Mudhunny and I finally got a chance to check out the Forks Area Trail System (FATS) just outside Augusta, GA this past weekend and we were seriously impressed. After riding the Stevens Creek and Horn Creek trails for years we didn’t expect to see many (any) riders out at the trailhead on Saturday morning but we were greeted by at least a dozen cars in the parking lot, a good sign for sure.
There are four singletrack loops at FATS (with two more on the way) and we chose to try the Skinny Loop and the Brown Wave. Within a hundred yards of the trailhead we were flying down the smooth and groomed trail trying to keep our wheels on the ground as we hopped over the dips and bumps. The ground at FATS ranges from nice hardpack red clay to dense white sandy soil that’s perfect for fast riding. Banked turns keep you on course and we encountered nary a technical obstacle on our entire 12 mile ride (though I understand the “Great Wall” trail has some tech spots). Anyone can ride these trails and the climbing is pretty minimal for the most part (around 300 feet total per loop).
Speaking with some riders on the trail we found out that it took almost 2 years to complete the 25+ miles of trail (not hard to believe at all, these trails are well designed). We also heard that bike shops as far away as Columbia, SC (about 60-70 miles) were recommending the trails over some of the local picks like Harbison State Forest. With FATS the Sumter National Forest is quickly becoming a riding destination for mountain bikers across the southeast (which, ahem, we’ve been saying for years).
When we returned to the parking lot it was at least 95 degrees and Mudhunny and I were both pretty spent. As we broke down our bikes a woman came over and introduced herself and handed each of us a cold washcloth (awesome idea, by the way). We chatted about SORBA, the bike club that’s responsible for FATS, and all the great work that had been done in the area. SORBA needs support (i.e. dues paying members) and trail work volunteers to open even more great trails like FATS.
FATS is located about an hour’s drive from Columbia, SC and about 2.5 hours from Atlanta, GA and Greenville, SC. If you’re anywhere nearby and enjoy fast flowing singletrack trails, check out FATS–you won’t be disappointed!
1 Comments
Jul 26, 2007
Long Cane Trails, LLC built the 25 miles at FATS with $185,000 and 2,000 volunteer hours from SORBA CSRA. The money came from a $100,000 RTP Grant written by Long Cane Trails, and $85,000 from the USFS internal budgeting and an old program called the Centennial Fund.
The climbing on the existing loops is:
Deep Step & Lollipop Stick 500
Great Wall & Connector to Parking Lot. 580
Skinny Loop. 320
Brown Wave and short lollipop stick 300.
This is about 1700' per 26 mile lap. It's about a 26 mile ride to cover all 25 miles of trail as there is some manditory backtracking.
The next 9-10 miles of FATS will also be built by Long Cane Trails as it has written and been awarded another RTP Grant by The South Carolina Dept of Parks Rec and Tourism. These two loops will have the most climbing/descending at FATS. They will come off the Deep Step Loop and take the rider up toward the existing firetower in Woodlawn Rd. We hope to start in October, 2007.
If you came to FATS and didn't hit the Deep Step and Great Wall....then you must come back! Those are my favorite of the existing loops.
Alot of people and organizations are to thank for FATS. For and foremost...IMBA. They set up a system of ideas and tools that we latched onto locally and ran with. Without IMBA, we'd not have FATS. Next is SORBA. They let us join in 1999 as the first Chapter outside GA and let us run our own show. I think we've added value to SORBA, but it was this organization that got us organized and gave local people something to belong to. Our Gov't partners, the USFS and SCPRT have been wonderful to work with. The last and only individual I'll thank is former SC Trail Cooridinator Jim Schmid. Without Jim, we'd not only not have FATS, but we'd not have Baker Creek or Hickory Knob either. Jim got us started in the right direction and never gave up on us. Everything we have flowed from Jim's vision. All the way to our relationship with the USFS, State Parks and alot of the trails we have to ride now.
Y'all come to ride FATS and enjoy yourselves.