Brown County Mountain Biking Blog

Start Planning Your Brown County Trip Now

2010-11-24T12:32:00.000-08:00

Since its inception in 2004 Brown County has grown to become one of the most well-known and most-visited mountain bike destinations in the Midwest. Each year it gets bigger and better, and this coming year will be no exception.

2011 will be an amazing year to take a trip to Brown County. Whether it will be your first visit or your hundredth, you're bound to have a blast and find something new. Five new miles of trail will be added to the trail system this year when the Green Valley Loop is completed. This will put total trail length within Brown County State Park at well over 30 miles.

There will certainly be no lack of mountain biking events at Brown County in 2011. The mountain bike trail system will play host to the state's largest cross country race, two time trial point-to-point races and the Midwest's premier Super D gravity event. In addition to racing, the park also plays host to one of the longest-running, largest and most popular women's mountain bike clinics in the United States. The season will wrap up with one of the most heavily attended and well-revered mountain bike weekends in the Midwest, the Brown County Breakdown.

If post-ride food and beer are your thing, the quaint, trailside town of Nashville will welcome you with open arms at the Big Woods Brewing Company, Pine Room Tavern and the Bushman Brewhouse. Even nearby Bloomington and Columbus are in on the act with Upland Brewing and Powerhouse Brewing serving up post-ride pints and grub about a thirty minute drive from the trail head.

The lodging in and around Brown County State Park is among the most diverse anywhere. The state park lodge offers ride-from-your-room convenience and a nice water park for the kids. If a historic, rustic bed-and-breakfast or cabin is your thing, there are dozens to choose from. Maybe you're more of a chain hotel kind-of-traveler? No problem. There is one in Nashville and plenty in nearby Columbus right off of the interstate. If roughing it or camping are more up your alley, there are camping options at the trailhead, in a modern campground with full hookups or in the remote back country.

The quantity of high-quality alternative riding options nearby has also grown dramatically. The trails at nearby Versailles State Park and French Lick Resort are arguably of the same quality of Brown County, yet at the same time they are subtly different and unique. It is now quite easy to string together a week's worth of riding in South-Central Indiana without much "windshield" time. Check out southernindianamountainbiking.com to put your trip together. You won't regret it.

Insider's Ride Guide Published for Brown County

2010-03-28T15:57:00.000-07:00

In the March, 2010 Annual Trails Issue of Bike magazine there is an "Insider's Guide to North America's Best Destinations". This article features insider's information on the ten best trail systems in North America. Although Brown County might not quite make a top ten list for best trails in North America, even Bike magazine agreed in its 2009 Annual Trails Issue that Brown County was in a list of the top 33, including a runner-up designation for Best Trail Network. Consequently, we thought it only proper that Brown County should receive the same treatment as the top ten. As Brown County becomes one of the most popular trail systems in the Midwest, folks are traveling long distances to come here. When mountain bikers travel long distances to a trail system they want to spend their time wisely when they get there. It's a waste of time to constantly be wondering which trails to ride, where to eat lunch or where to get a post-ride beer. For those folks that are going to drive, fly or hitchhike long hours to get here we put together our own Brown County Insider's Ride Guide. It's meant to be a compliment to the tons of other information that we have stashed on browncountymountainbiking.com. Isn't it about time for a road trip? Print out the Insider's Ride Guide and a trail map, pack the car and go!

More New Trail Coming in 2010!

2009-11-11T06:24:00.000-08:00

Mountain bikers will be able to enjoy even more new singletrack trail in 2010 as Brown County State Park's mountain bike trail system continues to grow.

The new trail is being built by Spectrum Trail Designs. Spectrum is the same professional trail building company that designed and created the Walnut Trail, Limekiln Trail, Pine Loop and Schooner Trace Trail in Brown County State Park. Construction has already begun on a new loop that will be located west of the existing North Tower Loop (see trail map). Construction could be complete in the spring of 2010 if weather and trail building conditions are favorable this winter. The loop will be a beginner level trail of 3-5 miles in length that will have connecting intersections on North Tower Loop and Aynes Loop. The trail will be constructed by machine and finished by hand. It will have a similar flow as the very popular Limekiln Trail, but it will utilize more elevation change and be more remote from the main trailheads. It will feature open, grassy slopes with mature trees and some valleys and overlooks. Beginners will love the slightly wider trail tread, gentle slopes and stunning views. Advanced riders will enjoy long sight-lines and the signature Brown County "flow".

