Easy - Moderate. I rode this for the first time early on a Sunday morning. Gates were open at 7:45, and there was not a soul around. The trail head info board says to ride clockwise in even months and counter in odd months. Clockwise, it was a moderate climb to begin but not too bad. It goes up the ridge into hardwoods for about 2.5 miles before heading back down. It's probably a steeper climbing riding the loop counter-clockwise. No views that I saw but lots of still quiet woods.
This is a newly constructed trail, and you can tell as there are signs of new digging and trail sculpting etc. Hat's off to the trail builders. You can always tell when a trail is built by people who know what they are doing. It's all flowing lines and rolling bumps. Berms are in corners and roots have been avoided when possible. Pure Bliss! My only gripe...it's too short! Some articles I read claimed 6 miles, but my gadget logged 4.7 miles. I did it in a leisurely 39 minutes.
Pleasant Ridge is a favorite of mine in these parts. If you don't want to deal with crowds at Paris Mtn or you don't have the time to get to DuPont or Pisgah this is a great option. There's not a ton of mileage which is kind of a bummer, but the there's a lot packed into a small package here. Tough climbs, a handful of fun rock and root bunches, and some great flowing downhills await you on the main trail. I know there is like a mile or more of side trails off the JFA that I haven't done yet. I'll have to look for those next time I'm out this way. I highly recommend riding here, one-way travel is a huge plus.
| Thankreally, really good condition at the moment. the flow was quite good. there are plenty of options along the edges for rocks, steeper re-routes, etc. they are all slightly more challenging, but completely rideable. it's a well thought out and well maintained system.
| ThankFirst time on this trail and will be back! Good climbing and descents. Some small, technical stuff that will surprise you first time on it. You will get a work out here with climbs.
| ThankGreat and easy trail to ride. Marked very clearly and easy to know where you are and how far you've gone. Well taken care of and lots of other recreation areas if you just so happen to get bored.
| ThankBeautiful trail in the mountain foothills.
| ThankJFA trail is a directional 5 mile long loop. There is a sign at the Trailhead that will tell you which direction bikers and hikers need to go around the loop. When I was there the trail direction was clockwise around. No matter which way you start around the loop clockwise or counterclockwise you will be starting with an ascent and end with a nice flowy downhill section. This trail is a fun ride with tons of up-down hills, almost like a roller coaster for mountain bikes. For the most part a fairly easy loop, but the climb at the beginning will make you earn that downhill at the end. There are some roots and rocks to be cautious of during the loop but everything is rideable on a bike with no hike-a-bike sections. Great trail for a quick loop or take a couple loops either way its a trial you need to ride!
| ThankMountain bike trail, JFA, was extremely enjoyable. Went counterclockwise because it was an odd month. Had a good amount of climbing to give you a workout and then had flowy trails coming down where you picked up speed and you could get some air on your jumps. It's not that long but I did it twice. Hopefully they will extend it. Every tenth of a mile there was a mile marker.
| ThankPretty solid ride, and not bad climbing if your cardio is in shape. Beginners should be wary of the rock gardens in places, as well as the placement of the trail between some tight rocks also. Mud can also cause a few issues in places, and the tight switches can be a challenge for anyone unfamiliar with the trail.
| Thank5-1/2 miles of gradual to moderate up and down grades. If your confident in your cardio and skills, plan for 2 times around to get 1.25-2.0 hours of cardio. Not a bad trail if your wanting to try something different. Review based on even month route.
| ThankGreat, short trail, about 90% smooth singletrack. The climbing is relatively easy with only a few short, somewhat steep sections. It has a pretty good flow to the trail allowing you to keep your speed up and there are some whoops to jump on the descent going counter clockwise. It was the perfect track to stretch out the legs after a couple days of harder riding. Would be a good place to get in a short ride after work if you live nearby.
| ThankThe climbs are pretty tough but the downhills are worth it.
| ThankWas a fun ride. I was going counter-clockwise and you definitely have a decent climb for about the first 2 miles. There are a few short sections of downhill to give you breaks but it is mostly uphill. I do like that you have the option of doing the whole trail, which I would rate as intermediate, or taking sassy's pass which keeps it as a beginner level all the way. I was the only one riding and during the summer it is constantly shaded by trees. Definitely check this trail out if you are looking for a fun 2 to 3 hr ride.
| ThankRode this trail for the 1st time today and LOVED IT. Just enough technical stuff and climbing to make it kinda tough. Downhills and woop-dees are a blast. All singletrack which is completely shaded. It's just about perfiect for me. I don't care for the distance markers.
| ThankGreat Trail. I am pretty new to the sport and have only rode this trail and all the trails at Paris Mountain. I like this trail better than Paris Mountain. I like the narrow track, the feeling of being isolated, no hikers, and most importantly...not as rocky and no loose gravel. A lot smoother and flowing. Like another reader pointed out, when going counter-clockwise, the initial climb is pretty grueling. But the downhill makes it worth it.
| ThankThis is actually a cool little place to ride. I went up one afternoon to check it out, but signs said the trail was closed. So...I rode it anyway and I was the only person out riding. It had been raining the night before, but the trail actually wasn't as wet as I thought it'd be. I rode it both ways a few times to get a feel for it and both ways are fun. It's got lots of uphills and downhills no matter which direction you ride it, so you'll be working for those downhills, but I think I enjoyed the downhills more riding it counterclockwise - there were some nice little jumps and smooth fast trails. It's got some roots and rocky sections too. It's a short loop trail but there are a few shortcut trails in between, and it looks like people are slowly adding more trails. I'll definitely be going back and riding it counterclockwise some more. This place is small, but it's a nice little treat. It's not too far of a drive for me, and if you get bored of Jorge F. Arango Trail then DuPont is not too far away.
| ThankGreat trail, it will make you earn you fun. This trail has a "natural" feel to it. The trail had leaves covering the small single track the moved around ridges and through trees. It was flowing in a way that didn't not seem like a machine cut perfect trail, roots and rocks where present and made for a fun ride. Each section of rocks could provide different lines making it a new experience for each ride! I only had time to do one loop which ended up being 5.2 miles or so using a cat eye stealth 50 gps. I will be back to ride this trail for sure!
| ThankI'm a roadie and was in town for the George Hincapie Gran Fondo but brought along our mountain bikes to ride the day after. This trail system is a gem that is embedded in the Pleasant Ridge County Park. The direction of ride rotates to deconflict with hikers but is annotated at the trailhead. It is a narrow, singletrack with plenty of obstacles to include rocks and tree roots. Trail markers are abundant but we missed a turn and found ourselves on a dirt road that luckily took us back to the cabin we were staying at. The trail system is all singletrack so stay on that size of trail and you will complete the loop. You will not be disappointed!
| ThankRode this trail for the first time today. I loved this trail! It was a A great mixture of technical, climbing, rolling single track and just the right distance of 5 miles. I live about 30 minutes away from this trail and will be back for sure.
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