miles of trail is 2.5 miles of trail that is getting thrashed.

Please consider giving up your first BCSP ride of the year, for a hike. Those who have done trail work and have a rhino can hike and ensure drainages are working correctly. Anyone can walk with a rake and rake leaves out of the drains, or carry and had saw and remove smaller branches on the trail.

A little help and Patience now will mean a better drying trail the rest of the year (more days of riding), and will allow our trail builders to focus on new trail construction.

We also came very close to implementing a seasonal closure to BCSP this spring. How riders respect the trail this spring will determine if we need a seasonal closure next year to protect the trails.

Paul

See less See more

1 - 20 of 30 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.