The project is being overseen and run by the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association, and it is being funded with money from the $250,000 State Trails Grant that the HMBA received in 2008. The State Trails Grant has also built new trails at O'Bannon Woods State Park, Harmonie State Park and Versailles State Park. When complete, the new trail will push the Brown County State Park mountain bike trail system to over 25 miles in length.

Since trail construction started in 2004, the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association has partnered with the Indiana DNR to make Brown County the Midwest's premiere mountain bike destination.

The Schooner Factor

2009-09-07T05:56:00.000-07:00

This is a game changer. Things will never be the same. Before and after. Whatever cliche you want to use, the new Schooner Trace expert trail at Brown County State Park is going to make a huge impact. Bike shops will sell bikes with more suspension. Locals will take their riding skills to a new level. Tall tales will be told. Pain will reign supreme. Bruises and scrapes will appear -- then shin guards. Who will be the first to clean the entire length of this beast?

Although almost all reviews of the mountain bike trail system at Brown County State Park have been glowing, many people have stated that the singletrack was so flowing that it lacked a high degree of technical challenge. Perhaps that was a fair statement. Until now. The 6 mile loop of Walnut Trail (Advanced Black Diamond) and Schooner Trace Trail (Expert Double Black Diamond) will challenge the best mountain bikers around, while at the same time retaining a nice touch of that famous Brown County flow. Those that can clean the rocks, dips, logs, bridges, narrow trail, ravines, drops, moss and switchbacks will notice that there's still a nice flow and rhythm hidden in there.

People are already asking, is it like Squirrel Gap Trail in Pisgah, NC? Is it like West Virginia with it's slick rocks and exposure? Is it reminiscent of this or that trail in Fruita, CO? Nope. It's pure Brown County through and through, but not like you've known in the past. Come ride it if you dare.

Thanks to Alex Stewart for the trail design and the photo!

The "Other" Trails in and Around Brown County

2009-07-08T18:41:00.000-07:00

Back when there were absolutely no mountain bike trails in Brown County State Park (way back in 2003!) there was Nebo Ridge, Hickory Ridge, Valley Branch Retreat and Gnaw Bone Camp. Even without the trails in the state park the area had always been the best place in Indiana to get a mountain biking fix. All of those trails are still in existence, and they are still terrific to ride. Together with the trails in the state park there are now almost 150 miles of mountain bike trail within a short drive of downtown Nashville, Indiana.

Since the advent of the amazing trails in the state park, some of the other trails have taken a backseat to them. They are rougher to ride, less accessible and they lack the "polish" and "flow" of the state park trails. They are the yin to the state park's yang. They are everything that the trails in the state park are not. They provide a perfect compliment for the local rider or the out-of-town visitor. The Hoosier National Forest trails (Nebo and Hickory) provide a very remote backcountry experience and feeling that you just don't quite get at the state park.

This is fantastic for mountain biking tourism in the area. It means that visitors can have a wide variety of trail experiences during one visit. I recommend that a visit to the area of more than 2 days include one of these "alternate" rides. A perfect three days of riding would be Brown County State Park-Day 1, Nebo Ridge-Day 2, Brown County State Park-Day 3. If you're staying for a fourth day add Valley Branch or Gnaw Bone Camp, and you'll think you've landed in singletrack heaven. These "alternate" trails aren't for everybody. Your body and equipment have to be prepared. You have to have a sense of adventure, and a desire to get off the beaten path, but if you do, you will certainly be rewarded.

All of the info you need to plan your next mountain biking trip to Brown County can always be found at www.browncountymountainbiking.com.

What's The Best Way to Get An Epic Ride at BCSP?

2009-05-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

Lots of things are conspiring to bring an absolute ton of mountain bikers to Brown County in the next week or so. The weather and trail conditions are nearly perfect. The DINO race is upcoming, and the 3-day holiday weekend is on deck. There are groups coming from Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois and various other places. Over the last few days I've answered more than a few emails that have asked me what the best route is for an "epic" or long ride at BCSP. For kicks, here's how I answered the last guy who asked...

