Daniels Rd
AKA The Stables
https://www.trailforks.com/region/daniels-road-state-forest-12242/?lat=43.119965&lon=-73.807300&z=16&m=trailforks
Daniels Rd has a long history of riding. I started riding there over 25 years ago and while much has changed, much has remained the same. Daniels Rd is CHUNKY; rocks and roots are the norm. Daniels Rd has lots of short punchy climbs but is mainly flat(ish). The trails are mostly difficult and there is no flow. The trails are not well marked and the parking lot can fill up and leave you with out a place to park. The trails are well maintained with bridges being repaired and replaced and down trees being removed. Daniels Rd has a strict do not mess with the trails and do not cut new trails policy. If you want a challenge this is the destination for chunky riding. It is a grind and although there is not a great deal of climbing it can feel like you have done nothing but climb all day. It can be tough to get a rhythm going until you have ridden here a few times.
Daniels is one of my favorite places to ride, partially due to the fact that it is where I really fell in love with Mountain Biking. Chutes and Ladders is one of my all time favorite trails (it is also not on any maps due to some controversial land ownership). Chutes and Ladders is an amazing trail to play on with several rock rollers, alt lines and some cool drops. It rides well in both directions and its a trail I never get tired of riding. Monkey is on another fav that is as close to flow as Daniels Rd gets. Its fast and fun with some good features, it rides better in the direction of the parking lot. Dam Extension is another that needs a mention, with its off camber section and some difficult and technical sections this is one of the more challenging trails to clean. Bee is the most popular trail at Daniels Rd and for good reason. Its challenging, fun and has great technical sections. Bee rides well in both directions but again I prefer it back to front so I will climb less. Bee also has one of the longer rollers, there are two popular options down the main face with the right being a little steeper and more technical.
Must Ride trails include Chutes and Ladders, Bee, Monkey, Here to There, Dam Trail, Dam Extension, Twizzler, Upper Canyon Loop and Ridge Line.
A good introduction ride would be from the main parking lot take the carriage until it splits, take a right and after a few minutes you will exit the woods heading down hill and back into the woods as you go up. At the top(ish) of the hill you will come to a four way, to your left is Stone Wall. This is an old trail that is a fun warm up. From the end of Stone Wall you will take a right and head up to another large intersection where you take another right on to Monkey. Once you finish up Monkey take a left up the carriage rd again until you connect with Main Trail section 1 and continue along to reach the beginning of Ridge Line or Main Trail section 2 both end at another large intersection where the end of Twizzler is. Ridge Line will be more of a challenge than Main Trail, once you reach the ind of Twizzler head up and hook left for the beginning of Dam Trail. Just past the top of the first hill will be the beginning of Twizzler on your left. Take Twizzler and either link on to Dam Extension (which can be tough to find as its a hidden right turn off Twizzler) or finish up on Twizzler. This is a good loop with options to add more or do less and you it loops back on to the carriage trail or main loop so exiting is alway simple.
For more video of Daniels Rd head over to my YouTube page.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-RaGUxyfWxxY9E8N__PjNw/featured?view_as=public
Daniels Rd has a long history of riding. I started riding there over 25 years ago and while much has changed, much has remained the same. Daniels Rd is CHUNKY; rocks and roots are the norm. Daniels Rd has lots of short punchy climbs but is mainly flat(ish). The trails are mostly difficult and there is no flow. The trails are not well marked and the parking lot can fill up and leave you with out a place to park. The trails are well maintained with bridges being repaired and replaced and down trees being removed. Daniels Rd has a strict do not mess with the trails and do not cut new trails policy. If you want a challenge this is the destination for chunky riding. It is a grind and although there is not a great deal of climbing it can feel like you have done nothing but climb all day. It can be tough to get a rhythm going until you have ridden here a few times.
Daniels is one of my favorite places to ride, partially due to the fact that it is where I really fell in love with Mountain Biking. Chutes and Ladders is one of my all time favorite trails (it is also not on any maps due to some controversial land ownership). Chutes and Ladders is an amazing trail to play on with several rock rollers, alt lines and some cool drops. It rides well in both directions and its a trail I never get tired of riding. Monkey is on another fav that is as close to flow as Daniels Rd gets. Its fast and fun with some good features, it rides better in the direction of the parking lot. Dam Extension is another that needs a mention, with its off camber section and some difficult and technical sections this is one of the more challenging trails to clean. Bee is the most popular trail at Daniels Rd and for good reason. Its challenging, fun and has great technical sections. Bee rides well in both directions but again I prefer it back to front so I will climb less. Bee also has one of the longer rollers, there are two popular options down the main face with the right being a little steeper and more technical.
Must Ride trails include Chutes and Ladders, Bee, Monkey, Here to There, Dam Trail, Dam Extension, Twizzler, Upper Canyon Loop and Ridge Line.
A good introduction ride would be from the main parking lot take the carriage until it splits, take a right and after a few minutes you will exit the woods heading down hill and back into the woods as you go up. At the top(ish) of the hill you will come to a four way, to your left is Stone Wall. This is an old trail that is a fun warm up. From the end of Stone Wall you will take a right and head up to another large intersection where you take another right on to Monkey. Once you finish up Monkey take a left up the carriage rd again until you connect with Main Trail section 1 and continue along to reach the beginning of Ridge Line or Main Trail section 2 both end at another large intersection where the end of Twizzler is. Ridge Line will be more of a challenge than Main Trail, once you reach the ind of Twizzler head up and hook left for the beginning of Dam Trail. Just past the top of the first hill will be the beginning of Twizzler on your left. Take Twizzler and either link on to Dam Extension (which can be tough to find as its a hidden right turn off Twizzler) or finish up on Twizzler. This is a good loop with options to add more or do less and you it loops back on to the carriage trail or main loop so exiting is alway simple.
For more video of Daniels Rd head over to my YouTube page.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-RaGUxyfWxxY9E8N__PjNw/featured?view_as=public
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.