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Tags:
Level: Intermediate
Length: 15 mi (24.1 km)
Surface: Singletrack
Configuration: Network
Elevation: +183/ -230 ft
Total: 72 riders
Mountain Biking Great Brook State Park
#49 of 223 mountain bike trails in Massachusetts
Great Brook is very popular since it is such a great family and beginner area. Because it is such a popular family area, it's not a great idea for advanced riders to come to Great Brook to do their serious weekend pounding. It's wise for fast riders to avoid this park on nice summer weekends. It certainly is a good idea to avoid riding hard on the main trails. The main trails are frequented by family groups of four of five people, both hikers and bikers, including young kids, often on little bikes. Some of the more out-of-the-way single-tracks offer more challenge without this risk over running over slower bikers.
First added by egrenon on Aug 3, 2005. Last updated Apr 30, 2020. → add an update
Before you go
- Drinking water: unknown
- Lift service: unknown
- Night riding: unknown
- Pump track: unknown
- Restrooms: unknown
- Fat bike grooming: unknown
- E-bikes allowed: unknown
- Fee required: unknown
This trail information is user-generated. Help improve this information by suggesting a correction.
From I495, take Rt 225 East crossing Rt 27. Take left on Curve St. and follow Curve St. north to North St. Take North St. to clearly marked park entrance.
From Rt 128 (I95) take Rt 225 West. Make a right onto Lowell Rd. in the center of Carlisle. Follow Lowell Rd and make a right on North Rd. The main parking is at the duck pond and farm. If this lot is crowded, you should park at the barn and XC ski center. For bikers, its only like a minute from this lot to the duck pond. For picnicers, it's quite a hike with a bunch of stuff.
I might have liked it if I knew where I was going. The map at the pavillion sucked. I struck out on my own and quickly got lost. I see the Commonweath is eager to take my parking fee, where do I go to get them to offer a decent map and better marking of the trails for my $$$$?
| ThankI grew up here, riding here a few times a week during high school. Yes, a lot of the trails are easy, but on my late 90's xc bike there were challenges and fun to be had- maybe in the future it'd be a better place to ride with a rigid / gravel bike!
I didn't really ride here a lot during weekends so I can't really speak to the over-crowding issue. But after school / work there never seemed to be a lot of people- that seems the time to go.
That being said, there are some fun little loops to be had off the main routes. Indian hill is the only real hill, and while very short, it's good for a quick burst up and there are some fun lines down. I maintain that stone row is definitely not an easy trail- unfortunately they groomed one uphill section (riding from west to east) which we could never clear- now it's much easier, but overall the train is still a lot of fun. Others to check out are beaver loop, heartbreak ridge, hucking the drops around meadow pond (I remember them being 5 feet but are almost certainly not even half of that).
| ThankIt's a nice place but it's really not a good place for more experienced riders to enjoy. It's not technical at all, and as the description mentions, it's meant for families to hike and less experienced riders. Overall, I wasn't very thrilled when I saw the place, but it wasn't the worst either. This is not a blue square, it is a green circle, so whoever rated it intermediate, don't listen to them.
| ThankGreat Brook is a good way to kill a few hours and the terrain is mixed with a lot of different types of riding but nothing too technical. Not a huge drawback but one thing about this place is that there's horse poo everywhere. Easy parking and trail entry is a plus. Not a very challenging place and usually easy to keep up the pace here.
| ThankHad a great winter ride here. The trails were well maintained and had a good variety for all levels. Some trails were closed for just cross country skiing I guess, didn't realize it until after the ride though.
| ThankRode here at the NEMBA adventure series. They had two marked loops, beginner and intermediate. Nice mix of terrain. Plenty of fire roads and smooth singletrack through fields for the beginners (still enough roots, rocks, and short up and downs to keep it challenging for a beginner). Intermediate loop had some nice technical climbs with plenty of rock outcroppings to navigate. To extend the ride you can link it with Russell Mill. Plenty of singletrack not included in the NEMBA loop so not a bad place to get out and ride. Just keep your head up for walkers, families, and horses. All equestrians we came across were great; friendly and their horses weren't spooked so they'd call for us to just keep riding - can't beat that!!
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