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Your source for Mountain Biking in the Triangle
Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill
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So you're coming to the Triangle?
Whether
you are passing through, moving in or visiting Uncle
Chauncey; you've come to the right place for the 411 on
mountain biking in the Triangle. What's the Triangle? The
Triangle is the area surrounding Durham, Chapel Hill and
Raleigh.
A good place to start that will help you visualize the lay of the land is our Interactive Map
Where to ride?
Weather? Riding in the different
seasons?
Hook up with a group or other riders?
Bike Rentals?
RDU airport info
What
can my significant other do while I'm riding?
Where to ride?
Beginner?
For cruising some fire road with options to hit some
single track? Try Umstead State Park
which connects to Lake Crabtree park
for some easy single track. Harris
Lake Park in southern Wake county offers a good mix
of single track for beginners. Beaverdam
in northern Wake County has beginner as well as
intermediate trails.
Intermediate? Been
riding for a while, feel confident on just about any
trail? Try Newlight for a good
cross-country mix. Beaverdam
trails offer a decent set for a good workout.
Legend Park packs a sweet set of
trails in a compact area with some hills you never
thought would be there. If you got the time, the drive to
Uwharrie is a nice day trip
for some ultra-lite mountains.
Freeride?
Legend Park in Clayton has a
great set of freeride drops, skinnies, and a skills area. Lake Crabtree
has a pump track and dirt jumps too. Check the
freeride board to hit the urban
scene.
A note about
seasonal trails and hunting.
Many of our trails are on shared use land either
with private land owners, municipalities and Wildlife
Resource Commission land. Hunting season generally runs
from Sept 1 to May 1 in some form or another. The only
trail that is currently affected is Newlight. There is no
hunting allowed on Sundays, anywhere in the state. Please
review each trail description to see if the trail has
seasonal limitations.
Weather?
A constantly changing mix of
weather and seasons here. You truly get all four seasons
and it does snow a couple times each winter.
Occasionally, old man winter hits us hard and will dump a
few inches. The worst part of winter here is no one knows
how to drive and the cities don't own snow removal
equipment. You just sit and let it melt. Summers can get
very hot at times and are usually very humid. Did I say
humid. I mean very humid at times. Great fall season and
a nice spring.
Average
rainfall? The Triangle gets about 42 inches of
precipitation per year. Some years are dry and some are
very wet. Fall is the driest time of the year. Many
trails are closed due to rain and wet conditions. It's
best to call the park office (if available) and check to
see if the trail is open. Most folks around here take
care of their trails and don't look kindly on riding
muddy trails.
Average temps? Average winter
temps in January are a high of 49
degrees and a low of 32. Average summer
high in July is 89 degrees and an average low of 68.
Snowfall? The Triangle has an historical average
of 6.8 inches of snow per year since 1948. Just enough to
have winter but not so much that it wipes everything out.
Riding in the different seasons? With a little
planning, you can easily ride mountain or road year
round. Night riding is quite popular in the winter, with
several organized rides to choose from. Summers can be
very hot and humid. It's not uncommon for temperatures to
reach 100 degrees with thick humidity and ozone alerts.
Dress appropriately and always stay hydrated. For more
information on weather in the Triangle, try the
National
Weather Service RDU page.
Hook up with a group or other riders? How?
One of the best ways is to introduce yourself on our
message forums. Plenty of regulars
and lurkers from near and far. Most are friendly and will
answer your questions. I suggest posting your style of
riding, preferred length and speed so as to attract
similar styles. Check out the events
page for group rides. Lot's of night rides, group rides
and fun events happening here. Passing through Charlotte?
Try our neighbors on
www.bikepasa.com.
Bike Rentals?
The
Clean Machine, Carrboro NC
104 West Main St
Carrboro, NC 27510
919-967-5104
The
Bicycle Chain
Four
locations in Raleigh, Durham, Cary/Apex and Chapel Hill
RDU
airport info
The
Raleigh-Durham airport is always under construction it
seems, so have some patience when you pass through. My
biggest suggestion is the "drive-by" for pick up and drop
off. If your having someone pick you up at the airport,
don't have them park. Call the airline 800 number to
check the status on your flight. When the passenger
arrives, have them head outside to the curb. If it's
terminal C, have them head to arrivals curbside
(upstairs). Instruct your driver to cruise through
looking for you. They can do a couple of laps if your
late. No need to pay and park in my opinion. The
RDU website
is very good with tons of info.
What
can my significant other do while I'm riding?
Local
Farmers Market - Very cool
place to get fresh plants, veggies and flowers. Great for
kids.
Exploris Museum - Kids hands on
learning museum. Also has an IMAX theatre.
NC
Museum of History - Learn about NC state history.
NC
Museum of Natural Sciences - A great museum for young
and old. Very kid friendly.
CitySearch
for Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill
"Hey ya'll, watch this!" - Bill C.