Best 5 Mountain-Bike Trails

Longtime Yankee contributor and Massachusetts native Todd Balf, who has ridden mountain-bike trails from New Zealand to Venezuela. We asked him to share his picks for the best 5 mountain bike trails in New England.

Great Brook Farm State Park (Carlisle, MA) Twenty miles of trails beyond the red farm buildings at the entrance to this historic 1,000-acre property. Easy and fun with plenty of good diversions, from Native American sites to big-eyed Holsteins. mass.gov/dcr/parks/northeast/gbfm.htm

Friends of Massabesic Biking Association (FOMBA) trails (Auburn, NH) A network with good beginning routes (such as the fire road loop around Tower Hill Pond), mixed with more challenging single-tracks, such as Sampler, Red Pine, and Moose Track. fomba.org

Kingdom Trails (East Burke, VT) Simply put, heaven. By acclaim the best place for mountain bikers of every stripe: Half of the system’s 100-plus miles are wide, easy double-track (including VAST and River Run), and all trails are marked for difficulty. kingdomtrails.org

Trail of Tears (West Barnstable, MA) Brutishly named, but this Cape Cod trail is 16 miles of swooping cross-country single-track–perfect for intermediate-level riders who like an aerobic workout. capecodbikeguide.com/tot.asp

Mount Agamenticus (York, Maine) Located near Ogunquit, Mount Ag’s Ring and Horse trails lead to terrific lookout-tower views across the Gulf of Maine and inland to the White Mountains. agamenticus.org, mtanemba.org

More Biking:New Hampshire SeacoastChamplain IslandsNew England Bikeways