"All of the trails in one day is a big, big ride. I did it a couple of weeks ago and it took about 5.5 hours with a few leisurely stops here and there. You really can't miss no matter what direction you ride, but here's my new favorite route:

Park at Lower Shelter in the shade (leave the other suckers out in the sun on the "main" parking lot). Ride up the new Pine Loop (entrance is in the tall grass in the southwest corner of the "main" parking lot) for a fantastic, gentle warm-up climb. Take it to the North Tower Connector and then take that up to the North Tower Loop.

Go counter-clockwise on North Tower. This is a smoking downhill run!
When you get to the intersection where North Tower Loop meets itself, continue going around North Tower Loop counter-clockwise. This will bring you back around and then you'll get to do the great downhill run for the second time in 45 minutes. Fun!
When you get to the bottom head on over to the Aynes Loop and run that loop clockwise. You'll have a big 'ol climb of about a mile or so. At the top of the Aynes climb you'll stop and rest at the top where it crosses an old, grassy fire road.
When you continue on you will immediately come to a nice technical, sketchy, fast downhill run. The trail meanders (mostly down) to the "frog pond" intersection where Aynes Loop meets the infamous Hesitation Point Trail. Take HP Trail out to Hesitation Point (you'll know when you get there after the 2 mile climb to the top). After gawking at the great view, cross the road and take the technical Walnut Trail all the way to Hoosier's Nest Cabin (good place to rest and refill water). Continue on (trail changes to the super-flowy Limekiln Trail) out to the Rally Campground Parking lot. Turn around and retrace your steps all the way back to the "frog pond" intersection at the end of HP Trail (are you still smiling after the 2 mile downhill?). Take the Aynes Loop clockwise (left) downhill and back over to North Tower Loop. Go clockwise (straight) on North Tower up to North Tower Connector and back down to your car on a dirt-surf down.

This route only skips the Schooner Trace Trail. It's impressive, but it's not quite done, and it takes ~1 hour to go 3.5 miles. It's super, super technical. You can add it on the way back once you pass Hoosier's Nest Cabin and take it out to Upper Schooner Road, but be forewarned you will hike-a-bike some portions. You could also fall a long, long way down ravines.

Also, if you want to add more mileage towards the end of the ride just go the "long way" counter-clockwise back around Aynes or North Tower. If you do this you are officially my hero."

New Video - Dirt Surfing on HP and North Tower Trails

2009-05-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

Brown County Mountain Biking Is on Facebook

2009-05-09T19:39:00.000-07:00

We're pleased to announce that we've moved further into the social media realm here at Brown County Mountain Biking. We've set up a new Facebook page that's going to make it much, much easier for users of Brown County area trails to connect with one another. It will be a great place to share information, stories, pictures, videos, and just about anything that will fit under that big tent we call the interwebs. Please click on over and join the discussion. Become a fan, tell us about your latest ride or your upcoming ride. One of the best things about riding in the Brown County area is the vibrant riding community and the great people that build, maintain, and use the trails. The trails attract all kinds of folks from all different places and walks of life. Hopefully this forum will further enrich the social side of the Brown County mountain bike scene. We'll see you on the trails and on the web!

The Great Mileage Project

2009-05-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

We're busy creating an accurate, downloadable and printable map for the mountain bike trails at Brown County. Up until now, our mileage and distance estimates of the trails have been based on GPS readings, which aren't that accurate for determining the actual distance that your tires are rolling on the ground. The GPS doesn't account for the myriad of dips, twists, turns, and obstacles that a good old fashioned bike computer does. We needed accurate distances for the map. We used two bike computers that were each calibrated by measuring the wheel rollout in millimeters. We didn't use just a pre-programmed setting for a generic tire size. We then averaged our distances to get the most accurate reading (the computers usually measured the exact same but were sometimes different by one or two hundreths of a mile).

We set out yesterday to tackle the task of measuring every inch of mountain bike trail that is currently on the ground at Brown County. I'm going to list those mileages here in case anyone is interested in knowing. This is probably the last time that you'll see these on the web in this kind of detail, so copy and save them now if you want it. I thought that it might be useful for people that ride there frequently and want to record their mileages without goofing with a fussy bike computer. It might also be useful for event promoters that are planning a course.

