8 Best Mountain Bike Trails in US

When it comes to shortlisting the best mountain bike destinations in the USA, feeling muddled is somewhat obvious. But fret not, we have got you covered with our scrupulously designed list of 8 such destinations that shall provide you with an unambiguous visuality while deciding about your next big biking expedition. Please read on to find the details.

best mountain bike trails in us

1. Moab


To begin with, we have this red-rock landscape. With its sunbaked desert riding, it happily boasts of being the epicenter of America's current riding culture. What further adds to its beauty is that it is easily reachable from Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, making it an absolute delight for anyone aiming to hit multiple hot spots on a single road trip.

Moab is favorably known for its trails like Slickrock, Porcupine Rim, and Enchilada, etc. But the ever-growing and expanding trails are also gaining recognition for gifting their riders, a bountiful of exhilaration.

2. Crested Butte, Colorado


Known for being one of the two birthplaces of the spunky sport of mountain biking, Crested Butte is extremely popular with mountain riders. It takes pride in having over 750 miles of sublime high-alpine trails, surrounded by lush green landscapes, that reward the riders with splendorous views to admire.

Though the actual climb may extend up to only 300 feet or so, peddling is still a tough grind, even for the intermediate riders. But the picturesque view at the top, and the mouth-watering eateries on the go help you to make the most of your excursion.

3. Sedona, Arizona


Famous for its mystical vortexes and the amazing red rock scenery, Sedona is now breaking all the preconceived notions and making honest efforts to multiply its trail count by building new trails every year and legalizing old ones as well.

Sedona scores high when it comes to considering the essence of the technical challenges and the fabulous singletrack interlaced through and around the town. To further add to its appeal, Sedona is easily accessible and leaves the riders in awe with its spectacular scenic beauty.

4. Brevard, North Carolina


Best known as the America's best-kept secret, Brevard in North Carolina, puts up well with old-school small-town charm and is home to around 8000 people. It is loved by the riders as it flatters them with matchless beer, delectable barbeque and a variety of mountain biking infrastructure, including bike shops, races, rentals, etc.

Famed for its hundreds of miles of the most technical single tracks and exquisite Appalachian Mountain views, this place takes pride in having hosted various cycling events through its rooted, rocky terrain.

5. Park City, Utah


Entitled as Ride Centers, Park City's highly functional and user-friendly network offers trail options ranging from backcountry epics to beginner-friendly singletracks. These include intermediate rolling terrains, long, flat cruises, and alpine singletrack with challenging climbs and overwhelming descents. You can go for lengthy tours here, in addition to lift-assisted riding.

The high scores of bars and restaurants, affordable accommodations and tons of kid activities, and cultural events (like concerts), promise to keep you occupied throughout. So think no more, settle your MTB on your land rover roof rack and get there NOW!

6. Sun Valley, Idaho


Owing to its past of being a downhill skiing destination, Sun Valley offers a well-developed infrastructure to the bikers, that also involves high-class restaurants, fun-loving locals, along with a variety of bike shops and breweries. You can ride down to big mountain terrains and nearby towns like Ketchum that delight you with bike parks for toddlers as well as seasoned riders.

With 30 miles of paved bike paths, lift-accessed biking, splendid alpine views and more than 400 miles of singletracks, the Sun Valley proves to be one of the most sought after riding destinations.

7. East Burke, Vermont


Put all your doubts to rest as East Burke is one of the best places for mountain biking in the entire country. Being a secluded mountain town, East Burke might be a little hard to get to, still, it is worth the effort. The best part about this destination is that it accommodates riders of all abilities.

On one side where there are impressive double tracks for beginners, on the other one, they have tight and fast-flowing single tracks for more experienced ones. Located near the Canadian border, it would take you around three hours to drive down here from Boston and an hour and a half from Burlington.

8. Bend, Oregon


Bend is one of the must places to visit in Oregon. The picturesque town of Bend is well-known for its breathtaking natural beauty and outdoor activities. It has several trails and ski areas nearby. Therefore, this region is a popular destination for hiking, mountain biking, and skiing. The town's food and beverage industry is also growing. It has a variety of eateries, food trucks, and breweries.

It is very likely that neither the Alvord Desert nor Mount Steens are among the first places on your list of future bike routes; maybe not even in the places to visit. This area, which is home to one of Oregon's most striking geographic formations, is incredibly secluded and hides an ancient alkaline plain (or dry lake) that abruptly abuts a spectacular, steep mountain of snow-capped peaks.

This place full of rugged terrain, long hours of inclement sun and beautiful gravel tracks where the presence of other human beings is practically nonexistent. The greatness of the neighboring mount Steens, added to the mystic and solitary aura of the desert.

Located in Harney County, in the central region of Oregon, the Alvord desert extends through the orographic shadow immediately to the east of Mount Steen at a northern altitude of 1,200 m. The site, which was once a huge lake of 160 kilometers with a depth of more than 60 m, is now completely dry from July to November, and its surface is now occupied by a mystical arid plain of approximately 32 kilometers in length and 11 of width.

The desert rests on a tectonic fault that elevated a block of basalt between faults to create Mount Steens during the Miocene, approximately eight to fifteen million years ago. The mountain, a escarpment of north-south component that extends for more than 64 km giving the appearance of a real mountainous chain, rises abruptly and sharply more than 1,500 m above the plane of the desert until reaching 2,978 m at its peak high.

Both the mountain and its surrounding areas can only be described with one word: spectacular. The eastern slopes are dotted with old roads and paths.

Situated on the Deschutes River, to the east of the high peaks of the Cascade Mountains, Bend proudly offers a wide array of easily accessible network of trails with continuously adding to its hundreds of miles of trails every year. The recently opened Mount Bachelor Bike Park has further boost up its success rate, along with the area’s mountain bike infrastructure, 22 microbreweries, expert guidance from Cog Wild and an umpteen number of bike shops.

While some of these places may not be for the newbies or the kids, the craziness of this sport can't remain contained for long and needs to be unleashed. For that matter, it is highly recommended to follow all the safety rules and measures to ensure you enjoy your ride to the max.
Kalyan Panja