CAMBA: Namakagon Cluster

Great easy loop. This is a great place to start or take a beginner. The trail is well maintained and was amazing after a little rain.

I LOVED this trail. I think it's my favorite of CAMBA. It is very rocky and requires good bike-handling skills. Some of the rocks have larger drops (10 inches or so), and you need to have confidence riding through the rock gardens. The no-hands bridge was crazy when I was there - water was up to it and it looked like I was riding across a lake - nothing like other pictures I've seen of it. While the Hildebrand portion is rated double black, I didn't think it was harder than the rest of the trail, and I'd argue the last couple miles are the hardest, if anything. Despite all the rocks, there are sections you can really get your speed up and ride smoothly. This is a trail that can be 100% ridden and is simply amazing once you have more advanced skills. I would have hated this trail as a beginner and trying to take someone new is a way to make them dislike riding. Definitely something to build up to riding!

Once we finally got on the single track (and off the fire road... never did find the correct start), the trail was a lot of fun. Great fast flow and not very tricky. I think a beginner could handle this at lower speeds, but riding fast increases the need for some bike-handling skills. I'd look to ride this one again if I could find the correct start!

This is an old-school rocky trail that is intermediate to advanced. Once you feel you have some skills in riding over larger rocks, this is a perfect trail to test out your skills. It's not constant crazy rock riding, so if it's beyond your skills, there are sections to walk, but still a bunch of intermediate riding so it's not constant hike-a-bike.

Really nice trail. It has great flow, some technical rocky area, and amazing views! Bring more food and water than you think you need because the maps are a little worn and hard to see. The trail forks app is very helpful to navigate. Bring lots of bug spray

Awesome trail, lots of fun flowy singletrack. Nothing too gnarly, mostly just cruising fun.

Beautiful trail with lots of options. Fun technical bits, varied scenery.

Great trail and worth the trip over to ride it! Some technical areas, with great forest views during the ride.

I rode Rock Lake on a beautiful Saturday afternoon with hero dirt to be had in abundance. I had to skip the epic ride because of time constraints, as well as the fact that this trail required more upper body strength and lower speed tech skills than I anticipated. It had an old school feel and could really make you pay in certain areas. I enjoyed the challenge though and it was pretty well laid out (thankful for a dropper!). The rocks weren't unmanageable, but taking the wrong line could mean trouble cleaning a couple climbs or descents without risking your chainring.
The signage was great as I experienced earlier @ CAMBA's Seeley Pass, Flow Mama, and High Point. I also felt quite secluded during this loop with next to no other noises other than nature and my hub and shocks. Definitely recommend this trail; I initially gave it a 4 because I felt it was a little slow in areas where I wanted more speed and jumps or kickers...however after giving it more thought, just because I would like a trail a certain way in a couple areas doesn't mean it should suffer in its rating. This trail was the complete package for a technical trail ride. If you are looking for jumps and large berms, I recommend the Seeley Pass/Flow Mama/High Point ride not too far away. This trail is designed to provide oneness with nature while testing your rock skills, and it certainly delivers on that.

Wow! That was a workout. Rode the Black trail for the first time. Fun and challenging for my intermediate skills. Lots of rocks. Ridable, but there are a lot of them. Some beautiful scenery to keep you rolling and encouraged. Trail is well maintained and marked. Bet it is truly amazing in the fall.

Did the Namakagon Trail on Sunday. Great trail to have some fast fun riding...

Rode parts of this cluster with my wife October 16th. Parked at the Namakagon Town Hall Trailhead. Headed out on the Namakogon Trail which is an intermediate single track with a nice flow. Combines with the Glacier Trail, this was fast old double track. Took the Patsy Lake Trail south around the lake riding some double track before entering a nice piece of easy single track. Connected again with the Namakagon Trail to finish on fun intermediate singletrack. Overall 12.5 miles of great riding in the woods.
I would recommend the Patsy Lake Trail for beginners. The Namakagon Trail for advancing beginners and intermediate riders or just a fun ride. The Rock Lake Trail is also part of this cluster. Described as difficult to most difficult singletrack. I look forward to my return to attempt the Rock Lake Trail. An IMBA Epic Trail designation that is well deserved.

Very good intermediate trail and enjoyable twisty singletrack for the majority of the ride. Not many tough climbs. Trail was in real good shape.

This trail is absolutely beautiful and challenging. There is two things I would highly recommend when taking on this trail;
1. Bring bug spray and carry it on you. I sprayed myself before the ride but after sweating it wore off and I now have literally hundreds of mosquito bites!
2. If you plan on riding the other trails on this cluster do the blacks first. I put about 20 miles on before trying it and I took a couple wrong turns and the trail got the better of me. There isn't water out there and ended up having to drink lake water unfiltered (not sick yet!!!) lol
The next time I go I will park at the town hall trailhead since it's free rock lake trail head you have to pay

Kim, I can't help with the camping... other trails... ALL of the CAMBA singletrack is supreme. I would recommend, in addition to Namekagon, the Seeley Pass/Makwa trails in particular for beautiful flow. Beer... eat at the River's Eatery in Cable. Great wood fired pizzas, lots of beer options and great MTB friendly owners and atmosphere. Also, the Angry Minnow brew pub in Hayward.

Thanks for the trail description Scott, we're going to be in the area in June or July for a couple days and wondering where the best riding is. This sounds like a good loop. Any other recommendations or info on places to camp (tiny egg trailer) or good local beers?

Easily one of the best areas east of the Rockies. Along with Rock Lake, there are a ton of other trails in the area that can be linked together for some truly epic days on the bike. Nothing real technical, just a lot of fun.

Beginner frindly trail. There are no huge climbs. Fast rolling trail

Nice easy rolling trail. Rode a part of it as a part of Epic loop.

It's a hidden gem in Wisconsin. Well built trails. Fast and fun