Well, without further ado, here we go:

Pine Loop: 1.20

North Tower Connector Trail: 1.19

North Tower Loop Short Way Counter Clockwise to Intersection with Aynes Connector: .76

North Tower Loop Clockwise to North Tower Entrance: .59

North Tower Clockwise to Intersection with Aynes Connector: 2.88

Aynes/North Tower Connector Trail: .15

Aynes Counter Clockwise to HP Intersection: .54

Aynes Clockwise to Top of Aynes Climb: 1.22

Top of Aynes Climb to HP Intersection: 1.63

HP Intersection with Aynes to Hobbs Hollow "Clubhouse": .85

Clubhouse to Top of HP: 1.99

HP to Upper Schooner Road on Walnut: .77

Upper Schooner Road to Schooner East Entrance Intersection on Walnut: 1.18

Schooner East Entrance Intersection to Hoosier's Nest on Walnut: .24

Hoosier's Nest to Rally Camp Parking Lot on Limekiln: 2.52

Schooner East Entrance Intersection to Upper Schooner Road on Schooner: 3.07

Upper Schooner Road to Where the Trails Ends near HP (unfinished) on Schooner: .77

That's a total of 21.55 miles of amazing trail.

It took us a little over 5 hours to ride everything with some fairly leisurely stops for refueling and fussing with bike computers and video equipment.

Excellent Conditions Abounding at Brown County

2009-04-27T06:54:00.000-07:00

The trails are beginning to mature for the season and get into really prime condition. When it does rain, they are recovering extremely quickly. As long as you avoid riding in the pouring rain or within 12-24 hours of a deluge, you're probably going to find pretty pristine singletrack. The volunteers have been out working very hard, and their work is not going unnoticed. Nice job, folks. This has improved the trails even more. Brown County is known for its pristine, flowing singletrack, and it just keeps getting better. I did a day/night ride last night and the trail conditions are about as good as I've seen them. The plants are growing, the trees are budding, the flowers are out, and the animals are scurrying about. It's beautiful!

Here is an excellent blog post about Brown County with lots of beautiful pictures (like the one above taken by the author) and a fantastic google map that pretty much sums up what it is like right now. Check it out.

Speaking of google maps, we've been improving and tweaking our Brown County Mountain Biking Google Earth map lately, and it's dialed in! You'll need to download Google Earth to view it, but it's entirely worth it. It's all very accurate and up-to-date. Let us know if you have any suggestions.

Article About New Trails at Harmonie State Park Features BCSP Trails

2009-04-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

There is a good article about the new professionally-built trails at Harmonie State Park in southwestern Indiana in the Evansville Courier Press. It references the success of Brown County State Park as a major crux of the article. Check it out here.

Free State Park Admission on Sunday, May 3...and May 2 too (see details below)

2009-04-23T05:17:00.000-07:00

Get your carload of family and friends in the gate of any Indiana state park, lake or state forest without spending a dime on Sunday, May 3, as part of the annual Welcome Back Weekend, the traditional lid-lifter of the spring recreation season.
"This a great time to visit a DNR property," said Ginger Murphy, assistant director for stewardship in the DNR Division of State Parks and Reservoirs. "It's a chance for people who've never visited or haven't recently stopped by to discover a state treasure and save a few dollars at the same time."
Even veteran park-goers will notice something new or updated at most properties. Features include the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Plaza opening in June at Lincoln State Park, new electric campsites at Ouabache, comfort stations under construction at Clifty Falls and Lincoln, new Gus Grissom Memorial exhibits at Spring Mill State Park, improved mountain bike trails at several properties and more than 300 new interpretive wayside signs all around the state to help you enjoy and better understand what you see. For a complete list of improvements and additions, see http://www.in.gov/dnr/parklake/files/sp-Property-Updates2009_Successes2008.pdf.
"We hope people will like what they see and buy a $36 Annual Entrance Pass ($18 for ages 65 and older), which will get their carload through any entrance gate for the rest of 2009."
Normal weekend gate fees for most properties are $5 per day for an in-state vehicle and $7 per day for an out-of-state vehicle. During the week, most fees are $4 for in-state and $7 for out-of-state. All other fees will be in effect. The only thing waived is the daily entrance normally charged for any car, truck, bicycle or pedestrian. The entrance fee for Historic Prophetstown at Prophetstown State Park remains in effect.
May 3 is the second consecutive day you can enter a state park or lake without paying a gate fee, but there's a condition. That's because May 2 is annual INShape Indiana DNR Day. Registered INShape participants will be e-mailed a coupon by the end of April. That coupon, when shown at the gate, gets the carload in free on Saturday, May 2 to participate in walks and other activities.
To register as an INShape participant, see www.INShape.IN.gov. To see scheduled walks and activities, visit www.dnr.in.gov/healthy. Information about INShape Indiana also is available at 1-800-433-0746. The INShape coupon is not valid for entrance or camping on Friday night, May 1 or at state forest properties.

