[KevinGT]

Hopefully the recording just hasn't been updated. It currently says "today is Monday, March 17 and all non-paved trails are closed."

I rode Yargo and Chico last weekend and they were both bone dry. It's been wet this week but has Harbins really been closed for almost two weeks when everything else has been dry?

 

[OffCamber]

I rode there on Wednesday. Trails were in great conditions, lots of people out. Not sure what it will be like after yesterday and today's rain though. Might hit Tribble this afternoon. Seems to shed water better.

 

[KevinGT]

The Gwinnett Parks and Rec folks are asleep at the wheel The message hasn't been updated since March 17. The gates are open but the signs say the trails are closed.

I rode it yesterday and it was bone dry on the west side and mostly dry with a few slightly damp sections on the east side. I rode Chico today and it was completely dry, with Harbins still saying it's closed.

 

[DennisF]

It was open Thurs 3/27.

I don't even bother calling the hotline anymore. Harbins is close to my house, so if it isn't obviously going to be muddier than I would want to ride in anyway, I head on over. If it is closed, I go to Tribble Mill. I don't think they ever close Tribble.

Btw, I had the privilege of working on a trail repair crew with Clay, the GATR trail guru. He is president also, I think. He's been to all of the trail building schools and all that. He mentioned that if a trail is designed properly, riding while wet won't hurt it much. So we can be glad there is an upper-up at GATR that isn't anal about it.

Raced Conyers yesterday. The trail was perfect.

 

[KevinGT]

So...tell me about Tribble.

I live equidistant from harbins, Yargo, and Chicopee and ride two of them every weekend. I've been doing that for the last 2 years since getting back into the sport.

But I've never ridden Tribble. Going online, it always seemed Tribble is difficult to explore without someone who knows the trails.

But I've always been looking for a good wet-weather option. If Tribble is that, I need to do some exploring.


Any advice as to how best to get familiar with those trails? Can I just find the trailhead and start riding?

 

[Buster]

So...tell me about Tribble.

Any advice as to how best to get familiar with those trails? Can I just find the trailhead and start riding?

There's really no one specific trailhead for Tribble Mill. You can start from any number of places and ride in all sorts of directions so try to hook up with one of the GATR group rides sometimes to learn your way around. There used to be a regular Wednesday evening ride during the summer months so it should be starting up again soon.

Or...just go out there and explore. It will be a little frustrating at first but eventually it will all make sense. I wish I could tell you "the" best way to start because they are great trails.

It really just depends on where you park. Sometimes I park on the street going up the hill and enter the trails to the immediate right of the parking spaces. You could head down the hill a bit and begin by circling the lake either CW or CCW and you'll find some entry points to the single-track (with a little climbing).

Other times I drive to the stop sign at the top of the hill, make a right, and head down to the playground/meadow area and begin from there. You should be able to find the race course map online and can use that as a guide. Just know that you'll quickly start to climb but after crossing the gravel road, you encounter some of that same single track found from the lake-side entrance.

 

[DennisF]

I avoided Tribble at first because of all the climbing, but have grown to really enjoy it. I feel like a kid exploring a maze ! It is quite scenic, with lots of exposed rock surfaces you can ride over, not to mention the lake. There are trails not shown on the attached map connecting the "bare rock surfaces". And there are actually fast, level trails too if you know where they are.

For group rides, look at sorbagatr.org and the Apalachee Cycle Facebook page.

However, I found that I didn't learn how to navigate the park by following someone else. Set out on your own when you don't have to be back at any particular time, and have fun exploring. You won't get seriously lost -- it's a small park -- about one mile by air from one end of the trail area to the other. It's hard to get in a 10-mile ride. Worst case ride downhill to the lake, ride around until you get to the dam, and from there to the road, which is where Buster recommends parking. I sometimes leave Strava on, and refer to it at intersections so as to ride as many new sections as possible.

Noting a few landmarks as you drive thru the park helps. After you cross the big bridge and head up the hill and cross a pedestrian crossing, Chandler Lake -- the lake with the trails -- is on your right, a couple hundred feet back in the woods but not visible from the road.

Continue on and there is a gated dirt maintenance road to the right. The trail crosses this in a couple places. The "main" trail between the maintenance road and the lake area will be some doubletrack coming off the right of the maintenance road, between two boulders (another good landmark when riding).

Turn right a the 4-way stop. You cross a small bridge. The playground is on the left, and the trails on the right. (I believe this is the "official" trailhead. There is a hinged trail-closed sign on the corner, and this is where the group rides meet.)

Hope to see you there!

 

[KevinGT]

I gave it a go on Sunday. Nice place!

I did two "laps" for a total of about 9 miles. It wasn't until the second lap that I hit the good singletrack. I ended up going too "wide" on the first lap and remained on the boring doubletrack along the housing area before realizing I was missing the real trails.

It is confusing as hell, with a trail intersection nearly every quarter mile so I just kept making turns until I found areas I'd been to already.

Is it true that they don't close it often due to rain? I don't even know how you'd close it given the dozens of access points. Is it part of the Gwinnett County Parks and Recs? If so, I assume the outdated call-in number is technically applicable to check trail closures.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[DennisF]

Glad you got to check it out.

Yeah, AFAIK they never close it -- that is what I have been told, and I have been there in fairly wet conditions and it was open. And yes, it is under Gwinnett County Parks and Recs just like Harbins is. There is a sign at the trailhead near the playground where they could close it. But it drains well, and I guess as long as people act responsibly ....

I don't think the call-in number is legally binding. If the sign says it is open, I ride. I can't imagine an officer writing a ticket or a judge convicting someone if the sign says it is open. Not everyone has a cell phone, and besides, there is only one recording for several parks, each of which dry out at their own rate.