Mountain Biking in Pittsfield
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By Jay Elling
In just 15 minutes , you can travel from downtown Pittsfield to Pittsfield State Forest ( PSF ) and enjoy serene mountain biking deep in the woods . Featuring a large selection of super-accessible mountain bike ( MTB ) trails for all abilities , I will focus here on PSF ’ s Family Trails that are located in the lower wooded area between the Lulu Brook parking lot and Churchill Street .
As the name suggests , these trails are made for the masses . They weave through the thick forest , and while there is not a lack of roots and rocks , hills in this network are very mellow . If you are looking for info about the more gnarly and rowdy trails that PSF has to offer , you will want to pedal your butt to the top of the circuit road and have a blast . If you are a new MTB ’ er , or visiting the Berkshires with your family and you are looking for some fun and beautiful Shire MTB ’ ing , then let ’ s jump in !
The family trails in PSF were built in the early 2000s by a team of avid cyclists volunteering their time . The network has become more expansive , and state forest officials — with pressure from some local key players — recognized and adopted the trails as official MTB trails . As they are ridden , the trails change and the trail builders are always busy maintaining , repairing , and bettering the trails .
The network of trails on paper looks like a plate of spaghetti , but don ’ t worry . There are many ways to find your flow in the woods . For quicker ins and outs of the forest , there are wider mixed-used , double-track trails throughout the Family Trail network . Jumping into the woods can be a daunting experience , but as long as you are equipped with a helmet , a well-tuned mountain bike , some food , water , and plenty of daylight , I am sure you will have a blast ! To help ensure you have a good time , below are a few tips to help guide you around PSF ’ s trails .
Option # 1 : Monday Night Group Ride at 5:30 p . m . Meet in the Lulu Brook parking lot at any time of the year and there will be a group of mountain bikers looking to tackle PSF ’ s trails . Either there will be an advanced group looking to huff it up the mountain trails , or a mellower group looking to wind their way around the Family Trails network . If you arrive in the winter with your fat bike , you will find a crew to show you which trails have been groomed and ready to ride . On group rides , you can follow someone ’ s lead through the woods and focus on your riding . It can be helpful to record your ride with an app and review it later to gain a stronger understanding of the twists and turns of the trails .
Option # 2 : Self-guided tour with the help of Trail Forks . Trail Forks is a helpful MTB app composed of crowd-sourced trails . The digital maps on Trail Forks are helpful because they show you a live “ You are here ” locator , so finding out what trail you are on is a breeze . Other users can share recommended routes or trails to ride , which can be helpful when visiting an unfamiliar trail network .
Now for my recommendation : Go ride Honey Bear ! I love to ride this green circle trail with my family , and it has a little bit of everything I love about mountain bike trails . It has some climbing ( but not too much — my seven-year-old can tackle this trail with minimum whining ), some super-flowy descents , nice bermed turns , and a few rock / log hops . Some people like this trail counterclockwise ; I like to ride this trail clockwise . Honey Bear is just over one mile long , and it loops right back to where you started . It ’ s fun to drop into lap 2 and test yourself to see how much faster you can ride the trail . Keep pushing it and getting familiar with the trail !
The PSF does not disappoint , and there are trails for all abilities ! Once you have experienced every trail in the state forest , be sure to visit the crew over at Berkshire Bike & Board . Come check out the latest and greatest in bikes and accessories to enhance your ride — or just come pick our brain for new places to ride ! n
Jay Elling is e-commerce & marketing director at Berkshire Bike & Board in Great Barrington and Pittsfield .
JAY ELLING
91 Pittsfield Rd Lenox 413-637-3010 arcadian . com
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Spring 2023 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // 61