Just a short drive west of Charlotte - the Poston trail is a volunteer effort of the Piedmont Area Singletrack Alliance(PASA) Club. What's in a name you ask - well, while the trail is short this is some great "singletrack," so PASA hit the mark! Nestled into the ravined watersheds of the western feeder to the Catawba River at the foot of 1250ft Spencer Mountain, Poston trail wisely uses opposing ridgelines to create a challenging loop within a very small footprint. You are always either ascending or descending, there is not very much flat on which to get bored!
The trail is one way counter-clockwise. It appears to drain and dry very well, there are a lot of benched hillside climbs. The descents are short and quick, some twisty. Be sure to maintain speed because there is usually an immediate climb after! There are several small jumps and drops, several bridges (a couple are 20ft long over an impressive, scenic creek).
Trail surface is a well-packed mineral-clay dirt with very little rolling resistance.
This trail would be a good challenge for a beginner who has a few months of singletrack experience; intermediate-advanced riders will find the constant terrain change fun, and can easily do multiple laps to get their distance in. While there are no wet or muddy spots on a normal day, please respect the trail--do not ride for at least 24 hours after rain.
Park gates open at 6am and close at 11pm.
I was very disappointed, the trails look like they haven't been worked on in a while & considering the review before me says more or less the same & it was written 2 years ago, I'm guessing they're not concerned. It's a shame because the trails, when cared for, are nice to ride.
| ThankTrail system was very disappointing. Trails were not marked very well, got side tracked three occasions. One time I thought I was in a scene from wrong turn. This place is good if you want constant footy climbs. Has what looks to be a good pump track but I didn't get a chance to ride it
| Thankvery twisty, rocky, and rooty. not so much for beginner riders. the first couple loops all kind of seemed the same and never ending to me. the Soccer loop was a good amount of fun and the Spencer mountain loop was excellent. watch for a couple jumps and gaps!
| ThankIt was still very wet when I rode the trails, which posed additional challenge on the many roots on up/downhill sections. Definitely not a beginner or kids trail system. Full suspension is not a requirement, but definitely recommended for the rougher sections.
| ThankJust yesterday I came to the park for the first time to walk the Lake Loop and thought it looked like a very fun little trail. Today I came alone to ride/explore and decided to do all of the trails except for the Spencer Mountain Loop (daylight issues). The trails were very fun!! As a beginner/intermediate level rider, I was amazed at some of the optional obstacles scattered throughout the trail system. I haven't had lots of different trips to ride but I have risen enough to do basic maneuvers and I had a great time with the difficulty for me being around 7.5/10. I'll definitely be back here to finish the last trail and i do believe this is more fun for my riding level than say the USNWWC trail systems. Nonetheless, great MTB trails! :)
| ThankFun park with about 10 miles of singletrack. A little confusing to navigate, but all the trails are named and the loops stack on top of each other.
| ThankLots of leaf coverage due to recent weather. Took the lake route, very scenic. There are some decent climbs if you are a beginner. Nice downhills.
| ThankPoston is back!!! After some required re-routes due to the expansion of a lake at the park which impeded on the original routes, there has been amazing work by volunteers to keep this trail alive, relevant, and better than ever!
| ThankCombination of tight technical climbs and quick descents (a couple will put you into full 'pucker mode'!) Beautiful runs along natural creeks with crossings by bridge and right through the shallow spots. Some jumps, drops, and rock gardens are found throughout the trail and the Spencer Mountain loop has some serious climbing and downhill sections. The trail drains and dries very well - can usually ride about 24hrs after even serious rainfall - in fact, this is my 'go-to' trail when the USNWC drags their feet on opening their trails.
The new trailhead is one of the best in the area with paved lot, picnic shelters, trail map posted (with a QR code that will let you download to your mobile device).
There is a kids trail which starts from the same trailhead lot and a fishing pond with a pier a short walk from the trailhead which the trail also circles.
