Tennessee Trail Log
List of trails I have ridden. Non exhaustive list of trails in the area.
Favorite Scale: *Good | **Great | ***Fantastic
Click on Underlined area for Trailforks link!
Knoxville
Recently got a grant to develop mountain bike trails and they have done an incredible job. Has quickly become one of my favorite places to ride. Each area in Knoxville has features that make it special which is another cool design they have done.
Baker Creek Reserve
This is primarily the downhill and flow riding area and has a brand new, large, pump track located by the parking lot.
This is primarily used as a climbing trail although it goes both ways. Once you have been climbing Red Bud Crest for a bit you will come to a point where you have the option to go straight or make a sharp right turn up and through a gate. once through the gate it is roughly 200 feet more until you are at the top. There is an open flat area with a bench to rest if needed. From here you have the option to take Barn Burner or Cruze Valley Run back down.
This is rated as green. It is very fast and flows very well. It has lots of berms and tons of tables along with a couple small step- ups. I enjoy this trail a lot and is an excellent place to warm up before hitting some of the bigger stuff on Barn Burner. If you don’t want to make the entire climb back up, pull off to the right when you see a wooden fence and follow Red Bud Crest back up.
This is one of the local favorites. Rated as a blue. From the top there is also an option to session the first handful of jumps. Just start the trail and keep left where you see a large opening before a big berm that goes off to the right. Thus trail has tons of berms, tables, and step- ups. Excellent trail to perfect your jumping skills before moving onto the biggest jump trail in the area called The Devil’s Racetrack.
Trail goes both ways but we used as a climbing trail to get to The Devil’s Racetrack. Mild climb with a couple technical spots but nothing terrible. Once at top you will be in a large open area to rest and can read large warning sings and information signs before riding The Devil’s Racetrack. The option to take a fire road to climb is also there but it is loose gravel and fairly steep.
***Devil’s Racetrack: (Double Black)
This is a double black diamond trail. It is known as the pinnacle trail of the Urban Wilderness South Knoxville Trails. Access with fire road, Best Medicine, or shuttle service on specific weekends. Contains very large tables ,step- ups, blind turns, large berms, wall ride, Gap jump, a bridge jump, and an alternate route around the first set of jumps through a large rock garden. Anyone can ride this trial but I highly recommend walking it first or using your first lap as a scouting mission. Beginner riders be extra cautious on this trail as the features are very large. A super well built and exhilarating trail though.
Year Round Get Down
This system is unique and very fun. It was designed to be ridden in any weather conditions all year long. This means the trails are all rock armored and tons of work went into developing these trails. I recommend parking in the parking lot just south of this trail system and taking View Park Trail to Marj Mclean Trail where you will come to a road in a neighborhood. Go right a very short ways until you see a bunch of Bamboo on your left. This is the trail head for the Toll Road Connector that will take you to the trail system.
Toll Road Connector and Victor Ashe:
Climbing trails that will take you to the top of the system
All weather trail rated as a blue with tons of berms and large chunky rock gardens. Has gap jumps, tables, drops, and a bridge crossing. Be prepared for lots of chunk and some areas that feel like you’re going down large steps. Is a very fast tech flow trail. Also contains multiple line choices. Giddy up is a black diamond alternate line choice and Plan B is a double black diamond line choice. Both are extremely technical. Trail is worth every second of the climb. Ends in a basin where you have the option to connect to another trail system or keep doing laps on the trail.
All weather trail rated as green that’s only about .1 miles long. Located in the basin where Party in the Woods ends. Nothing super crazy and very short mellow climb to the start. Perfect to practice jumping, pumping, and hip jumps on before progressing to larger features.
Urban Wilderness
Large trail system with lots of different types of trails. Primarily hand-built singletrack. At parking lot of Imerys and Flow is a swimming hole for Meads Quarry. Has bathrooms and place to purchase beer and snacks if you plan to finish the ride here. The water is very nice and a great way to cool off after a hard ride.
Primarily a climbing trail to the other trails. Nothing crazy but there are lots of loose rocks and one steep punchy climb.
Upper Keyhole- blue:
Fun flowy trail with mild climb up Imerys
Easy trail that flows well and can be fast if you want it to. Couple techy spots but nothing crazy. At the end of the trail is a parking lot for a nice swimming hole in Meads Quarry if you are hot and want to cool off.
Oak Ridge:
Windrock Bike Park
A very famous bike park legendary for its steepness, loose rock, and RedBull drop. Do not ride unless you are wearing a full face helmet and knee pads at minimum. Shuttle access to top. Extremely challenging and technical riding.
Windrock XC
Located next to Windrock Bike Park but doesn’t require a shuttle to the top. Fun trail system that is extremely technical as well. Is labeled as XC but I would argue the riding more closely resembles Enduro.
Primarily a climbing trail to the rest of the system. Very rocky and semi challenging climb.
Best as a connector for accessing the other trails at the top
Fun jump line to practice on. Easy to do laps and session. Be aware many of the jumps on this line are gaps.
My favorite trail in this system. I would call it a tech flow trail. It is extremely challenging riding but is incredibly fun and fast. Almost all done on loose rock and rock garden. Be careful of tight loose turns.
Sequatchie:
Trials Training Center
Located near Chattanooga Tennessee. This is also used for motorbikes and off-roading vehicles alike. Don’t be fooled though. The mountain bike trails here are legit. Expect extreme technical riding and steep descents. One of the locations “Go Nuts Racing” uses for the “No Nuts, No Glory Enduro Race”. Big drops, loose rock, lots of wheel grabbers, and high speeds. An absolute blast of a ride. Unfortunately, the trails are not on Trailforks and, to my knowledge, do not have specific names. But if you go expect all trails to be a combination of the above explanation.