Salt Creek Greenway in Nashville Needs Mountain Biker Support

2009-04-02T06:53:00.000-07:00

As we’re certain you are aware, the federal government recently passed a stimulus bill to help jump-start the economy. In that bill is approximately $20,000,000 for the state of Indiana to use in its “Transportation Enhancement” program. It is that program, administered by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), that funds pedestrian trails in Indiana. Brown County’s Salt Creek Trail is aggressively seeking a portion of the funding. We need your help.

What we would like for you to do is e-mail State Representative Eric Koch (h65@iga.in.gov ), State Representative Peggy Welch (h60@iga.in.gov), State Senator Vi Simpson (s40@iga.in.gov) and Lt. Governor Becky Skillman (http://www.in.gov/lg/2935.htm from her Lt. Governor web site) and urge them to support funding for the Salt Creek Trail from the Transportation Enhancement program.

Both the west end of the trail (from CVS to the YMCA) and the east end (from the outdoor swimming pool in Brown County State Park to the west boundary of the school corporation’s Eagle Park) should be under construction within the next year. We have about half of the funds needed for the middle section of the trail, which will connect the east and west ends. Stimulus funding could put us over the top and hasten the completion of the full 2.5-mile, paved trail, a free, public facility for walking, running, biking, etc.

What will the trail do for our county? The recreation and health benefits of trails are obvious. Not so obvious is what communities that have trails are discovering–that trails are economic development engines. They create new businesses (bike shops, ice cream and drink stops, etc.), increase property values along the path, and bring new tourism dollars into the community.

Completion of the Salt Creek Trail has become urgent because of the successful Brown County State Park mountain-biking system, which was recently listed by a national magazine as the second-best mountain-biking trail network in the country. That trail is already bringing in new visitors and money, and as word spreads it will continue to increase in traffic in the weeks and months ahead. Completion of the Salt Creek Trail will allow mountain-bikers easy access from the State Park to Jefferson Street in Nashville, where their dollars will start showing up in shops, restaurants and lodging establishments.

We appreciate your help and look forward to completing the trail!

Bob Kirlin
Chairman, Salt Creek Trail Committee

Tom Tuley
Vice-chairman, Salt Creek Trail Committee

"33 Best Rides in North America: North America's Best Trails"

2009-02-20T05:04:00.000-08:00

“Best” is a big word. It’s only four letters long, but it’s hard to apply such an absolute term to something as subjective as riding a great trail. So we asked our readers for help in finding the “best” trails in the USA and Canada. Nominations came in from the four corners of the continent, and the 11 trails we selected—along with two runners-up per category—offer some of the best mountain biking on the planet.

We asked, you spoke. From the best descents in Whistler to the epic singletrack of Moab, Fruita and Pisgah, here are the best trails on the continent, nominated by the readers of Bike magazine.

Brown County Trails
Nashville, IN
This expanding trail system is quickly becoming a favorite destination for Midwest riders. The network started with 9 miles of volunteer-built trails, then an additional 10 miles were added with the aid of a $150,000 federal Recreational Trails Program grant. Now, its 19 miles of singletrack is among the most varied terrain east of the Mississippi. From berms to steep switchbacks to tight trees to rock gardens, these trails have it all. And even more are on the way, with an ambitious expansion plan already in the works.

Brown County Makes List of 33 Top Trails in North America!

