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State parks have some of the best mountain biking trails in Ohio. They’re maintained, have beautiful views, and offer other activities in case you’re camping with family members who don’t want to go mountain biking. With this list of the best 12 Ohio State Parks with mountain bike trails, you’ll be able to find a State Park that suits you and your family.
When people think about Ohio, they don’t think about Ohio having some really great mountain biking trails, but they do! And it’s beautiful there! Whether you’re visiting the Lake Erie area or the Eastern part of the state where there are some nice hills and beautiful forests, you’ll be surprised by stunning landscapes.
Table of Contents
Which Ohio State Parks have mountain bike trails?
Here are the best Ohio State Parks with mountain bike trails!
- Alum Creek State Park
- Great Seal State Park
- Dillon State Park
- John Bryan State Park
- Lake Hope State Park
- Paint Creek State Park
- Mohican State Park
- Caesar Creek State Park
- Strouds Run State Park
- East Fork State Park
- Findley State Park
- West Branch State Park
Alum Creek State Park
Alum Creek State Park, close to Columbus, Ohio, is one of the more visited state parks in Ohio. It’s mostly known for its great water activities like fishing and jet skiing. But there is another reason to visit Alum Creek State Park. It has great mountain biking trails for everyone to try!
You’ll find trails for beginners, moderate, and advanced mountain bikers. If you have small kids or are new to mountain biking, there is a great 2-mile beginner trail. Once you’re warmed up, there is a 5-mile moderate trail with some great views of the lake and a 7-mile trail for advanced mountain bikers. This advanced trail has some inclines, log piles, and bridges.
Great Seal State Park
This state park has 17 miles of multi-use trails for horses, hikers, and mountain bikes. These trails in Great Seal State Park are best suited for advanced mountain bikers due to the steep inclines, ravines, and wooded, hilly terrain. However, with the steep inclines and hills, there are also some great downhills! The trails can get muddy and pretty beat up due to horses, but the trails are still pretty fun!
Dillon State Park
Dillon State Park is one of the best mountain biking areas in Ohio. It has18 miles of mountain biking trails with loops for beginner, moderate and advanced bikers. There is also an area for bikers to learn skills. You’ll find obstacles, lakeside views, and bridges on the trail. People complain about the lack of signage on the trails, but improvements are being made to the trail system.
John Bryan State Park
There are 9.7 miles of mountain biking trails at John Bryan State Park. Some of these trails are single-use and some are multi-use trails. The trails are interconnected some portions are pretty flat and good for beginner cyclists and other portions have obstacles like ramps, stream crossings, and inclines.
Lake Hope State Park
Lake Hope State Park is a fantastic state park for mountain bikers. There are 8 mountain biking trails here for the moderate and advanced mountain bikers. These trails are some of the best in the state. These wooded trails total 25 miles and offer steep inclines and challenges to keep mountain bikers looking forward to the next one. You’ll encounter bridges, tight turns, roots, and switchbacks. Some of these challenges even come with beautiful lake views!
Paint Creek State Park
You’ll find 12 miles of mountain biking trails in this beautiful state park. There are two different trails that are perfect for beginner to moderate cyclists. There isn’t anything too technical or difficult about these trails. The hills and inclines at Paint Creek State Park are mostly mild and great for the mountain bike races that are held here. The North Loop is shorter and is great for a warm-up. You might be able to see the lake from a certain vantage point. The South Loop is longer and takes you through different terrain.
Want some more ideas for Mountain Biking in State Parks? Check out the best 17 Wisconsin State Park with bike trails!
Mohican State Park
Mohican State Park is one of the best state parks for mountain biking. You’ll find about 25 miles of mountain biking trails, along with amazing views. It has the longest singletrack trail in the state. The trail is full of fun and challenging hills, rock gardens, some roots, and bridges. It’s a must-see for mountain biking trails in Ohio.
Caesar Creek State Park
Caesar Creek State Park is known for having Ohio’s oldest mountain biking trails. And there are great trails here! You’ll find a trail perfect for beginners and only 3.5 miles long. The Fifty Springs Loop is an easy loop with one slightly more advanced ravine crossing.
There is also the Harveysburg Trail. This difficult trail is 15 miles long. There are steep climbs and descents that will challenge even the advanced cyclist.
Strouds Run State Park
Strouds Run State Park has about 35 miles of trails and connector trails for mountain biking. The park has moderate and difficult trails. Riders will come across stream crossings, some hills with decent inclines, zig-zags, and technical features. They’ll also have great views along the way because there are deep ravines and high hills, a beautiful lake, and tons of forested terrain.
East Fork State Park
With 4,870 acres, East Fork State Park is a huge park. And there are some pretty good mountain biking trails here! There are 12 miles of trails from beginner to advanced. A lot of these trails take you to the edge of the water and have incredible views. They also follow along the ridges above with beautiful views of the water and surrounding landscapes.
The trails range from easy with gently rolling hills and get harder with switchbacks and steeper inclines. The more advanced trails are narrower, have bridges, and steeper inclines. You’ll also find a technical trail to practice your skills. Here you’ll encounter water crossings, roots, and bridges.
Findley State Park
Findley State Park is a small park in Northeast Ohio with 838 acres. But there are some great mountain biking trails here. The trails are popular with bikers and are good for beginners and advanced cyclists.
Thorn Mountain Bike Trail is the longest trail in the park. Parts of the trail are easy and flat and other sections are for the advanced cyclists. The advanced part has hard turns, steep inclines, and obstacles. There are many access points for the trail and beginners can skip over the more advanced sections.
West Branch State Park
West Branch State Park surrounds a manmade lake called Michael Kirwan Lake. This large reservoir is used to control flooding and supple water. You’ll find mountain biking trails on the southern end of the lake. There are 12 miles of intermediate and advanced trails. There are 6 loops of trails to choose from depending on your skill level.
You’ll find beautiful lake views along with wooded and meadow landscapes. Cyclists will come across roots, rocks, and steep inclines. There are also bridges and creek crossings on the trails.
The trails close often due to rainfall, and it takes longer for the trails to dry off after rainfall and in the spring due to its clay soil. Check the website and make sure the trails are open when you plan on visiting.
Conclusion
Mountain biking is a great sport. Combine that with camping or other activities at State Parks, and you have a winning combination. And Ohio is a great state for mountain biking! You’ve got hills, stream crossings, ravines and cliffs and amazing views. Hopefully with this list of the best 12 Ohio State Parks with mountain bike trails, you’ve gotten some ideas for your next mountain biking or camping trip.