The park also offers shelters, big playground, horseshoe pits, restroom facilities with running water and sometimes even vendors serving food and ice cream. Very convenient to I-85, good option if you are traveling through and want to hit a spot that represents NC well without getting lost in the sticks! Check out "Hillbillies" steakhouse and restaurant that is at the I-85 exit (see photos) for a post-ride meal...great spot!
Love it! My wife and I will go back again and again.
| ThankSlow with no flow. Tight switchbacks. Some new jumps have been added but not for my hardtail.
| ThankPoston is a pretty solid spot to get in 8 miles in about an hour (depending on how fast you are). They have recently added some big jumps that hardtail guys like me use the alternate routes around. There are a few climbs that are decent in length. My favorite part of the trail is the Spencer Mountain loop. This part of the trail has a great climb up a fire road and dives into the woods. On this loop there is a massive rock garden that ends as you gather some speed back towards the soccer field/fire road. Great trail!
| ThankThis trail is great to have for everyone west of Charlotte. Its slow and tight. Theres a few "what the heck" spots but all in all its a trail to ride. It needs volunteers to keep it going because there is no fee to ride. Will ride again and again.
| ThankLike others said, these trails have very little flow with tight switchbacks and immediate up and downs that aren't difficult per say, more....awkward...then challenging. The beginning loops is the worst for this, the later loops start to get a little better. The last loop, Spencer mountain I think, is the best with a few rock gardens, some speed, and a couple good jumps.
| ThankNot for beginners. There are multiple trails, but only one for beginnerschildren. Trails are challenging with very few flat areas and fewer straight paths. Trail width can be 1' to 4'. Shortcuts are available. Highly recommend this trail for anyone looking for a challenge.
| ThankI thought they had a great mix of everything here. Some decent elevation change both up and down to keep you paying attention. Rooty off camber lines keep you on your toes here and there. I liked the trails, left me wishing with more mileage (without hitting it again for another loop). It's a solid ride, the trail isn't super buff and smooth to allow you to just fly, you actually get to ride the trail!
| ThankAfter reading the review thought I would give it a go while in town for work. I must say this singletrack had little to no speed/flow. To many unnecessary switch backs, and straight downhill to abrupt uphills with excessive roots. I enjoy very technical rides, but this was simply not fun.
| ThankPoston is back with a vengeance! What a fun trail...they took the park re-routes in stride and really built a much better trail with more distance and tons of potential for growth.
| ThankTight and twisty tech sections, this is a very hilly trail with very quick ups and downs, bridges, rock gardens, and creek crossings.
The northwest section of the trail at the foot of Spencer Mountain is much more straight and level allowing you to throttle up and maintain momentum.
Tech options are jumps that vary from simple straight bunnyhops in the trail to options that allow riders to clear gaps of 2-12ft (the biggest over a creek). There are a few rock gardens, and a pretty challenging log ride.
This trail was recently re-done and is no where near as good as it once was. The description of the trail when the article was written (2007) is spot on, but now its not very good at all. The closest trail to here that's worth the trip is the USNWC. USNWC is a thousand times better even if there is a $5 parking fee.
| ThankThis is an interesting trail. Can't really give it a fair review right now as it is under reconstruction due to changes being made to the park. First time out, the trial was tight and challenging in parts. The trail features some sharp turns and was mostly hidden by the new leaf fall, so I took it pretty slow. A few foot dabs were required. Some nice scenery, especially around the streams and the Spencer Mountain part. Trail was well-marked despite the changes being made. I look foward to visiting again in the Spring when the trail is more visible.
| ThankTrails had to be rerouted around lake project which is still in progress. For this reason, there is no final clear cut master trail map yet. However, to date there are over 6 miles of technical and very tight hand built singletrack. The current 6+ miles are blazed and ready to ride. The trail entrance is currently at the back of the park and new trail is constantly being added. For this reason, I recommend you check out www.bikepasa.com for up to date information before venturing over to Poston. Easily the most technical, lung busting, true mountain bike trail in the Charlotte area.
| Thank