2009-02-05T05:19:00.000-08:00

I heard through the grapevine yesterday that Brown County was mentioned in the latest issue of Bike Magazine. Supposedly, it made their list of the 33 top trails in North America. Needless to say, this is an amazing accomplishment. The HMBA only began building mountain bike trails in Brown County about five years ago. At that time, Indiana had received the WORST grade of all of the fifty states on IMBA's annual report card. Since then, Indiana's mountain bike advocates have proven that you can make lemonade out of lemons when you roll up your sleeves and get to work. Recognition such as this makes it all worthwile. The amazing thing is that Brown County isn't even close to being finished. The trail mileage will most likely double, if not triple, in the future. I'll post more details on BCSP's ranking in Bike as I get them. In the meantime, start planning your trip(s) to come ride the trails this upcoming season.

Road Bike Race at Brown County State Park

2009-01-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

Each year Brown County State Park usually plays host to a terrific, challenging road cycling race. This year the Brown County State Park Road Race is on Sunday, April 26. This is a great weekend to come to the park for some mountain biking and to see some very exciting road racing action as well. The race course utilizes the southern loop from the 1987 PanAm Games road cycling course. The loop goes right by the state park campgrounds, so if you're camping there you'll have a front row seat. As we get closer to the event I'll highlight some of the best spots along the course to watch via a Google Earth map. Circle this date on your calendar and bring your friends and family for a full weekend of some amazing mountain and road cycling.

Avoid Riding in the "Freeze/Thaw" Cycles

2009-01-03T11:58:00.000-08:00

This time of year it can be very tricky to mountain bike in Indiana. The running joke that "if you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes" seems to hold true more often than not. This makes it difficult to find good trail conditions. Often times, the trails are frozen solid, but it's too cold to ride. Other times, the weather is beautiful, but then the trails are too muddy or soft to ride. The Hoosier Mountain Bike Association has a great description of what freeze/thaw cycles are and how to avoid bad trail conditions.

"When soil freezes all the moisture turns to ice crystals between the particles of the soil, and in clay or loam soil they are tightly packed together. As the moisture freezes the crystals expand and tear the clay apart which shatters it, then as it thaws the soil becomes more porous and allows more moisture in. This is repeated with every successive thaw. In Indiana we can get as many as 100 freeze thaw cycles in a season. Please be very careful when trying to ride the trails in the winter. The best time to ride is when the trail is frozen solid. On days when the temperature goes below freezing at night, the worst thing you can do is wait for the sun to come out and warm up the trail before riding. The trails can be very soft even if it hasn’t rained recently. Even if the temperature stays below freezing South facing trails can defrost in sunlight and turn to mush. If you are leaving ruts in the trail where you have ridden please leave the trail. The ruts will allow even more water to remain on the trail and make it even worse. If people see you riding they will want to ride too, so very soon the trail reaches a point of meltdown. If you would like to find out the trail conditions on your particular trail before driving there please visit the HMBA message boards. All of these trails are maintained by the Hoosier Mountain Biking Association and all the design, maintainance and building work is done voluntarily by local mountain bikers. If you would like to find out more about the Hoosier Mountain Bike Association and how you can help please visit hmba.org.

Send A Message to The New Administration That Bicycle Projects Are A Good Investment

2008-12-30T07:41:00.001-08:00

Will Brown County Take Advantage of Its Prominent Mountain Bike Destination Status?

2008-12-20T05:40:00.000-08:00

Five years ago, I would have hardly believed that Brown County would become the mecca of Midwestern mountain biking. Brown County is now a contender for that title, and it may even have its sights set higher in the very near future. However, Brown County isn't alone in seeking that title. There are towns all over that are in various stages of developing mountain bike trails and tourism. Competition will be fierce, but I am confident that Brown County will continue to rise to the top in this category because of its convenient location to so many urban areas, its beautiful and interesting topography, its amazing quality and amount of purpose-built trails, and its existing tourism economy.

Last week I found this article about devoloping mountain bike tourism in Jackson County, Alabama. It's amazing how similar that situation is to where we were in Brown County just a few years ago. I've been giving the same sales pitch to people in Indiana and in Brown County for going on five years now. Today we find ourselves in the position of actually being a mountain biking tourism destination and a potential mecca for Midwest and eastern US riding. The problem is that it's hard to convince people in the Brown County area that it is true.

If the people in and around Brown County want to take full advantage of what they have been given then they need to take a crash course in catering to mountain biking tourism very soon. No doubt many Brown County business owners will continue to sell knick-knacks and fudge to fill their tills. Hopefully there will be some saavy business owners that will also harvest the potential of mountain bikers that come to town and want to spend lots of money. A good part of Brown County's viability in the future may rely on catering to outdoor recreation, especially mountain biking.

Will Brown County take notice in 2009? I believe that their very survival depends on it. The economy is in the dumps. Brown County's tourism numbers have been on the decline for several years. Local businesses are hurting. Will they use the amazing amenities and potential that has been placed at their feet? This coming season will be the litmus test.

If anyone reading this would like some help in this regard we have all kinds of talented people and resources at our disposal to help you make it happen. The Hoosier Mountain Bike Association and advocates like myself can't do it by ourselves. We need buy-in and participation from the local community. Without that, we may just be spinning our wheels.

Good reading:
Destination Mountain Biking: Positioning Your Community for Mountain Bike Tourism

Unlocking the Secrets of Brown County Mountain Biking

2008-12-16T19:23:00.000-08:00

If you've never been to Brown County before or you just want to learn more about the area you should definitely check out our new Brown County Mountain Biking Google Earth Map. You must have Google Earth installed on your computer to view the file. Google Earth is a free program that is an absolute must to have. If you don't have it, you can download it here.

Our map is designed for mountain bikers, and it has all kinds of amenities on it including our favorite restaurants, lodging, gas stations, coffee shops, brewpubs, drug stores, groceries, laundromats, liquor stores, backcountry campsites, historical sites, great photo ops, and more. Click on any of the placemark icons and a description (and sometimes photos) will pop-up. It also has GPS trail overlays of the complete Brown County State Park trail system and the Nebo Ridge Trail. These are the two most popular riding destinations in the area. We'll soon be adding GPS trail data for Hickory Ridge, Gnaw Bone, and Valley Branch Trail systems as well. If anyone out there already has GPS data for any of these trails please send us the files to info@browncountymountainbiking.com.

The map will continue to evolve, grow and improve as time goes on. If you have a recommendation for a change or an addition please let us know.

How Does Brown County Compare to Other Great Trails?

2008-12-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

Despite the amazing trails and success of Brown County, there are still some skeptics out there. We frequently talk to people that have doubts that there is enough elevation change in Indiana to create a world-class trail system. Those that have ridden at Brown County already know that it's not only possible, it's already on the ground waiting to be ridden!

What follows is the first in a series of numerical comparisons of Brown County to other well-known trails. For the comparisons, we'll rely purely on GPS data that is publicly posted on the web. It's important to note that these comparisons won't take into account many things such as flora, fauna, soil type, climate, views, trailhead amenities, points of interest, etc. In those regards, I think that the experience at BCSP is unique, yet comparable to riding experiences that I've had at other great trail systems all over the country. For those riders out there that want to see the "numbers" I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at what we've accomplished in the Southern Indiana hills.

The representative ride that we'll use from BCSP is this GPS track of a quintessential, long ride in Brown County. It's currently the route that I recommend to visitors that want a half-day/full-day epic ride. It's a 23 mile route. Over its course it has an elevation gain/loss average of 3,140 feet. It covers every inch of officially opened trail as of December 2008. It does not include any of the new Pine Loop (beginner) or Schooner Trace Trail (expert) that will open in Spring of 2009. It's interesting to note that this route can be made significantly more difficult by taking the long way around Aynes Loop and North Tower Loop on the return trip. That adds about 5 miles and over a thousand feet elevation change.

For the first trail comparison we're going to use the Berryman Trail in the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. This has long been a popular trail in the United States, especially the Midwest. It was officially designated as an IMBA Epic in 2001. Here's a link to the Berryman Trail GPS information that I'll be using for the comparison.

The first thing that jumps out when you compare Brown County with the Berryman is how freakishly close the numbers are. The Berryman loop is just under 24 miles. The Brown County ride is just over 23 miles. The elevation change on the Berryman loop is 3,143 feet. The elevation change on the Brown County ride it is 3,140 feet. The elevation on the Berryman loop ranges between 800-1200 feet above sea level. The elevation on the Brown County ride ranges between 650-1050 feet above sea level.

So, there you have it. There are trails of "epic" quality right here in Indiana. The numbers don't lie. When you add other things to the equation like the extremely high quality and diversity of the BCSP trails, the generally mild riding weather, the beautiful flora and fauna, the fantastic views, and the nearby amenities of the quaint tourist town of Nashville, Brown County really starts to "add up".

I want to be the first to say that numbers don't do it justice. Come see it for yourself. Plan a trip here for next season. Come for a day. Stay for a week. You won't be dissapointed. It's also important to remember that after you ride for 2-3 days at Brown County you may also want to check out the wonderful Nebo Ridge Trail or some of the other almost 150 miles of legal trail in and around Brown County.

Get Out! Online Magazine Features Brown County Mountain Biking

2008-12-08T06:08:00.000-08:00

Mary Reed of Get Out! magazine recently did a really nice feature on mountain biking at Brown County State Park. Get Out! is an online magazine whose mission is "to inform, entertain and inspire all citizens of the Ohio River region to pursue an active, healthy lifestyle through outdoor adventure and to learn more about how to be stewards of our natural environment." We are hoping to see lots of Get Out! readers next season on the trails.

New Pine Loop Will Open Soon

2008-12-02T21:25:00.000-08:00

Yet another new trail will open at Brown County soon. It will be called the Pine Loop. It is the yellow trail on this satellite photo. It will be a pure beginner trail, but that doesn't mean that it won't be a great warm-up or warm down for advanced riders that are parked at the North Gate or Upper Shelter. The trail traverses through a large pine tree stand, it also meanders through a few ravines. It crosses the creeks in the ravines using freshly built wooden bridges. There are four bridges total on the loop. There is also some nice rock work and some crib walls that were constructed to make the switchbacks. This will be a fantastic trail for teaching kids and beginners.

Another Blog Post About BCSP

2008-12-02T21:20:00.001-08:00

Here's a blog post from a guy that lives in Sister Bay, Wisconsin. He rode at Brown County over the Thanksgiving holiday, and he has nice things to say about it. He does suggest that someone should take the time to remove the leaves from the trail! We'll be sure to stop the trail builders immediately. They should definitely be removing pesky things like leaves from the trails instead building buttery, flowing, new singletrack.

Web Posting About BC Ride

2008-12-01T06:59:00.000-08:00

I was emailed this web posting about a gentleman's first mountain bike ride at Brown County. Although it sounds as if he was grossly unprepared, he still managed to have a terrific time, and he thoroughly enjoyed the trails. It just goes to show that beginners and advanced mountain bikers both can ride the trails and have a great time.

New BCSP Video Found on YouTube

2008-11-29T15:09:00.000-08:00

Here is a nice video I found on YouTube that some guys recently shot at Brown County. There is an absolutely spectacular wreck at 1:20! It's on the Hesitation Point log bridge crossing.

Gateway Cyclist Riders Come From St. Louis

2008-11-20T19:12:00.000-08:00

Last weekend we had large groups from Chicago and St. Louis in the BrownCo. Here are the St. Lou photos. As word spreads, it's not rare to see lots of out-of-state plates in the parking lot. Although the weather was questionable, and it had rained a few days previously, the riders from out of town were amazed to find great trail conditions. We locals know that the trails are very resilient to bad weather. It's a testament to how well thought-out and built the entire trail system is.

New Section Open on North Tower Loop

2008-11-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

There is a large section of new trail on the North Tower Loop. It's the light green trail on this satellite photo. It replaces the old fire-road downhill that used to run from the North Tower Loop Connector intersection down "the short way" out towards Aynes Loop. This old portion of trail was wide and fast, but it doesn't hold a candle (climbing or descending) to this newly-built trail. Almost all of this trail was lovingly built by machine by Alex Harrington and Alex Stewart of Spectrum Trail Design. It has tremendous flow to it, and it will be a terrific addition to the trail system. A good portion of the trail has been on the ground since last winter. I rode it back then, and I couldn't wait until they could finish it. Now you can ride it too! Kudos to the "Super Alex" for another piece of amazing trail.

New Video Posted of Walnut Intermediate Trail

2008-11-19T12:34:00.000-08:00

Here's a new video that I just got done editing. It's highlights of Charles riding Walnut Trail from Hesitation Point to the Hoosier's Nest cabin (it's the light blue trail on this satellite photo). It was shot on 9/9/08. The lighting was a little too bright, but overall the quality is decent. There is a great shot of him crossing the huge rock bridge at 3:12. He makes it look way too darn easy. And, as always, if you don't like the music, turn if down. If you like it, crank it.